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List of castles in Greater Manchester

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Image of Greater Manchester with the general position of castles. 1. Buckton Castle 2. Bury Castle 3. Dunham Castle 4. Manchester Castle 5. Radcliffe Tower 6. Rochdale Castle 7. Stockport Castle 8. Ullerwood Castle 9. Watch Hill Castle

There are nine castles in Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. Four are motte-and-baileys, three are fortified manor houses, a ringwork, and a possible shell keep. A motte-and-bailey castle has two elements, the motte is an artificial conical mound with a wooden stockade and stronghold on top, usually a stone keep or tower;[1] a bailey is a defended enclosure below the motte, surrounded by a ditch.[2] Motte-and-bailey castles were the most common type of castle in England following the Norman Conquest.[3] Ringworks are similar to motte-and-baileys although lack the characteristic motte;[4] they are an uncommon form of fortification – though contemporary with motte-and-baileys – a ringwork may have been built rather than a motte-and-bailey because the soil was too thin to provide a proper motte.[5] A shell keep was a motte with a stone wall rather than a wooden stockade on top; there would have been no tower within the walls.[6] Five of Greater Manchester's castles are Scheduled Ancient Monuments: Buckton, Bury, Radcliffe Tower, Stockport, and Watch Hill. A Scheduled Ancient Monument is a "nationally important" archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change.[7]

The purpose of a castle was not simply militaristic, but was a stamp of authority over the population of an area and a status symbol. Some would have acted as centres of trade and administration for a manor.[8] The earliest castles in Greater Manchester are Dunham and Watch Hill in Trafford, Ullerwood in Manchester, and Stockport Castle in Stockport. They were first recorded in 1173 as belonging to barons who had rebelled against Henry II,[9] and at least three were motte-and-bailey castles, probably because of the speed and ease with which they could be erected.[10] Hamon de Massey, who owned the Trafford castles and Ullerwood, and Geoffrey de Constentyn, who owned Stockport Castle, were two of the three rebels from Cheshire; the other was the Earl of Chester, the owner of Chester Castle.[11] Castles continued to be built in the area, although the last to be built in Greater Manchester were two fortified manor houses near Bury, built more for comfort than as utilitarian military structures. Bury Castle and Radcliffe Tower followed the national trend in the 13th century; they would most likely have acted as the centre of the manor they served.[12]

Buckton Castle

Excavation of Buckton Castle's stone curtain wall.

Buckton Castle (grid reference SD98920162) is located on Buckton Hill near Carrbrook, overlooking the Tame Valley,[13] possibly allowing the castle to guard the valley.[14] Buckton is a ringwork castle built in the late 12th century for William de Neville,[13] however it was first referred to in 1360, by which time it was ruinous.[15] It was constructed with a stone curtain wall and is surrounded by a ditch 10 metres (33 ft) wide and 6 metres (20 ft) deep; the site covers an area of 1,250 square metres (0.31 acres).[16] It is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument as the site was damaged by 18th-century treasure hunters and threatened by the nearby Buckton Vale Quarry.[13][17]

Bury Castle

Bury Castle (grid reference SD803108) is located on a slope overlooking the River Irwell in the centre of modern Bury. It is a fortified manor house constructed from stone and was built for Sir Thomas Pilkington in 1469.[18] The castle may have replaced an earlier house on the site, surrounded by a moat.[19] Excavation of known remains has revealed foundation walls 180 metres (590 ft) by 82 metres (269 ft) and a keep or tower 25 metres (82 ft) by 19 metres (62 ft).[20] Bury Castle was razed to the ground after the Wars of the Roses when Thomas Pilkington had his land confiscated.[20] The castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and the remains, previously buried, have been excavated for public view, forming the centre piece of Castle Square in the town centre.[19]

Dunham Castle

Dunham Castle (grid reference SJ73428742) is located in the grounds of Dunham Massey Hall in Dunham Massey.[21] It was first referred to in 1173 and belonged to Hamon de Massey. Dunham Castle was still standing in 1323 and fell into disuse between then and 1362.[22] The castle is probably a motte and may not have a bailey;[22] it is 24 metres (79 ft) in diameter and survives to a height of 2 metres (6.6 ft).[21] The site is surrounded by a moat which has been turned into an ornamental lake.[21] It used to be protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, but was delisted as it may be a "natural hummock of glacial sand".[23]

Manchester Castle

Manchester Castle (grid reference SJ839989) is probably located on a bluff where the rivers Irk and Irwell meet, near to Manchester Cathedral, where Chetham's School of Music now is, putting it near the edge of the medieval town of Manchester.[24][25] Manchester Castle was first referred to in 1184 and is a fortified manor house;[25] in 1215 it was recorded as being held by Gresle.[25] Three rings of ditches have been discovered surrounding the likely site of the castle.[24]

Radcliffe Tower

The standing remains of Radcliffe Tower.

