A TALE OF TWO CASTLES

Written as part of Amy Johnson Crow’s “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” challenge. This week’s theme: Civil War

The Harley family from which we are descended lived in Shropshire in the late eighteenth century. Edward Harley (1757-1813), our 4G grandfather, lived in Hopton Castle, a village which grew up in the shadow of a twelfth century keep, now in ruins. The castle itself, originally an earthwork motte and bailey fortress, was founded in the 11th century.

The village of Hopton Castle, Shropshire. The castle can be seen in the lower right.

Five miles away from Hopton Castle, across the county boundary into Herefordshire, lies Brampton Bryan, where the noble Harleys had lived since about 1309. Sir Robert Harley (1579–1656) was a member of Parliament and was required to live in London, leaving Brilliana to deal with the estate - and their seven children - in his absence.

Both Brampton Bryan and Hopton Castle were besieged during the Civil War. And both were defended by Harley supporters of the Parliamentary cause, in an area that was strongly supportive of the Royalists.

Brampton Bryan

With the outbreak of the civil war in 1642 Robert and Brilliana sided with Parliament although Herefordshire remained strongly Royalist.

Robert remained in London throughout the war, and Brilliana is credited with preparing the defenses of the castle, which came under attack in July 1643. Despite orders from Sir Robert to leave, Brilliana remained.

On 30th July the church in front of the gatehouse was lost to the attackers and a great gun installed in the steeple. This gun was used to fire at the castle but, fortunately for Brilliana, to little avail. The Royalists then turned their attention to the village and burnt down the castle mills, 40 houses, the parsonage and the church. Despite the frenzied attacks of the Royalists the defenders suffered few casualties compared to the 60 deaths suffered by the opposition.
When a parley was suggested, she allowed Royalist Sir John Scudamore to enter the castle by means of a rope ladder. She would not open her gates, nor would she meet with him in person, even if she read his letter. Even when a personal letter from King Charles was delivered to her, demanding that she surrender, Brilliana was not to be moved. Although relief finally arrived for her and the siege was lifted, Royalist forces again menaced her safety and she found herself once more under threat.

But the privations of the siege had their tragic effect. Brilliana was never very strong, and she became weaker. In October of 1643 she died on 4th day of an illness described as ‘a great cold, an apoplexy and defluxion of the lungs.’

Brilliana ‘looked death in the face without dread.’

The castle was attacked again the following year. Brampton Bryan's defence was strong but the attackers made use of mines and better artillery. The defenders finally surrendered and the buildings were sacked and burnt.

Sir Robert Harley returned to Brampton Bryan but the castle remained in its ruined and burned state until the death of Sir Robert Harley in 1657. It has been the family seat of the Harleys from 1309 up to the present day.

The ruins of the castle, the newer Hall nearby

Hopton Castle

After Brillliana's death a small garrison left Brampton Bryan and moved to defend the smaller fortification at Hopton Castle. Royalist attackers were repulsed in February 1645, but in March they returned with a larger force and powerful artillery. After three long weeks the defenders, led by Colonel More, surrendered, with an agreement that the men would be allowed to go safe. What happened subsequently has been a matter of dispute for more than three centuries.

According to More's account all those who surrendered, apart from himself, were killed and buried nearby.

the soldiers having their hands cut off and being stoned or drowned in a ditch.

While accounts vary on how the siege ended, most consistent is the report that the Royalist commander claimed his prerogative under the laws of war and decided not to grant his prisoners quarter and they were killed by their captors. While subsequent research, including that carried out by the BBC's Time Team in May 2010, has failed to find the bodies, the term 'Hopton Quarter' became a byword for treacherous treatment by your opponents.