Buckton Castle: Difference between revisions
→History: the |
m ce |
||
| (One intermediate revision by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
}} |
}} |
||
'''Buckton Castle''' is a [[medieval]] [[ringwork]] near [[Carrbrook]], [[Stalybridge]], England. It is listed as a [[Scheduled Monuments in Greater Manchester|Scheduled Ancient Monument]] due to its proximity to the Buckton Vale Quarry. The castle is oval, with a |
'''Buckton Castle''' is a [[medieval]] [[ringwork]] near [[Carrbrook]], [[Stalybridge]], England. It is listed as a [[Scheduled Monuments in Greater Manchester|Scheduled Ancient Monument]] due to its proximity to the Buckton Vale Quarry. The castle is oval, with a stone [[curtain wall (fortification)|curtain wall]] {{convert|3|m|ft|0}} wide, surrounded by a ditch {{convert|10|m|ft}} wide and {{convert|6|m|ft}} deep. Buckton Castle was probably constructed for William de Neville in the late 12th century; it was lying derelict by 1360. The small number of finds retrieved during archaeological investigation of the site indicates that Buckton Castle may not have been completed. |
||
In the 16th century, the site was used as a beacon for the [[Pilgrimage of Grace]]. During the 18th century, the castle was of interest to treasure hunters following rumours of the presence of buried treasure. It was also used as an anti-aircraft decoy site in the [[Second World War]]. The castle is overgrown with heather and peat, and there are no above |
In the 16th century, the site was used as a beacon for the [[Pilgrimage of Grace]]. During the 18th century, the castle was of interest to treasure hunters following rumours of the presence of buried treasure. It was also used as an anti-aircraft decoy site in the [[Second World War]]. The castle is overgrown with heather and peat, and there are no above-ground ruins. Since 1996, the University of Manchester Archaeological Unit has been involved in excavations to maintain the site and reveal more information on its origins and purpose. |
||
==Location== |
==Location== |
||
Buckton Castle lies {{convert|335|m|ft}} above sea level on Buckton Hill, a steep [[sandstone]] ridge ({{gbmapping|SD98920162}}). To the south is the valley of the Carr Brook, and to the west is the valley of the [[River Tame, Greater Manchester|River Tame]]. Buckton Vale Quarry is close to the east of the castle. [[Stalybridge]] is about {{convert|4|km|mi|0}} south-east of the site.<ref name="report pg5">Grimsditch, Nevell, & Redhead (2007), p. 5.</ref> The castle's positioning may have been to allow its garrison to guard the Tame Valley;<ref>Grimsditch, Nevell, & Redhead (2007), p. 7.</ref> both |
Buckton Castle lies {{convert|335|m|ft}} above sea level on Buckton Hill, a steep [[sandstone]] ridge ({{gbmapping|SD98920162}}). To the south is the valley of the Carr Brook, and to the west is the valley of the [[River Tame, Greater Manchester|River Tame]]. Buckton Vale Quarry is close to the east of the castle. [[Stalybridge]] is about {{convert|4|km|mi|0}} south-east of the site.<ref name="report pg5">Grimsditch, Nevell, & Redhead (2007), p. 5.</ref> The castle's positioning may have been to allow its garrison to guard the Tame Valley;<ref>Grimsditch, Nevell, & Redhead (2007), p. 7.</ref> both castle and valley were in the medieval [[manorialism|manor]] of [[Tintwistle]].<ref>King & Alcock (1969), p. 117.</ref> A manor was a division of land and administered by a [[Lord of the Manor]] or his representative; in the case of Tintwistle, it was part of the larger lordship of Longdendale.<ref>Friar (2003), pp. 185–186.</ref> |
||
==History== |
==History== |
||
[[Image:Excavations on Buckton Castle July 2007.JPG|thumb|Excavation of the stone curtain wall carried out by UMAU on 24 July 2007]] |
[[Image:Excavations on Buckton Castle July 2007.JPG|thumb|Excavation of the stone curtain wall carried out by UMAU on 24 July 2007]] |
||
Buckton Castle was probably built by William de Neville, |