Radcliffe Tower (grid reference SD79580751) is located on Church Street East in Bury.[26][27] The tower is all that remains of a medieval fortified manor house, built in 1403 and constructed from stone with two towers and a moat.[27] The house was demolished in the 19th century leaving only one remaining tower, which is now a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[26][27] The tower measures 9.6 metres (31 ft) by 17 metres (56 ft) and survives to 6.1 metres (20 ft) in height.[26] It was used as a pig sty before being restored.[27]

Rochdale Castle

Rochdale Castle (grid reference SD89121286) is located in Rochdale.[28] It is a motte-and-bailey defended by a ditch and an earth rampart; the motte measures 30 metres (100 ft)* at the base and the bailey is 37 metres (121 ft) by 30 metres (100 ft)*.[28] The castle was built in the early post-Norman Conquest period and lay derelict by the early 13th century.[28]

Stockport Castle

Stockport Castle (grid reference SJ897905) is located in Stockport, and was first referred to in 1173 when Geoffrey de Constentyn held it against Henry II during the barons' rebellion.[29] It is a motte-and-bailey castle, originally constructed with timber and earthwork defences, though these were replaced with stone walls at the start of the 13th century.[29] The castle lay in ruins by 1535 and was demolished in 1775 to be replaced by a cotton mill.[29][30] It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[29]

Ullerwood Castle

Ullerwood Castle (grid reference SJ8083) is a medieval castle in Ringway, possibly a shell keep.[31] It has been confused with Watch Hill Castle in nearby Bowdon; both probably belonged to Hamon de Massey.[10] Ullerwood Castle was first referred to in 1173 as one of the castles de Massey held against the King.[10]

Watch Hill Castle

Watch Hill Castle (grid reference SJ74798598) is located on the border of Bowdon and Dunham Massey and is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[10] It is a motte-and-bailey castle constructed from timber, with the conical motte measuring 40 metres (130 ft) in diameter at the base and 17 metres (56 ft) at the top; the bailey covers approximately 2,400 square metres (0.59 acres).[10] It is unclear when the castle was built, but it was most likely constructed during the late 12th century and belonged to Hamon de Massey.[10] A suggested late 12th century date for the construction of the castle would mean it was probably constructed to aid in the barons' rebellion against Henry II.[10] The castle had fallen out of use by the 13th century.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ Friar (2003), p. 54, 214.
  2. ^ Friar (2003), p. 22.
  3. ^ Rowley (1997), p. 71.
  4. ^ Friar (2003), p. 246.
  5. ^ Grimsditch, Nevell, and Redhead (2007), p. 10.
  6. ^ Friar (2003), p. 259.
  7. ^ "The Schedule of Monuments". Pastscape.org.uk. Retrieved 2007-12-30.
  8. ^ Friar (2003), p. 186, 193.
  9. ^ Arrowsmith (1997), p. 31.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Watch Hill Castle by Norman Redhead in Mike Nevell (1997). The Archaeology of Trafford. Trafford Metropolitan Borough with University of Manchester Archaeological Unit. pp. 34–35. ISBN 1-870695-25-9.
  11. ^ Arrowsmith (1997), p. 31.
  12. ^ Friar (2003), p. 186-7.
  13. ^ a b c Nevell (1998), p. 60-61, 63.
  14. ^ Grimsditch, Nevell, and Redhead (2007), p. 7.
  15. ^ 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)
  16. ^ Grimsditch, Nevell, and Redhead (2007), p. 16.
  17. ^ Grimsditch, Nevell, and Redhead (2007), p. 5.
  18. ^ "Bury Castle". Eduweb.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  19. ^ a b "Bury Castle". Pastscape.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  20. ^ a b Ashworth, Terry (Summer 1999). "The Rediscovery of Bury Castle". Bury Local History Society Journal. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
  21. ^ a b c "Dunham Massey". The Gatehouse - the comprehensive gazetteer of the medieval fortifications and castles of England and Wales. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  22. ^ a b Nevell (1997), p. 33.
  23. ^ "Dunham Castle". Pastscape.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
  24. ^ a b "Manchester Castle". Pastscape.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  25. ^ a b c "Manchester Castle". The Gatehouse - the comprehensive gazetteer of the medieval fortifications and castles of England and Wales. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  26. ^ a b c "Radcliffe Tower". Images of England. Retrieved 2008-01-05.
  27. ^ a b c d "Radcliffe Tower". Pastscape.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-05.
  28. ^ a b c "Rochdale Castle". Pastscape.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  29. ^ a b c d "Stockport Castle". Pastscape.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-05.
  30. ^ Arrowsmith (1997), p. 32.
  31. ^ "Ullersford Castle". Pastscape.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-03-21.

Bibliography

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