Evidence of castle on Wolverhampton's outskirts

An old castle complete with a moat may once have stood in Wolverhampton where a block of flats has now been built, according to never-before-examined evidence uncovered by archaeologists.

Historic maps dating back to the 1800s, along with aerial images of the area from 1945, suggest that a grand old building once stood where the flats at Castlebridge Gardens, Wednesfield, now stand.

The discovery came about when city archaeologist Mike Shaw and council landscape archaeologist Paul Quigley began looking into the history behind Castle Bridge, which crosses the Wyrley & Essington Canal at Lichfield Road.

Mr Quigley said a tithe map, which shows how land was divided between parishes, dating back to 1840 showed a field named Castle Grounds in the heart of what is now Wednesfield.

And aerial images from 1945, before the area was flattened and built up during the 50s, show irregularities and patterns in the earth consistent with the land having been built on.

This is a fascinating piece of evidence – until now no building at all had been recorded on that site," he said.

"It may not have been a castle in the way we would normally think of it, but we are convinced there was something there.

"The fact the field is called Castle Grounds is a big hint."