Walsall Castle
Walsall Castle, also known as Walsall Moat, or le Mote during the 1400s, was a 12th or 13th-15th century moated manor house in the market town of Walsall in the West Midlands. The current site of the castle is occupied by a parking lot for the nearby Walsall Manor Hospital and the moat ran along what is now southern Moat Street - despite this, no visible remains exist and all earthworks have been flattened. History 12th-14th centuries The first manor house was built on the site sometime between 1199 and 1216 (during the reign of King John) and the site was owned by William de Rous during the 1220s. It first appears in records in 1275, when it was owned by William de Morteyn, who gave it to his son Roger when he died in 1283. When Roger died, the castle was passed down to the Baron Bassets of Drayton until the barony went extinct in 1390. During this time, the manor house was built within two phases of construction, with a moat being added later. Also at this time, part of the building was used for metal-working. Walsall Castle was owned by Ralph Basset, 3rd Baron Basset of Drayton