Stapleton Castle was originally a 12th century motte with a shell keep, protected by a ditch and curtain wall.

By the 17th century only the ruined shell keep remained and a house was built inside the keep. It was later damaged before the Civil War to prevent it being used during the war but it was restored in the 18th century. It is now in ruins.

~ History ~

1086 ~  Stapleton is held by Osbern fitz Richard.

1140s ~ Osbern fitz Hugh losses his castle at nearby Presteigne to Roger Port and builds a castle at Stapleton to replace it.

The castle later passed to the Say family and then to the Mortimers of Richard's Castle.

1223 ~  Henry III grants a licence to William de Stuteville, Baron of Richard's Castle, to hold a weekly market in the manor of Stapleton.

1304 ~  On the death of Hugh de Mortimer, Stapleton passes by marriage to Sir Geoffrey de Cornewall, whose father is a natural son of Richard Plantagenet. Later, on the orders of King Henry IV, Stapleton is garrisoned against the Welsh rebels by Sir John Cornewall, who is husband of King Henry IV's sister, the Princess Elizabeth.

1415 ~  Sir John Cornewall leads a force of archers and men-at-arms at Agincourt, and is later made Baron of Fownhope by the King.

1600's ~ An H-plan house is built within the former shell keep.

1645 ~ The house is slighted by Sir Michael Woodhouse to prevent Parliamentary troops occupying it during the English Civil War.

1706 ~ The Cornewalls sell the house to the Harleys, who repair and occupied it.