The Local History Radio Series

Eccleshall's Holy Trinity Church was built in 1189 by the Normans, but the history of this small town in Staffordshire stretches back much further.

Before the stone church was built, there were several wooden churches on the site, but according to local historian Jan Baker, they were burned to the ground by Viking invaders during the 8th Century.

Holy Trinity Church, Eccleshall, Staffordshire

The land surrounding the church was divided into small allotments that were rented out as farmland to local peasants.

If you look at tithe maps from the medieval period the dividing borders of these allotments are still in place today, although they are private gardens now.

Walking around the church, I noticed several deep grooves in the outer stone walls, local historian Ray Tooth explained that these marks are called whets and were made by Norman archers sharpening their arrows.

Local historians Ray Tooth and Jan Barker told BBC Radio Stoke's Local History Correspondent more. To listen to this feature click on the link below.

One tower remains at Eccleshall Castle

Eccleshall Castle

Just a short distance from Holy Trinity Church is Eccleshall Castle.

The manor of Eccleshall was given to Chad, the Bishop of Lichfield in 669 AD, and over the centuries the estate has been home to the Bishops, their servants and students.

Today, only one of the four stone towers and part of the curtain wall remain; the other three towers were destroyed by Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarian armies in 1646.

Mark's family have lived here for over 100 years.

There is also the original medieval drawbridge linking the house to the driveway, that would have been used to cross the moat at one time. 

Battle of Bloore Heath

In 1459 Eccleshall Castle opened its gates to Queen Margaret of Anjou and her Lancastrian soldiers during the War of the Roses.

Queen Margaret planned to intercept the Yorkist army as they headed from the North of England to Ludlow.

The forces did battle on Bloore Heath and according to local historian Mark Carter-Morley, the Lancastrians lost many men in the bloody conflict.

The Queen fled the scene, only stopping at a local blacksmiths to have her horse's shoes reversed to confuse any enemy soldiers trying to track her down.

View from inside the tower at Eccleshall Castle

Mark Carter-Morley and his family have owned Eccleshall Castle for over a century; he told BBC Radio Stoke's Local History Correspondent Katie Martin more as they took a stroll around the castle grounds.
To listen to this feature click on the link below

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