Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Burgh Manor House
Hob Uid: 10693
Location : Cumbria Carlisle Burgh By Sands
Grid Ref : NY3309059090
Summary : Excavations between 1948 and 1950 uncovered the site of a mid 13th century moated manor house consisting of a hall and a possible pele tower, on the site of a probable Norman motte and bailey castle. Traces of a possible late 12th century curtain wall were also uncovered. The manor house was destroyed circa 1339. No visible remains survive above ground but evidence of buildings are seen as cropmarks on aerial photographs.
More information : (NY 3309 5909) Castle (GT) (site of) (1) (NY 3309 5912 site from plan) The manor house at Burgh-by-Sands, consisting of a hall with a defensive circular tower attached, was constructed in the mid 13th century and destroyed c 1339. Hogg, who excavated the site in 1948 and 1950, found traces of three earlier phases of occupation: firstly a ditch, almost certainly of a Norman motte; secondly a later ditch, with no associated buildings, which may have been the moat of a (wooden) grange; thirdly, the probably late 12th century curtain wall and outer ditch serving a building presumably pulled down when the 13th century hall was built (2). The barony of Burgh-by-Sands, founded by Ranulph Meschin c1100, reached a peak of prosperity in 1314, but suffered greatly from the 14th century Scottish raids. An inquisition of 1362 showed the manor house to be in ruins and of no value. The site of the manor is known as Speergarth Holes (1) where there were ancient fishponds (4) and where some oak frames were found (5). (NY 3307 5911) A portion of the Roman Wall exposed (2). (2-5) There are now no visible remains of house or fishponds. (6) No trace of the medieval building or other structure is visible. The evidence for a motte and moat underlying the manor house, given by Authority 2, is very weak. (7) Geophysical survey to the south located Hadrian's Wall, demonstrating that the earlier wall found by Hogg underlying the medieval structures was not Hadrian's Wall. (See NY 35 NW 105) (8) Scheduled listing. (9) Listed by Cathcart King as the possible site of a castle. (10) Previously unrecorded from the air, the foundations of the rectangular building and possible pele tower visible as cropmarks on 2006 photography. Centred at NY 3310 5910 the building is approximately 15m wide, 32m long and has an internal division at 10m. Centred at NY 3309 5912 the curvilinear tower on the north west corner of the building is approximately 7m in diameter. The south side of the feature is not visible but is adjacent to the cropmarks of a road associated with a vicus (see NY 35 NW 29). The relationship between the two features is uncertain. (11)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
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Source details : 6" 1924
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : (R Hogg)
Page(s) : 105-118
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Vol(s) : 54, 1955

Source Number : 6
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Source details : F1 BHP 20-NOV-69
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : Mark Bowden/04-JUL-1990/RCHME: Hadrian's Wall Project
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Source Number : 8
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Source details : Geophysical Surveys of Bradford, 1991. Report on Geophysical Survey: Hadrian's Wall. Report No. 91/48
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Vol(s) : no.91/48

Source Number : 9
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Source details : 19-Mar-98
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Source Number : 10
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Source details :
Page(s) : 94
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Vol(s) : Jan-83

Source Number : 11
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Source details : NY 3359/17 NMR 20595/51 28-JUL-2008
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Source Number : 2a
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Source details :
Page(s) : 242
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Vol(s) : 11, 1911

Source Number : 2b
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Source details : Curwen J 1913 Castles and Towers
Page(s) : 20
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Source Number : 2c
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Source details : Accompt 79 (J Denton ed Ferguson)
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : (R L Storey)
Page(s) : 119-30
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Vol(s) : 54, 1955

Source Number : 3a
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Source details : History of Cumberland (Ferguson)
Page(s) : 157
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Source Number : 3b
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Source details : Book of Fees 1
Page(s) : 198
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : Burgh-by-Sands
Page(s) : 7
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Vol(s) : 1865

Source Number : 5
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Source details : Cumberland 15 SE 6
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Vol(s) : 1899

Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Norman
Monument End Date : 1154
Monument Start Date : 1066
Monument Type : Moat, Motte And Bailey
Evidence : Conjectural Evidence

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Medieval
Monument End Date : 1540
Monument Start Date : 1066
Monument Type : Manor House, Tower
Evidence : Cropmark

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Late C12
Monument End Date : 1199
Monument Start Date : 1167
Monument Type : Curtain Wall
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Mid C13
Monument End Date : 1266
Monument Start Date : 1233
Monument Type : Fortified Manor House, Pele Tower
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Demolished c1339
Monument End Date : 1349
Monument Start Date : 1329
Monument Type : Fortified Manor House, Pele Tower
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : CU 28
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : Hadrian's Wall Project Number
External Cross Reference Number : NY 3359/14
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 26116
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : NY 35 NW 6
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EVALUATION
Start Date : 1948-01-01
End Date : 1948-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1950-01-01
End Date : 1950-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1969-11-20
End Date : 1969-11-20

Associated Activities :
Activity type : MEASURED SURVEY
Start Date : 1988-01-01
End Date : 1993-08-01

Associated Activities :
Activity type : GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY
Start Date : 1991-05-01
End Date : 1991-05-01

Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 2002-01-01
End Date : 2008-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE
Start Date : 2006-04-01
End Date : 2007-03-31

Historic England Research Records

Burgh Manor House