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Protected Status

• Conservation Area: Burton in Lonsdale Conservation Area
• Scheduled Monument () 24482: Castle Hill motte and bailey castle

Monument Type(s):

• MOTTE AND BAILEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Other References/Statuses

Full description

Castle Hill is a very fine example of a motte and bailey castle situated on the west side of the village of Burton in Lonsdale. The 9.6m high motte retains a breastwork wall 3.3m high around the upper part of the mound. In places the stonework is still visible through the grass on the inner face. A nearly square bailey, 57m by 51m, is situated on the west side of the motte and a semi-lunar bailey, 21m wide and some 2m-3m above the base of the ditch, is situated to the south. The ditch around the motte is best preserved on the west side; on the north side it merges with the steep natural slope down to the road. A counterscarp or outer bank runs from north to east where it disappears into a raised level platform which fills much of the area between the motte and farmyard. Excavations carried out in 1904 by H White and J C Walker found that the motte, baileys, ditches and banks had all been paved. From the evidence produced by the excavation it is now generally accepted that the site originated as a ringwork in the 12th or early 13th century and after a considerable lapse of time was raised with the addition of an inner revetment wall to form a motte. The site went out of use at some time during the period 1322-1369 (1).




<1> Historic England (formerly English Heritage), 2011-Ongoing, The National Heritage List for England (https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/) (Catalogue). SNY19369.

http://list.historicengland.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1009319

Sources and further reading

<1>	SNY19369 - Catalogue: Historic England (formerly English Heritage). 2011-Ongoing. The National Heritage List for England (https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/).

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