Buckton Castle was probably built by William de Neville, Lord of [[Longdendale]], in the late 12th century;<ref name="Lands & Lordships"/> this would make it contemporary with other [[castles in Greater Manchester]] such as [[Dunham Castle|Dunham]], [[Manchester Castle|Manchester]], [[Stockport Castle|Stockport]], and [[Ullerwood Castle|Ullerwood]].<ref name="report pg8"/> While de Neville is the most likely person to have built the castle, it is possible that it was built for the [[Earl of Chester|Earls of Chester]] in the late 12th century, before Longdendale was given to de Neville.<ref>Faulkner & Westcott (2008), p. 33.</ref> Although it is common for castles to be built first in timber and then rebuilt from stone, Buckton Castle was a stone structure from the start.<ref name="current arch 35">Faulkner & Westcott (2008), p. 35.</ref> It was probably the centre of the lordship of Longdendale, as it is the only castle within its boundaries;<ref>Nevell and Walker (1999), p. 95.</ref> however, a dearth of artefacts from the site indicates that construction may never have been completed.<ref>Faulkner & Westcott (2008), p. 37.</ref> |
||
The earliest documented evidence dating the castle was in 1360, when an estate survey recorded that "there is one ruined castle called Buckeden and of no value";<ref>{{cite book |author=P. Booth, M. Harrop & S. Harrop |date=1976–8 |title=The Extent of Longdendale, 1360 |publisher=Cheshire Sheaf, 5th series, #83 |isbn=}}</ref> At the time, the lordship of Longdendale was the property of [[Edward, the Black Prince]], and the castle lay derelict.<ref>Faulkner & Westcott (2008), p. 32.</ref> That the castle had fallen out of use by this period is consistent with the use of other castles in the [[Greater Manchester]] area; by the 13th century, apart from at [[Dunham Castle]], there was no indication of activity in castles in Greater Manchester. During the 16th century, the site was used as a beacon during the [[Pilgrimage of Grace]].<ref name="report pg8"/> |
The earliest documented evidence dating the castle was in 1360, when an estate survey recorded that "there is one ruined castle called Buckeden and of no value";<ref>{{cite book |author=P. Booth, M. Harrop & S. Harrop |date=1976–8 |title=The Extent of Longdendale, 1360 |publisher=Cheshire Sheaf, 5th series, #83 |isbn=}}</ref> At the time, the lordship of Longdendale was the property of [[Edward, the Black Prince]], and the castle lay derelict.<ref>Faulkner & Westcott (2008), p. 32.</ref> That the castle had fallen out of use by this period is consistent with the use of other castles in the [[Greater Manchester]] area; by the 13th century, apart from at [[Dunham Castle]], there was no indication of activity in castles in Greater Manchester. During the 16th century, the site was used as a beacon during the [[Pilgrimage of Grace]].<ref name="report pg8"/> |
||
[[Image:Buckton Castle defensive ditch.jpg|thumb|A view of the defensive ditch surrounding the castle]] |
[[Image:Buckton Castle defensive ditch.jpg|thumb|A view of the defensive ditch surrounding the castle]] |
||
The castle has been the subject of [[antiquarian]] studies since the 18th century, and |
The castle has been the subject of [[antiquarian]] studies since the 18th century, and was originally thought to have been the location of an [[Iron Age]] [[hill fort]].<ref>The site was thought to be an [[Iron Age]] [[hill fort]] prior to Forde-Johnston’s study of the hill forts of Lancashire and Cheshire. The castle is inconsistent with other known hill forts.Forde-Johnston (1962), pp. 11–12.</ref> The interior of the castle has been damaged by the random insertion of trenches by treasure hunters since the early 18th century.<ref name="report pg5"/> Quarrying in the nearby Buckton Vale Quarry threatened to encroach onto the site and led to the castle's protection as a [[Scheduled Monuments in Greater Manchester|Scheduled Ancient Monument]] on 9 July 1924.<ref name="report pg5"/> It is the oldest ruined building in the [[River Tame, Greater Manchester|Tame Valley]].<ref name="Lands & Lordships">Nevell (1998), pp. 60–61, 63.</ref> During the Second World War the castle was used as an anti-aircraft decoy until 1943, when it was felt to be no longer necessary.<ref>Grimsditch, Nevell, & Redhead (2007), p. 14.</ref> |
||
