For many centuries there has been an important crossing point on the river Wye close to where Goodrich Castle stands, creating one of the major routes between England and Wales. This is perhaps one reason why Goodrich was sited here. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, many castles were built along the border.
The history of the castle itself begins soon after the Conquest. We know that an English landowner, Godric Mappeson, had built the first castle here by 1101–2. Nothing now remains of that castle except the name – Godric’s castle became Goodrich Castle.
A generation later another nobleman, Richard ‘Strongbow’ de Clare, started building here too. In 1148 he inherited Goodrich from his father, Gilbert, who had been given the castle by King Stephen about ten years earlier. It was almost certainly Richard who built the well-preserved keep that still forms the core of the castle, and is the only building from this time to have survived. There are several fine architectural details on its exterior.
Richard later achieved fame, or notoriety, as conqueror of Ireland, and also fought for Henry II in Normandy. When he died in 1176 his son and daughter were still children, so his estate reverted to the Crown.
