Stone

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Bury Bank; Berry Bank; Darlaston

In the civil parish of Stone Rural.
In the historic county of Staffordshire (Modern Authority of Staffordshire, 1974 county of Staffordshire).

Nothing known of castle mentioned by Harvey as existing in Shropshire, possibly in error for Stone in Staffordshire, which itself has no known castle site. It should be said of Stone in Staffordshire that close to the town is the large Iron Age hill fort of Bury Bank. This is said to have had early medieval reuse as a Royal Mansion of King Wlferus of the Mercians (657-676AD). This is a classic hillfort but has a large low mound within it (Called a conical hill in Shaw); this was probably a barrow (early Saxon rather than prehistoric) although excavation in 1860 did not find a burial (but did find bits of bones and ashes). The VCH suggests the mound may have been surmounted by a watch tower and suggests this as "a prototype of the Norman Keep". Without knowing Harvey's source it is difficult to identify this castle with certainty, however, Staffordshire and Shropshire did share some administration during the medieval period (and Harvey does occasionally make errors in county location) and it is possible that the early Saxon Royal Manor may have remained in the memory as a castle. Called a saxon castle by Shaw (I presume Harvey's authority). I have, therefore, located this otherwise 'lost' castle at Bury Bank. Leland clearly describes Bury Bank as King Wulfhere's castle and that there are still large ditches and masonry to be seen..

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Questionable.
Earthworks remains.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SJ88213593

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 75648