PRESS RELEASE

“Will Ellesmere Castle reveal its secrets?”

A grant from the Castle Studies Trust has been awarded to the Ellesmere Bowling Club and will hopefully unlock some of the mystery surrounding Ellesmere Castle.

The Castle, built in the early part of the 12th Century, had a rich and varied history, at one time given by King John to Llewellyn the Great when he married his daughter Joan. But sadly nothing physical remains of the Castle today other than the mound itself which is now home to the Bowling Club and earthworks which cover the top part of Castlefields which is in the ownership of Shropshire Council..

The grant will pay for surveys to identify any buildings on or near the Castle - their size, shape and construction material. They will start to link the Castle’s written history with its actual appearance. Heneb Clwyd and Powys Archaeology - the Trust for Welsh Archaeology -will carry out the survey work during March.

A spokesperson, on behalf of Ellesmere Bowling Club, said, “It’s very exciting to have been awarded a grant from the Castle Studies Trust as there is fierce competition for them each year. The surveys will start to build a picture of what the Castle site looked like over seven hundred years ago. The surveys are non-intrusive so will not impact on the bowling season which starts in April”.

Jeremy Cunnington, Chair of Trustees for the Castle Studies Trust says: “We are delighted to support the local Bowling Club and community to learn more about their castle. Ellesmere was an important and historically significant castle of the Welsh March of which we know next to nothing of what it looked like. Carrying out this survey will hopefully help us learn more.”

Contribution by Gary Bick