Oswestry Shropshire hotels:

Twelfth-century castle with gatehouse still intact and further ruins, a moat to the front. Grounds with play area and picnic sites. Driving through the village of Whittington along the old A5, it's difficult to miss Whittington Castle.The building dominates the village and the old road through it, and it's easy to imagine how it must have imposed itself on travellers down the years. Though impressive, this gatehouse was only built 200 years ago. In fact, the most striking part of the building, the gatehouse, is a reconstruction that's less than 200 years old. To its immediate left lie the crumbling remains of a castle dating back some 700 years... And we're in danger of losing what little remains. Like many others in Shropshire, this quiet village has proved the plaything of Kings and barons. Powerful lords have fought and killed each other over the ownership of the castle, while their exploits have become the stuff of legends. Curiously, Whittington Castle seems to defy conventional wisdom when it comes to castle building. Unusually, it is built on low ground, which offers a poor view of the surrounding countryside. However, the springs and bog that once surrounded the castle provided a natural defense against would-be invaders. During the 12th and 13th centuries, Whittington lay in the narrow strip of land that was known as the Welsh Marches. This area provided a buffer zone against the lawless land of Wales. While this frontier land provided protection for England, it also bore the brunt of the rampant Welsh attacks.