GATEHOUSE
The comprehensive gazetteer and bibliography of the medieval castles, fortifications and palaces of England, Wales, the Islands.
 
 
Home
The listings
Other Info
Books
Links
Downloads
Contact
 
Print Page 
 
Next Record 
Previous Record 
Back to list 

Stourton Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Stewpony; Sturseley; Kinver

In the civil parish of Kinver.
In the historic county of Staffordshire.
Modern Authority of Staffordshire.
1974 county of Staffordshire.
Medieval County of Staffordshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SO85928492
Latitude 52.46213° Longitude -2.20875°

Stourton Castle has been described as a probable Timber Castle, and also as a certain Palace, and also as a certain Fortified Manor House.

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains.

This is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law*.

Description

Possibly originated as a hunting lodge in the time of William II, and referred to as the King's House during the reign of Henry II. Restored in 1184-96 and fortified in 1223. The present house incorporates some late medieval and C16 work , but the building was remodelled and rebuilt 1832-3 by James Foster. C19 main front incorporates a late medieval gate tower. The ranges to the south, north and east are C16 in date and once formed three sides of an open courtyard, roofed over as part of the 1832-3 remodelling. (PastScape)

Stourton Castle, home of the lords of Kinver. From 1184-96, the sheriff accounted for digging a ditch around the lodge, and rebuilding works. The latter included a timber hall, offices, gaol kitchen and gate. A palisade was added to the ditch, and fishponds dug. By 1222 it had become known as Stourton Castle, and it was fortified 1222-3. During the remodelling of 1832-3, the foundations of two round towers were uncovered some distance to the North-West, which may suggest a bailey or court. (PastScape ref. VCH)

Large house on the site of a medieval castle. The house incorporates some late Medieval and C16 works but was remodelled and partly rebuilt in 1832-33 in a late Gothic style by James Foster from designs by Sir Robert Smirke. Red brick; plain tile roofs with shaped gables; brick stacks. Main front of 1832-3 to the west, incorporating a late Medieval gate tower; C16 ranges to the north, south and east enclose the other 3 sides of a formerly open courtyard which was roofed over by Foster. West front: 2 storeys with moulded brick parapet band and plain parapet. 1:3:1 bays; central range recessed between flanking gabled wings, mullioned and transomed casements with raised surrounds, windows of central range have small gables over with psuedo-arrow slits matching those of the wings. Central 3 storey gate-tower with moulded off-sets and crenellated parapet; rendered and lined as ashlar; pointed entrance with moulded surround, second storey window has 2 trefoil-headed lights under a segmental pointed arch. In the re-entrant angles between central range and flanking wings are diagonally placed 2-storey bays with parapets and windows of 2 round-headed lights; the left hand bay has a 4-centred doorway. Interior: totally remodelled 1832-3. Plaster fan vaulted entrance with figure corbels; the courtyard is now an entrance hall with Tudor-style stone fireplace. (Listed Building Report)
Links to archaeological and architectural databases, mapping and other online resources

Data >
PastScape   County HER       Listing   I. O. E.
Maps >
Streetmap   NLS maps   Where's the path   Old-Maps      
Data/Maps > 
Magic   V. O. B.   Geology   LiDAR   Open Domesday  
Air Photos > 
Bing Maps   Google Maps   Getmapping   ZoomEarth      
Photos >
CastleFacts   Geograph   Flickr   Panoramio      

Sources of information, references and further reading
Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.
It is an offence to disturb a Scheduled Monument without consent. It is a destruction of everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from ANY site without proper recording and reporting.
Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation.
The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of Historic England, County Historic Environment Records and other individuals and organisations. It may also contain information licensed under the Open Government Licence. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes.
The author and compiler of Gatehouse does not receive any income from the site and funds it himself. The information within this site is provided freely for educational purposes only.
The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.
Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.
The possible site or monument is represented on maps as a point location. This is a guide only. It should be noted that OS grid references defines an area, not a point location. In practice this means the actual center of the site or monument may often, but not always, be to the North East of the point shown. Locations derived from OS grid references and from latitude longitiude may differ by a small distance.
Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.
Please help to make this as useful a resource as possible by contacting Gatehouse if you see errors, can add information or have suggestions for improvements in functality and design.
Help is acknowledged.
*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.
This record last updated 26/07/2017 09:21:27

Home | Books | Links | Fortifications and Castles | Other Information | Help | Downloads | Author Information | Contact
¤¤¤¤¤