Moreton Corbet Castle

Moreton Corbet Castle
Shropshire, England
View from the west
Moreton Corbet Castle
Coordinates	52°48′16″N 2°39′15″W / 52.8045°N 2.6541°W / 52.8045; -2.6541Coordinates: 52°48′16″N 2°39′15″W / 52.8045°N 2.6541°W / 52.8045; -2.6541
Grid reference	grid reference SJ560232
Type	Castle
Site information
Owner	English Heritage
Condition	Ruined

Moreton Corbet Castle is an English Heritage property located near the village of Moreton Corbet, Shropshire, England, 8 miles northeast of Shrewsbury. It is a Grade I listed building. The ruins are from two different eras: a medieval stronghold and an Elizabethan era manor house. The buildings have been out of use since the 18th century.

In 1086 two Anglo Saxon thegns, Hunning and Wulfgeat, were living at Moreton Corbet. Perhaps they had a fortified structure here. By the early thirteenth century they had been replaced by another Englishman, Toret. His descendant Peter Toret was lord of Moreton Corbet by 1166 and it is likely that he was living in the castle. In February 1216 William Marshall stormed Moreton Corbet castle on behalf of King John of England against Bartholomew Toret. At this time the castle was known as Moreton Toret Castle. In 1235 Bartholomew died and Richard de Corbet, his son-in-law, inherited the castle and changed its name to Moreton Corbet.

The castle next saw action in the English Civil War when the castle changed hands at least four times.

Moreton Corbet remains the property of the Corbet family.

In the 16th century, Sir Andrew Corbet made many alterations to the gatehouse and the perimeter wall. When he died in 1579, his son, Robert Corbet (died 1583), influenced by the classical architecture overseas he had seen in his role as a diplomat, set about building a new mansion. Unfortunately, he died of the plague in 1583. After his death, his two brothers and successors, Richard and Vincent Corbet, carried on with the building of the new manor, and leaving what was left of the original fortification.