Excavations on the castle have been undertaken by the University of Manchester Archaeological Unit (UMAU) on behalf of [[Tameside|Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council]] since 1996.<ref name="report pg5"/> The work was partly funded by a £300,000 grant from Tameside Council.<ref name="MU press">{{cite web |url=http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=3838 |title=Lost castle solves riddle of Buckton Moor |date=21 July 2008 |publisher=Manchester University |accessdate=1 March 2009}}</ref> Initial excavations were to repair some of the holes made by treasure hunters and included test-pits, but in 2007 the unit began more extensive work to investigate the site and determine its use and a date for its construction. The final season of the excavation will be completed in 2009.<ref>Faulkner & Westcott (2008), pp. 34–35.</ref> Trenches have revealed that the castle had a stone wall and a gateway with a tower, but no internal buildings have been discovered. The first dating evidence was found in 2008, underneath the collapsed gateway; it consisted of some animal bones and shards of locally produced pottery from the 12th–13th centuries.<ref>Faulkner & Westcott (2008), pp. 36–37.</ref> Today, the site is overgrown with heather and peat.<ref name="MU press"/> |
Excavations on the castle have been undertaken by the University of Manchester Archaeological Unit (UMAU) on behalf of [[Tameside|Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council]] since 1996.<ref name="report pg5"/> The work was partly funded by a £300,000 grant from Tameside Council.<ref name="MU press">{{cite web |url=http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=3838 |title=Lost castle solves riddle of Buckton Moor |date=21 July 2008 |publisher=Manchester University |accessdate=1 March 2009}}</ref> Initial excavations were to repair some of the holes made by treasure hunters and included test-pits, but in 2007 the unit began more extensive work to investigate the site and determine its use and a date for its construction. The final season of the excavation will be completed in 2009.<ref>Faulkner & Westcott (2008), pp. 34–35.</ref> Trenches have revealed that the castle had a stone wall and a gateway with a tower, but no internal buildings have been discovered. The first dating evidence was found in 2008, underneath the collapsed gateway; it consisted of some animal bones and shards of locally produced pottery from the 12th–13th centuries.<ref>Faulkner & Westcott (2008), pp. 36–37.</ref> Today, the site is overgrown with heather and peat.<ref name="MU press"/> |
||
Revision as of 17:47, 16 March 2009
| Buckton Castle | |
|---|---|
 View of Buckton Castle from below | |
  Location within Greater Manchester | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Ringwork castle |
| Town or city | Carrbrook, Stalybridge, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Completed | Late 12th century |
| Client | William de Neville |
| Technical details | |
| Size | 1,237 square metres (0.306 acres) |
Buckton Castle is a medieval ringwork near Carrbrook, Stalybridge, England. It is listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument due to its proximity to the Buckton Vale Quarry. The castle is oval, with a stone curtain wall 3 metres (10 ft) wide, surrounded by a ditch 10 metres (33 ft) wide and 6 metres (20 ft) deep. Buckton Castle was probably constructed for William de Neville in the late 12th century; it was lying derelict by 1360. The small number of finds retrieved during archaeological investigation of the site indicates that Buckton Castle may not have been completed.
In the 16th century, the site was used as a beacon for the Pilgrimage of Grace. During the 18th century, the castle was of interest to treasure hunters following rumours of the presence of buried treasure. It was also used as an anti-aircraft decoy site in the Second World War. The castle is overgrown with heather and peat, and there are no above-ground ruins. Since 1996, the University of Manchester Archaeological Unit has been involved in excavations to maintain the site and reveal more information on its origins and purpose.
