Wigmore Castle

Wigmore Castle rises above its Herefordshire village in a tangle of earthworks, trees and surviving medieval walls. Founded in 1067 by William Fitz Osbern, it became the chief stronghold of the Mortimer family, whose power extended across the Welsh Marches. Towers and fragments of the gatehouse emerge from rubble that has buried some buildings almost to first-floor level, while the surrounding countryside gives a clear sense of the castle's commanding position. English Heritage conserved the ruins while retaining their established natural environment, which helps explain the vegetation visitors often remark upon. Reviewers enjoy the scale and atmosphere but advise expecting an overgrown ruin rather than a neatly exposed castle. The keep is currently closed for repairs to its steps. Park at the village hall and allow about fifteen minutes for the walk through the village and up the steep approach, wearing footwear suited to mud and uneven ground.