A red sandstone Norman castle on a rocky spur above the River Wye, battered by a famous Civil War siege
Open to visitorsan English Heritage site — check opening times and admission before you go
Substantial ruinsruined, but plenty survives above ground
Goodrich Castle perches on a rocky spur above a bend in the River Wye, a few miles south-west of Ross-on-Wye. It is built from the same dark red sandstone as the rock it stands on, so the castle and the crag almost look of a piece. The oldest part is a square stone keep — the main tower a lord would live and shelter in — from the middle of the 1100s. Most of the rest, the towers, gatehouse and hall around the courtyard, is the work of the de Valence family, who rebuilt Goodrich on a grand scale in the late 1200s.
The castle’s most dramatic chapter came in the Civil War. In 1646 it was held for the king and besieged by Parliament’s forces, who battered it with a large mortar cast for the job and nicknamed Roaring Meg. The garrison surrendered and the castle was deliberately slighted, or part-demolished, so it could never be defended again.
English Heritage looks after Goodrich now, and there is plenty to explore, from the deep dry moat cut into the rock to the wall walks. It sits right on the Wye Valley Walk, so it pairs well with a riverside stroll, and Symonds Yat Rock, a well-known viewpoint over a loop of the Wye, is a short drive downstream.
More at the National Heritage List entry
