Sub-urban Birmingham looked a little different in the 13th century…
Weoley castle was a fortified Manor House and is now one of Birmingham’s oldest ruins. It was owned by the Lord of Dudley and was the administrative centre for the area.
Prior to the stone construction, a timber building stood on the site, home to the Saxon Earl Alwold. Following the Norman conquest in 1066, he was replaced with a Lord.
The Lord would hold a manorial court twice a year where local disputes were resolved.
Outside the walls of the Manor House a settlement also sprang up for the locals who worked the land and paid taxes to the Lord.
By the 17th century the manor fell into disrepair and the stone was used to build other buildings around the region.
The site is managed by Birmingham Museums and visitors get free entry to the viewing platform on Alwold Road, open daily.