34 



be able to get thus far. The several rooms and offices within were next pointed 

 out, the chapel, the garrison tower, the offices, the prison, the fine hall, 05 feet 

 long by 2S broad, the ladies room, &c. , &c. , and then, at the request of some of 

 the ladies who wished to hear something of its history Dr. Bull gave a 



BKIEF SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF GOODRICH CASTLE. 

 Ladies and Gentlemen : "Whenever we want to know the history of any old 

 castle we may meet with in this county, we are now fortunately able to find a 

 good account of it in that excellent book " The Castles of Herefordshire and 

 their Lords," by the Rev. C. J. Robinson. Finding last night that the lead 

 to-day would fall upon me I read his account of Goodrich Castle and one or two 

 other books, and am therefore able to tell you something about it. 



There is nothing known of the history of the castle before the Norman 

 conquest. The name of Godricus dux is attached to two charters of King 

 Canute and from him the village and castle is supposed to derive the name 

 Goodrich. Doomsday-book says, "Godric Mappesone holds Hulla" meaning 

 probably Howie Hill, in the parish of Walford, just over the river, upon which 

 hill there are still some traces of fortification. 



Doomesday book makes no mention of Goodrich Castle, which is accounted 

 for by the statement that the survey was very incomplete here, owing to the 

 district of Archenfield having been recently laid waste by the Welsh under the 

 leaders Griffin and Blein. There can be little doubt but that the present castle 

 was built to stop the incursions of the Welsh, though the actual builder is not 

 known. 



A century after the conquest (1165) it is known to have been in possession 

 of William Marshall, Earl cf Pembroke, and he was confirmed in his possession 

 by King John in 1203. Earl William was a true Royalist, as bold in the field 

 as he was able in council. He defended the insurgent Barons at Lincoln, and 

 laid siege against London in the king's behalf, and was afterwards made guardian 

 to the young prince, Henry IV. His five sons all succeeded to the earldom, 

 but were by no means all loyal. The castle was forfeited to the crown, and 

 was granted by Henry III. (1247) to William de Valence. 



It descended through a niece to the next great man who held possession 

 of it, Richard Talbot, the 2nd Baron, who was summoned to Parliament as 

 Richard Talbot of Gooderich Castle from 1331 to 1335. He is thought to have 

 improved very much the internal arrangements of the castle, by means of the 

 r uisoms obtained from prisoners captured in foreign wars. Edward III. allowed 

 him, by special licence, to build a prison for malefactors in the field below 

 the castle, the ruins of which we have just passed by. He also founded the 

 adjoining Priory of Flanesford about the year 1347. 



Another man of mark among the possessors of Goodrich Castle was Sir 

 John Talbot, the 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, grandson of Richard. He was renowned 

 for his martial achievements. The hero of forty battles, foremost in the 

 brilliant though profitless campaigns of Henry V. and VI., he yet survived 



