Why We Love Goodrich

"Really loved this castle! What a great find! Very interesting and liked the fact that you can actually walk round it, walk up the towers and visit the dungeon. Amazing views." Tanya, via Facebook

"Unbelievably awesome. Such attractive & wonderful scenery & magnificent river!" Jamie, via Twitter

"Goodrich is many castle-specialists' favourite site, and it's certainly one of mine. It combines the best features of a 'military' castle, with portcullises, drawbridge, arrow-loops, barbican and so on, with a very fine country house, complete with big windows, fireplaces, wash-basins and so on. Lots of visitors to castles want to know what it was like to live in one - at Goodrich, for once, we have a really good idea." Jeremy Ashbee, Head Properties Curator (right)

What makes Goodrich special?

The site of Goodrich Castle began life as Godric's Castle, with the first castle build by Godric Mappeson in 1101-2. Nothing of this original castle remains but its name. Much of what can be seen today was built by the De Valences. But perhaps the most notorious chapter in Goodrich's story was the famous siege during the English Civil War in 1647. Originally garrisoned by the Parliamentarian forces, the castle was later held by Royalists and became the centre of Royalist activity in the area by 1645.

On the night of 9-10 March 1646, Colonel John Birch and his Parliamentarian army launched a surprise assault on the castle stables, stealing horses and burning the stables down. He later returned to stage a bloody siege, utilising the mighty mortar Roaring Meg which can still be seen in the castle today. The damage caused by Roaring Meg is clearly visible today, especially in the ruined Lady's Tower.