Mr. Eyton, the extent of whose information concerning the early history of Shropshire is only equalled by its accuracy, has thrown great light upon the descent of this Alan, whom he shows with more than probability to have been the son of Fleance, and grandson of Banquo, Thane of Lochaber, killed about 1048–53. Fleance, or Flaald, seems to have married Gwenta, daughter of Griffith ap Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, by Aldith, daughter of Algar Earl of Mercia. Alan, who was dead in 1114, was unquestionably direct ancestor of the houses of Fitz-Alan of Oswaldestre, and of the royal house of Stewart.
Alan FitzFlaald, lord of Oswaldestre, was father of I, William; 2, Walter, steward of Scotland, who died 1177, having married Eschina, daughter of Thomas de Londoniis, “hostiarius” or “durward” to the King of Scotland. He was father of “Alanus Dapifer,” whose great-grandson, Walter, who died about 1320, married Marjory Bruce, and had Robert Stewart, King of Scotland.
William Fitz-Alan, the head of the house, born about 1105, and who died 1160, acquired with Isabel de Say, his second wife, the lordship of Clun, which long remained united with Oswaldestre, in the person of their descendants, the FitzAlans, Earls of Arundel, and afterwards by the female line in the Howards.
On the death of Thomas Fitz-Alan, Earl of Arundel, in the reign of Henry V., a curious question arose. He died childless, and his sisters, Joan, Lady Bergavenny, Elizabeth, Duchess of Norfolk, Margaret, Lady Lenthall, and Alice, Lady Powis, became his heirs general; but his heir male was John Fitz-Alan, called Arundel, Lord Maltravers. The Duke of Norfolk, John Mowbray, claimed the earldom in right of his mother; but when the earldom was adjudged to Lord Maltravers, he was allowed the baronies of Clun and Oswaldestre with it, nor did the duke claim them. So also when Earl John’s descendant, Humphrey, Earl of Arundel, Lord Maltravers, Clun, and Oswaldestre, died childless, 16 Henry VI., the baronies were not claimed by Amicia, Lady Ormond, his sister and heir general, but passed to William Fitz-Alan, with the earldom, as heir male.
A good deal of constitutional, or rather peerage, lore has been exercised upon these two baronies, which were borne among the long train of titles which at various times have accrued to the houses of Arundel and Howard, and so appear upon the garter plates of Thomas, Earl of Arundel, in 1611, and of Henry, Duke of Norfolk, in 1685, with other and Parliamentary baronies. Nevertheless, these do not appear to be like Fitz-Alan, Mowbray, Greystoke, and the rest, really Parliamentary baronies, but land baronies only, which strictly should only be appended to the name of the possessors of these manors. However, after their alienation, Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, heir general of the FitzAlans, was, by Act of Parliament, 1627, created Baron Fitz-Alan and Lord of Clun and Oswaldestre—in right of which, and of that date, and under the then limitation only, these titles are borne by the Dukes of Norfolk, his descendants.
THE CASTLE.
The visible remains of this ancient fortress, so celebrated in border story, are very scanty, and are confined to the central mound, and to some fragments of the rude but substantial keep which was placed upon it. The castle stood on ground rather higher than, and on the north-western edge of, the town, completely commanding it; and it is only of late years that its site has been nearly surrounded by buildings. The church is about half a mile distant to the south, the town intervening between the two. From the mound, the view to the east and south is very extensive; to the west it is shut in by the wooded heights of the Denbighshire border, crowned by Offa’s Dyke, at a distance of about two miles. To the north, a mile or so distant, is the detached hill and camp of Hên Dinas, or Old Oswestry, which is in part obscured by the still nearer but lower eminence of Llwyn. No water enters into the landscape, nor is there any considerable stream near at hand. Wat’s Dyke lies close to the east.
The castle mound, though standing on high ground, is wholly artificial, and rather oval at its summit, which is about 60 feet by 100 feet. It is about 30 feet high, and perhaps 200 feet diameter at its present base. On its table top are some fragments of masonry, composed of large rolled boulders, laid in a thick bed of mortar; very rude but very strong work. One fragment, which in places is about 8 feet thick, is 9 feet or 10 feet high; and near it are two other large masses, one of which at least is overthrown. The keep was of the shell type, and probably polygonal. The slopes are covered with bushes, much obscuring the surface, but there seems to be a further trace of masonry on the south-west side. The moat, out of which the mound rose, has been completely filled up, and all trace of the outer ward, its ditches, banks, or buildings, has been utterly removed. Nothing is known of a well. The entrance was probably on the south-west side. Gallowtree bank—a name preserved in the southern suburb—preserves the memory of the lord’s power, as does Oswald’s well of the ecclesiastical legend.
It is probable that the masonry remaining is the work of William Fitz-Alan, who, after 1155, confirmed a previous gift of the church of Oswestry to Shrewsbury Abbey. He died 1160, in which year the Pipe roll designates Oswestry as “Blanc-Minster.” On his death, Guy L’Estrange became custos of the Castles of Clun, Ruthyn, and Blanc-Minster, and works were in progress at the latter. The livery allowed for the garrison was £18. 5s. per annum. In July, 1165, Henry II. was encamped near Oswestry, but his advance was checked by the Ceiriog river, on which he retired to Chester.
Guy L’Estrange continued to be custos of the Fitz-Alan estates and castles until 1175, during which time very large sums were expended by the Crown upon Oswestry, apparently about £2,000. A well cost £5. 8s., palisades 40s. and £2. 6s. 8d. A house was built within the walls. The regular garrison was a knight, two porters, two watchmen, and twenty men-at-arms, costing £48. 13s. 4d. per annum. In 1188, William Fitz-Alan received Archbishop Baldwin and Giraldus in the castle. On his death, in 1210, King John stepped in, and Robert de Vipont was in charge in 1212, and in 1213 and 1214 John Mareschal and Thomas de Erdington, who had purchased the wardship during the minority of William Fitz-Alan, who, however, died under age at Clun in 1215. In 1216, King John was before Clun, and (August 16) burned the town of Oswestry, and attacked the castle, but probably without success. In 1226, Oswestry was named for the place of conference between Llewellyn and the lords marchers, but the king, distrusting John Fitz-Alan, sent Hubert de Hoese with nine knights to attend it. In 1240, John Fitz-Alan’s death placed the castle again in the care of the Crown.