MORETON CORBET Written primarily by Barbara Coulton 1989 EARLY HISTORY There has been a settlement at Moreton at least since Saxon, even Roman times and it lies on the Roman road from Chester to Wroxeter. The Domesday Book (1086) records that Moreton was held by Thorold, from whom it was held by Hunning and his brother since before 1066. Another Saxon family, that of Thoret, came to have Moreton, under Robert fitz Turold. In the time of his descendant, Peter fitz Toret, the chapel at Moreton - a subsidiary of the church of St Mary at Shawbury (a Saxon foundation) - was granted, with St Mary's and its other chapels, to Haughmond Abbey, c. 1150. The north and south walls of the present church may date back to this time. Charters of Haughmond were attested by Peter fitz Toret and his sons, the second of whom, Bartholomew, inherited Moreton Toret, as it was then known. Witnesses to a charter of 1196 include Bartholomew de Morton and Richard Corbet of Wattlesborough, a small fortress in the chain guarding the frontier with Wales. He was a kinsman of the Corbets of Caus Castle, barons there from soon after the Norman conquest; Richard Corbet held Wattlesborough from his kinsman, owing him knight service each year, or when a campaign made it necessary. Richard Corbet married Bartholomew's daughter Joanna, heiress of Moreton, and their son, another RICHARD CORBET, inherited both Wattlesborough and Moreton. He married Petronilla, Lady of Booley and Edgbolton; their son ROBERT CORBET was of full age and in possession of his estates by 1255. By 1272 he was a knight, and later (1277, 1282, 1294-95) he served in the Welsh campaigns of Edward I. He served as a royal official in Shropshire and as a knight of the shire in some of Edward I's parliaments. He made his home at MORETON CORBET CASTLE, whose remains can still be seen. His grandson ROBERT was also based there, and was a man of some consequence. He was knighted at the beginning of the reign of Edward III (1327) and served under the Black Prince at Crecy. He died in 1375 and was succeeded by his son FULK. As Fulk had no son to succeed him, Wattlesborough passed to Fulk's daughter Elizabeth, but MORETON CORBET passed to Fulk's brother ROGER CORBET (in 1382). Roger's wife Margaret de Erdington brought him additional lands in Shawbury, Moreton etc. Another important acquisition of property came in the 15th century when Roger's grandson and namesake ROGER (II) married Elizabeth Hopton of Hopton Castle, in the south of the county. The tower house there is comparable to that at Moreton. Roger and Elizabeth's son RICHARD supported Henry Tudor on his return, coming to Shrewsbury to pay his allegiance and taking 800 men to fight at Bosworth, in August 1485. There are no memorials to these early Corbets in the church, but with the TUDOR PERIOD we find much of interest. There is a splendid TABLE TOMB in the south aisle, 'perpendicular' in style, in memory of SIR ROBERT CORBET (son of Sir Richard) and his wife ELIZABETH VERNON, daughter of Sir Henry Vernon of Haddon and Tong. Robert Corbet had been in the care of Sir Henry Vernon of Haddon (Derbyshire) and Tong (Shropshire) who was also in charge of the household of Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII. Robert Corbet and Elizabeth had three sons and five daughters, depicted on the sides of the tomb with angels. The eldest was Roger (who lived at the Corbet manor of Linslade in Buckinghamshire and is probably buried there); the second son was Richard who, with his wife Margaret, has a plainer altar tomb, originally at Shawbury; the third son was Reginald, founder of the Adderley line of Corbet, who was buried at Stoke on Tern (shown on his alabaster tomb in judge's robes). Sir Robert died on 11th April 1513; his widow outlived him for fifty years but did not remarry. She died on 9th March 1563. Their effigies and the other figures on the tomb are very fine. On the second tomb, of Richard (d. 16th July 1566), a swaddled baby represents the only son, who died young. Richard was the second son of Robert Corbet of Moreton, knight, and of Margaret, his wife, formerly the wife of Thomas Worsley, of Worsley in Co. Yorkshire, esquire, and daughter of John Savile of Thornhill in Co. Yorkshire, knight. Richard Corbet was buried at Shawbury. There are also the heraldic devices of the family: raven, squirrel, elephant and castle, and owl. The lower half of the tower dates from 1539. The Tudor period also saw much building at the Castle, by Roger Corbet's son, SIR ANDREW (d. 1578) and by Sir Andrew's son Robert - more detail later. 