Brampton Bryan Castle was built to guard an important route from Ludlow along the Teme Valley to Knighton and into Central Wales. In 1643, the Puritan owner Robert Harley left the defense of the castle in the hands of his wife, Brilliana. Situated in a predominantly Royalist county, the estate and castle were vulnerable to attack.
With three of her children, about 50 civilians, and 50 soldiers, Brilliana held out against a mixed force of about 700 soldiers of cavalry and infantry. The Royalists burned all the buildings in the village to the ground and attacked the castle with cannon and shot. The bombardment left the castle roofless, but casualties were low with only one death and a few injuries recorded. Brilliana stayed at her post until she died on 29 October 1643, just months after the initial siege was lifted.
When the family doctor Nathaniel Wright took over the command, the Royalists returned in the spring of the following year with additional weaponry, including mines and more powerful artillery. They eventually won, sacking and burning the building. The prisoners, including the three young Harley children, were taken to Shrewsbury. Despite the loss of his castle, Robert Harley's support of the Roundhead cause resulted in a compensation of some £13,000 for his losses. Today, the ruins sit near a 17th-century brick house, while a local legend claims the Devil still rampages through the park with Cromwell's soul.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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