Stories about people

Kilpeck castle is not the most impressive in Herefordshire, but it sits in a village steeped in history, and the views from the castle mound are spectacular.

Kilpeck church is right next to the castle, and is well signposted from the A465 - though to reach it you have to negotiate some typically English country lanes.

Map showing Kilpeck castle

As you enter Kilpeck village look out for the Red Lion pub on the left, and take the right hand turn opposite.

The church is 500 yards down this road, and you can park outside - as you walk though the gates, past the 'Narnia' lamp post, check out the noticeboard on the left, which gives a brief history of the church and castle.

If you want a more comprehensive history of the medieval village of Kilpeck carry on through the churchyard, past the magnificent ancient oak tree, and you will find a display case that will tell you everything you need to know about the local area.

If you want to go straight to the castle, turn left by the church, go through the upper churchyard, and across the style in the wall.

In front of you is the castle mound - there's no proper path, so look for the places where other people have scrambled to the top.

There are only two sections of the castle walls left now, but you can stand by them and look out across the countryside, and realise why the castle was built here in the first place.

And as you puff and pant your way up the mound and its surrounding ditches, try and imagine what it would have been like to do this wearing chain-mail, and with people firing arrows at you.

Sometimes it not a good thing to own a castle - check out the grizzly fate of two of the owners of Kilpeck castle:
The 5th Earl of Kilpeck lost his head, and his castle, following the battle of Towton Moor, in 1442.
William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, was executed after the battle of Edgecote in 1469.

Cromwell's men captured the castle in 1645 during the Civil War, and it was subsequently demolished by order of Parliament - hence the caustic entry on one of the websites giving the history of the church, which compares the Roundheads to the Taliban.

Juliana – the widow of John of Kilpeck - paid to the king sixty marks and a fine Palfrey for the privilege of marrying whom she pleased. True love always comes at a price.