Bridgnorth Castle was founded in 1101 by Robert de Belleme, the son of the French Earl, Roger de Montgomery, who succeeded his father to become the Earl of Shrewsbury.
Its principal feature, a square great tower, was built during the reign of Henry II. During the Civil War, Bridgnorth was one of the Midlands’ main Royalist strongholds and in 1642 many Royalist troops were garrisoned there. In 1646, Cromwell’s Roundheads arrived with orders to take Bridgnorth for the Parliamentarians from the garrison led by Sir Robert Howard. Following a three week siege, Cromwell was successful and he ordered that the castle be demolished. By 1647 little of the structure remained. The Parliamentarians left it much as it is today, the stone from the castle being taken and used to repair the town’s damaged buildings.
Bridgnorth Castle now leans at an angle of 15 degrees, 4 times the lean of the leaning tower of Pisa. The castle grounds were excavated over 3 days by Time Team, clarifying the layout of the castle and the history of its construction.
Bridgnorth Castle Gardens
The scheme to create a public garden on Castle Hill to commemorate Queen Victoria’s jubilee included a bandstand. The original bandstand was removed in 1940 as scrap metal for the war effort.
Bridgnorth war memorial stands in Castle Gardens. The bronze figure of a soldier of the Shropshire Light Infantry stands arm outstretched, in the act of throwing a grenade or bomb, atop a plinth with pediment and is Grade II listed.