17th - 20th CENTURIES There are many memorials to members of the family; a Jacobean pulpit and priest's stall are worth noting; the squire's pew was added in the 18th century, when the bells were installed in the tower. Of the family memorials, note the east window of the south aisle, put up by the children of SIR VINCENT ROWLAND CORBET (1821-1891); the children surrounding Christ include likenesses of younger members of the family. Sir Vincent's grandson, also named VINCENT CORBET, died at Eton in 1903, aged 13: the beautiful chancel, reredos and stained glass east window were in his memory - designed by Sir Ninian Comper, and bearing all the heraldic devices seen on earlier monuments. The work was completely restored in January 1984. In the south aisle may be found a simple marble tablet to Vincent's younger brother Roland. SIR ROLAND CORBET succeeded at their father's death in 1910; he joined the Coldstream Guards and was killed in France less than two years after his coming-of-age. His sword, which lay across the tablet, has been stolen in recent years, but has been recovered. THE CASTLE A short walk will take you to the gate-house of the mediaeval castle - the initials SAC and the date 1579 commemorate Sir Andrew Corbet who began to reface the entrance but who died in 1578. To the right of the gate tower may be seen the mediaeval tower house, originally, two- storeyed, probably with a top floor added in later mediaeval times; the remains of a stone fireplace may be seen at first floor level. Part of the curtain wall also survives. The enclosure was surrounded by a moat, and had several other structures within, as late as the end of the 16th century. These included a kitchen range, between keep and gatehouse; barns, stables etc'., with sleeping accommodation. We do not know what stood on the east side - perhaps a late mediaeval hall - because here SIR ANDREW CORBET built his hall early in Elizabeth Tudor's reign. He was an important man in Shropshire, serving as deputy to Sir Henry Sidney who was President of the Council in the Marches of Wales (the Council House in Shrewsbury was one base of the Council; the other was Ludlow Castle). Sir Henry's son PHILIP SIDNEY, at school in Shrewsbury, visited his friends the Corbets at Moreton. It is most likely that Sir Andrew and his family had a home of some grandeur, in mid-16th century style. His son ROBERT CORBET was greatly interested in more up-to-date architecture, such as could be seen in many houses of the 1570s in England. When he inherited he set about building a south range in the more modem style, to have a more ample and comfortable home. It has the large mullioned and transomed windows which are so impressive a feature of larger houses like Longleat and Kirby Hall. There are also renaissance details in the Tuscan and Ionic pilasters of the facade. We will also find the old heraldic devices, and his father's initials and the date 1579. Now only a shell, the mansion of Robert Corbet would have been a splendid example of an Elizabethan manor - its builder died in 1583, leaving it unfinished but a younger brother must have had it finished - some of the details of the gables may be of Jacobean date. There was also a garden and orchard, over which the south facing front looked. LATER HISTORY. The castle and house had to be vacated when garrisoned by SIR VINCENT CORBET in the Civil War (the family moved to the Jacobean house at Acton Reynald) but repairs were being carried out in 1649, and part at least of the house was being lived in in the 1660s-70s. After this Moreton Corbet passed out of the Corbet family, when the heir, Beatrice, married to John Kynaston, inherited in 1688. Their son Kynaston Corbet died unmarried and in great debt, and by mid- 18th century the Corbets had bought back Moreton Corbet. In 1796 the estate was inherited by ANDREW CORBET who considered having the house restored, but his scheme was not carried out, and the site gradually grew ruinous. During all this time the church of St Bartholomew had continued to be the scene of christenings and burials of members of the Corbet family, and it still welcomes worshippers and visitors. - Perhaps a visit will be made more interesting by knowing a little of the long history of the site and the family. The castle is now owned by Christopher Corbet, who is the thirtieth generation of Corbets since their arrival in England in about 1070. He is also a Reader in the Church of England and preaches the Good News of Jesus Christ from the pulpit in the church at Moreton Corbet.