Location
Buckton Castle lies 335 metres (1,099 ft) above sea level on Buckton Hill, a steep sandstone ridge (grid reference SD98920162). To the south is the valley of the Carr Brook, and to the west is the valley of the River Tame. Buckton Vale Quarry is close to the east of the castle. Stalybridge is about 4 kilometres (2 mi) south-east of the site.[1] The castle's positioning may have been to allow its garrison to guard the Tame Valley;[2] both castle and valley were in the medieval manor of Tintwistle.[3] A manor was a division of land and administered by a Lord of the Manor or his representative; in the case of Tintwistle, it was part of the larger lordship of Longdendale.[4]
History
Buckton Castle was probably built by William de Neville, Lord of Longdendale, in the late 12th century;[5] this would make it contemporary with other castles in Greater Manchester such as Dunham, Manchester, Stockport, and Ullerwood.[6] While de Neville is the most likely person to have built the castle, it is possible that it was built for the Earls of Chester in the late 12th century, before Longdendale was given to de Neville.[7] Although it is common for castles to be built first in timber and then rebuilt from stone, Buckton Castle was a stone structure from the start.[8] It was probably the centre of the lordship of Longdendale, as it is the only castle within its boundaries;[9] however, a dearth of artefacts from the site indicates that construction may never have been completed.[10]
The earliest documented evidence dating the castle was in 1360, when an estate survey recorded that "there is one ruined castle called Buckeden and of no value";[11] At the time, the lordship of Longdendale was the property of Edward, the Black Prince, and the castle lay derelict.[12] That the castle had fallen out of use by this period is consistent with the use of other castles in the Greater Manchester area; by the 13th century, apart from at Dunham Castle, there was no indication of activity in castles in Greater Manchester. During the 16th century, the site was used as a beacon during the Pilgrimage of Grace.[6]
The castle has been the subject of antiquarian studies since the 18th century, and was originally thought to have been the location of an Iron Age hill fort.[13] The interior of the castle has been damaged by the random insertion of trenches by treasure hunters since the early 18th century.[1] Quarrying in the nearby Buckton Vale Quarry threatened to encroach onto the site and led to the castle's protection as a Scheduled Ancient Monument on 9 July 1924.[1] It is the oldest ruined building in the Tame Valley.[5] During the Second World War the castle was used as an anti-aircraft decoy until 1943, when it was felt to be no longer necessary.[14]
Excavations on the castle have been undertaken by the University of Manchester Archaeological Unit (UMAU) on behalf of Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council since 1996.[1] The work was partly funded by a £300,000 grant from Tameside Council.[15] Initial excavations were to repair some of the holes made by treasure hunters and included test-pits, but in 2007 the unit began more extensive work to investigate the site and determine its use and a date for its construction. The final season of the excavation will be completed in 2009.[16] Trenches have revealed that the castle had a stone wall and a gateway with a tower, but no internal buildings have been discovered. The first dating evidence was found in 2008, underneath the collapsed gateway; it consisted of some animal bones and shards of locally produced pottery from the 12th–13th centuries.[17] Today, the site is overgrown with heather and peat.[15]
Layout
Buckton Castle is a ringwork castle, which is a roughly circular area enclosed by defences such as a ditch; a ringwork is similar to a bailey from a motte and bailey castle.[18] The castle is oval, measuring 35 metres (115 ft) across the minor axis and 45 metres (148 ft) along the major. It is surrounded by a 10-metre (33 ft) wide and 6-metre (20 ft) deep ditch dug into the sandstone. The entrance to the ringwork is to the northwest of the site. Near the entrance are the possible remains of a stone tower. On the south-facing side of the site are the remains of a stone curtain wall 3 metres (10 ft) thick.[19] Excavations in 1996 by the University of Manchester Archaeological Unit have shown that what was thought to be the bailey was in fact of recent origin – probably part of the anti-aircraft decoy – and did not date back to the medieval period.[5][20] The north-west gateway was protected by a stone tower 5 by 4 metres (16 by 13 ft), with 1.2-metre (3.9 ft) thick walls; the wall thickness suggests the tower was probably two storeys high.[21]
The interior of the castle is artificially raised 1.5 metres (5 ft) above ground level.[5] Ringworks were an uncommon form of fortification in medieval England, with the majority of castles being motte-and-baileys, as demonstrated by the fact that Buckton Castle was one of only three ringworks in the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire.[22] Buckton may be a ringwork because the local soil was too thin to build a motte.[22] According to a 1360 survey of property in Longdendale, Buckton Castle may have had a hall and a chapel.[6] In the 18th century, antiquarian Thomas Percival recorded a well within the castle, and walls of buildings inside the castle still standing to a height of 2 metres (7 ft). However, these features were no longer obvious when George Ormerod wrote about the castle in 1817,[23] and have not been discovered by archaeological excavations.[8]
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c d Grimsditch, Nevell, & Redhead (2007), p. 5.
