Stokesay Castle lies near the center of the English border with Wales, sheltered in the narrow valley of the River Onny. The existence of a manor can be traced to before the Norman Conquest, but the manor house itself was not built until the end of the 13th century.

In the Domesday book of 1086, Roger of Lacy is recorded as the owner of Stokesay, or "Stoches" later "Stoke" meaning dairy farm. By the early 12th century, Theoderic de Say had become tenant of "South Stoke" and it was from his name that the manor eventually became known as Stokesay. In 1281, the tenancy was sold to Lawrence of Ludlow, probably the greatest wool merchant in England...