Population 285 (2011) Civil parish Weston-Under-Redcastle Local time Saturday 1:52 PM | OS grid reference SJ564288 Dialling code 01948 | |
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Weather 11°C, Wind W at 11 km/h, 82% Humidity | ||
Weston-under-Redcastle is a small village and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It lies 6.2 miles via road east of Wem within the North Shropshire District Counicil. At one end of the village is the main entrance to Hawkstone Park hotel and golf courses, and at the other end is a wood. Weston was mentioned in the Domesday Book, and part of the 1989 BBC adaptation of Prince Caspian was filmed in part of the village. It is situated under the south west edge of the Hawkstone Ridge.
Contents
- Map of Weston under Redcastle UK
- The village
- Domesday Book
- Hawkstone Park
- King Arthur
- 1968 siege
- Transport
- References
Map of Weston-under-Redcastle, UK
The village
Weston-under-Redcastle’s Church of England church, the Chapel of Saint Luke dates back to 1791 in the Gothic style but with a Georgian tower. Weston has a Village Hall, and Maynard’s Farm Shop mentioned in Rick Stein's Food Heroes of Britain. Two bus stops lie opposite and adjacent to the church providing links to Wem and Bings Heath. Weston is home to the 18th century Hawkstone Park Hotel which has 2 golf courses, 2 restaurants, bars and award-winning Hawkstone Park Follies. Weston is also home to The Citadel guesthouse which dates back to the 1820s as well as the Windmill Cottage Guesthouse.
Domesday Book
Weston-under-Redcastle was pronounced as Westune in the 1086 Domesday Book, it was included in the Hundred of Hodnet within the county of Shropshire. The county had a population of 21 households which was considered quite large for the time with total tax value of 3 geld units. In 1066 the value to the lord was £3 whilst in 1086 was £2. The village contained 3 villages, 9 smallholders, 8 slaves and 1 rider. Weston had 8 plough lands, 2 lords plough teams and one men’s plough team. In 1066 the lord was Edric the Wild whilst in 1086 it was Ranulf Peverel. The fifteen Shropshire hundreds mentioned in the Domesday Survey were entirely rearranged in the 1100-1135 reign of King Henry I, with the Hundred of Hodnet being merged before 1203 into the Hundred of Bradford. When Bradford was divisioned, Weston was in North Bradford.
Hawkstone Park
Hawkstone Park consists of 100 acres (40 ha) of follies and landscaped parkland grounds and rocky outcrops, based around the authentic Norman castle of Red Castle. The history of Hawkstone Park stretches back almost 800 years. In 1227 Henry de Audley, Sheriff of Shropshire and Staffordshire, built a sandstone castle on a natural outcrop of rock that was flanked on all sides by wide valleys. Hawkstone house was established by Richard Hill of Hawkstone (1655-1727) also known as the 'Great Hill'.
King Arthur
In one of the caves of Hawkstone Park it is rumoured that it was the burial ground of King Arthur.
1968 siege
In 1968, farmer John James famously held a woman hostage in a derelict cottage just north of the village. The siege lasted for 17 days with James shooting at photographers and an army armoured car (destroying the aerial on the car in the process). The siege came to an end when the hostage threw James' shotgun out of a window which allowed the army to storm the cottage. It remains the longest siege in UK history.
Transport
The village is situated closely to the east of the A49 linking it with nearby Shrewsbury. The nearest railway station is Wem taking a usual two hourly service southbound to Shrewsbury and northbound to Crewe. There are two bus stops in Weston connecting the village with Shrewsbury. The nearest airports are situated in Liverpool and Manchester.