Goodrich Castle is built out of red sandstone and stands on an outcrop overlooking the River Wye. It is situated 3 miles S-W of Ross.
The castle is nearly square, like a parallelogram, and has a round tower at each corner of the curtain wall.
The tall and rectangular keep, made of white stone, is the oldest part of the castle, dating from the middle of the 12th c. The surrounding walls and towers were built ca.1280. Most construction took place in the 14th c., except for the keep.
A vaulted gatehouse leads into the central court area, where ruins of the main living rooms, the great hall and the chapel can be seen.
The courtyard sits in the middle of the castle and had covered walks along the east and west side. It is roughly rectangular in shape. Against the north range is a large rectangular well which is sunk 169 feet below the level of the courtyard.
The great hall is situated in the west range and is 65 feet long and 27 1/2 feet wide. It has transomed trefoil-headed windows facing outside, all of which had window seats. Higher up are windows without transoms facing inside. A 10 foot wide fireplace with a corbelled hood is found in the west wall of the hall, between the windows.
The great hall was served by two service rooms in the S-W tower, separated by a partition.
The castle is the most extensive ruin of its class in Herefordshire and stands as an important example of military architecture. The ruins are under the guardianship of the Commissioner of Works.
mid-12th c. A keep replaced a prior building on the same site.
ca. 1189 Castle acquired by William Marshal (created 4th Earl of Pembroke) via marriage to Isabel, daughter and eventually heiress of Richard FitzGilbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke.
1247 Acquired by William de Valence via marriage to the Marshal heiress. The majority of architectural and domestic work on the castle can be attributed to William and to his son Aymer (d 1324). There were two main building phases, from 1260--66 and from 1280--90, with additional roofing in 1296. A curtain wall was also built at this time.
1324 Castle passes to Joan, sister and coheir of Aymer de Valence and then to her daughter and coheir Elizabeth (d 1372), wife of Richard Talbot, 2nd Baron Talbot. The Talbot family held the castle until 1616.
1640s Destroyed during the Civil War.
| Name | Dates | Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Talbot, Gilbert | 1383-1418 | 5th Baron , Knight of the Garter , 8th Baron |
| Talbot, John | 1384-1453 | 6th Baron , Baron , 7th Baron , Count , 4th Earl of , 1st Earl of |
