Hartlebury Castle in Worcestershire was built in the mid-13th century as a fortified manor house on land given to the Bishop of Worcester by King Burghred of West Mercia in 854 CE.[1] It lies near Stourport town in north Worcestershire. The manor of Hartlebury belonged to the bishops of Worcester from before the Norman Conquest. The castle was thus one of the residences of the medieval bishops and their principal residence in later periods.[2]
From the early 13th century until 2007, Hartlebury Castle was the residence of the Bishop of Worcester. With the coming of a new Bishop, Bishop Inge, the residence was moved to a house adjacent to the Cathedral in the city of Worcester itself.
In 1964 the north wing of the castle was taken over by Worcestershire County Council for the creation of a County Museum and in 1966 the museum was opened to the public. The future of the rest of the historic building (including the Hurd Library, a special gallery built by Bishop Hurd in 1782 and which still contains his extensive and unique collection of books) is at the present time (May 2008) uncertain.
Hartlebury Castle is a Grade I listed building.
References
- ^ Worcestershire County Council: A Brief History of Hartlebury Castle Retrieved 16 June 2009
- ^ Victoria County History, Worcestershire
External links
- Worcestershire County Museum, official web site. Retrieved 16 June 2009
- ecastles website: Hartlebury castle (photos). Retrieved 19 June 2009
- Tour of Hurd Library Retrieved 19 June 2009
- The Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust: The Hurd Library Retrieved 19 June 2009
Coordinates: 52°20′21″N 2°14′30″W / 52.339128°N 2.241544°W
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