| Summary : Possible motte and two baileys, earthwork remains. The remains comprise an eroded motte, standing 6.6 metres above an inner bailey to the east, with an outer bailey further to the east. There is no trace of a ditch between the motte and the inner bailey. There is a ditch aound the south side of the combined motte and inner ward. This ditch is massive, up to 4.1 metres deep externally and up to 8.2 metres below the inner rampart of the inner ward. It is likely that it initially enclosed a ringwork, and that the motte was a later insertion on the west side of it. The castle is first mentioned in 1174 and was taken and destroyed in 1346. It was replaced by a stone tower house, but this is not documented after 1399.Scheduled. |
More information : (NY 402 741) Liddel Strength (TI) Motte & Bailey (GT) (1)
Motte and double bailey, probably of late - 11th/12th century, situated on the edge of a sheer cliff 160' above the Liddel Water. The outer bailey is defended by an earthen rampart and a ditch 25' deep, and the inner by a rampart 35' high. Foundations exist to the north-west of the motte, probably of the mansion which later occupied the site. (2-4)
Scheduled. (5)
Correctly described and well preserved. Re-surveyed at 1:2500. (6)
Liddel Strength, is an earthwork castle situated at NY 4018 7416, at the edge of a steep wooded escarpment of boulder clay. The whole site has been affected by the erosion of the river cliff, and is covered by rough pasture, scattered scrub and small trees. The remains are unusual. At face value they comprise an eroded motte, standing 6.6 m above an inner bailey to the east, with an outer bailey further to the E. However, it may be significant that there is no trace of a ditch between the motte and the inner `bailey' and the ditch around the S side of the combined motte and inner ward, connecting with the river cliff, describes a neat semi-circle as if enclosing a cohesive whole. This ditch is massive, up to 4.1 m deep externally and up to 8.2 m below the inner rampart of the inner ward. The impression is that it initially enclosed a ringwork, and that the motte was a later insertion on the W side of it. The outer bailey, less strong than the inner, is bounded by a bank, up to 1.4 m high internally, and outer ditch, up to 2.2 m deep externally. Contained within the inner ward are the turf covered remains of a tower (see NY 47 SW 6).
The castle is first mentioned in 1174 and was taken and destroyed in 1346 to be superceded by the tower; it seems likely that it was never rebuilt in stone (7a-7b).
The work was surveyed at 1:500 scale by RCHME Newcastle office; the original plan and field account are held in the NMR archive. (7)
Listed with reconstruction drawing and photograph. (8) |