- ^ Grimsditch, Nevell, & Redhead (2007), p. 7.
- ^ King & Alcock (1969), p. 117.
- ^ Friar (2003), pp. 185–186.
- ^ a b c d Nevell (1998), pp. 60–61, 63.
- ^ a b c Grimsditch, Nevell, & Redhead (2007), p. 8.
- ^ Faulkner & Westcott (2008), p. 33.
- ^ a b Faulkner & Westcott (2008), p. 35.
- ^ Nevell and Walker (1999), p. 95.
- ^ Faulkner & Westcott (2008), p. 37.
- ^ P. Booth, M. Harrop & S. Harrop (1976–8). The Extent of Longdendale, 1360. Cheshire Sheaf, 5th series, #83.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Faulkner & Westcott (2008), p. 32.
- ^ The site was thought to be an Iron Age hill fort prior to Forde-Johnston’s study of the hill forts of Lancashire and Cheshire. The castle is inconsistent with other known hill forts.Forde-Johnston (1962), pp. 11–12.
- ^ Grimsditch, Nevell, & Redhead (2007), p. 14.
- ^ a b "Lost castle solves riddle of Buckton Moor". Manchester University. 21 July 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2009.
- ^ Faulkner & Westcott (2008), pp. 34–35.
- ^ Faulkner & Westcott (2008), pp. 36–37.
- ^ Friar (2003), p. 246.
- ^ Grimsditch, Nevell, & Redhead (2007), p. 16.
- ^ "Buckton Castle investigation history". Pastscape.org.uk. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
- ^ Faulkner & Westcott (2008), p. 36.
- ^ a b Grimsditch, Nevell, & Redhead (2007), p. 10.
- ^ Grimsditch, Nevell, & Redhead (2007), p. 12.
Bibliography
- Cathcart King, David; Alcock; Leslie (1969). "Ringworks of England and Wales". Chateau Gaillard. 3: pp. 90–127.
{{cite journal}}:|pages=has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Faulkner, Neil; Westcott, Lisa (eds) (2008). "Buckton Castle". Current Archaeology. XIX (225). Current Publishing: pp. 32–37.
{{cite journal}}:|author=has generic name (help);|pages=has extra text (help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Friar, Stephen (2003). A Sutton Companion to Castles. Sutton Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7509-3994-2.
- Forde-Johnston, James (1962). "The Iron Age Hillforts of Lancashire and Cheshire". Transactions of the Lancashire Cheshire Antiquarian Society. 72.
- Grimsditch, Brian; Nevell, Mike; Redhead, Norman (2007). Buckton Castle: An Archaeological Evaluation of a Medieval Ringwork – an Interim Report. University of Manchester Archaeological Unit.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Nevell, Mike (1998). Lands and Lordships in Tameside. Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council with the University of Manchester Archaeological Unit. ISBN 1-871324-18-1.
- Nevell, Mike; Walker, John (1999). Tameside in Transition. Tameside Metropolitan Borough with University of Manchester Archaeological Unit. ISBN 1-871324-24-6.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)