Urishay Castle

File:Urishay.jpg

Urishay Castle Farm and Urishay Castle

Urishay constitutes the remains of a castle located about 2.5 km west of Peterchurch in Herefordshire, England.

History of the site

The first part of the name Urishay is derived from "Ulric" or "Urri" who was a twelfth-century tenant of the estate. The second part of the name comes from the word "Hay", meaning an enclosure in open woodland where wild game could be trapped.

Although the location is referred to as Urishay Castle, there is some doubt as to whether it actually served as such or whether it was just a large house.

Urishay Castle today

There are remains of a motte on which lies a ruined house dating back to the 17th or 18th centuries. The ruins of Urishay Castle Chapel, which dates to the 12th century, are owned and maintained by the Friends of Friendless Churches. The chancel contains a stone altar with five crosses on its surface.

Urishay Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and has a listed building status of "Not Listed".

Baker University

The Collins Library at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas houses a 15th-century room that came from Urishay Castle. The room, which was installed around 1908, is known today as the Urishay Room.

Further reading & external links

• Friends of Friendless Churches: Urishay Chapel
• Historic Herefordshire: Castles of Herefordshire contains a detailed description of Urishay Castle today including an illustration of the remains.
• The Urishay Castle Room at Baker University
• Photos of Urishay Castle on geograph
• Castle Facts - Urishay Castle