Hopton Castle in Shropshire is a Norman castle built in the motte and bailey (moat and tower) style and was either built in the 1100s or 1200s. The castle served more as a fortified home than for defenses and was seiged during the Civil War as the owners sided with Parliament. The castle was habitable until the 1700s. The castle was filmed for "The Time Team" with rumours of a massacre during the Civil War, but nothing could be discovered. The castle is maintained by an independent trust.
There is not too much to see of the castle, but the keep can be entered, and visitors can walk around the castle, which is a pasture for cattle. The castle sits in a valley ("Hop" means valley and "tun" or "ton" means settlement), so it is unlikely that the castle was built for defense.
There is a small amount of parking next to the castle for visitors to explore it.
Leave a comment