Early History
The Astley family held the manor from the 12th century. It is not thought likely that there was ever a true 'castle' at Astley. Although a licence to crenellate the manor house there was granted in 1266, the property was only ever a fortified house.
Sir William Astley died in 1420 leaving his estate to his daughter who had married a Lord Grey of Ruthin, a dynasty of the Welsh Marches.
The Greys rebuilt the manor house in 1555 and most of the remains date from this time or later. The rectangular building rose to two storeys with attics above hidden by embattled parapets.
Read more about this topic: Astley Castle
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or history:
“Franklin said once in one of his inspired flights of malignity—
Early to bed and early to rise
Make a man healthy and wealth and wise.
As if it were any object to a boy to be healthy and wealthy and wise on such terms.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“The whole history of civilisation is strewn with creeds and institutions which were invaluable at first, and deadly afterwards.”
—Walter Bagehot (1826–1877)