In the shadows

(p5) In the Saxon period Tipton had lain midway between the two castles of Dudley and of Wednesbury.

The Normans seemed to possess a positive passion for architecture (both military and ecclesiastical) so in due course lots of castles were built. 12 in Staffordshire alone.

But some of the Saxon positions were not re-fortified after they had fallen into decay, or had suffered demolition in the stormy years of resistance to the Norman invaders. So Wednesbury Castle passed away, while the Saxon fortifications of Dudo, on the dominating eminence of Dudley hill, grew into one of those repressive strongholds.