| Summary : Moated enclosure, with the south west arm of the moat still visible. This may be the site of Halton Castle, a fortified house besieged in the Civil War and demolished in the early 18th century, though there is no direct evidence to confirm this. The only visible remains within the enclosure are two dressed stones, possibly from the house. Some 350 metres to the south west is a small earthwork, the form of which suggests a small siegework placed to cover the house. |
More information : Moat [GT] [SD 44420884] Halton Castle [GT] (1)
The moat remains as shown on 6" Qtr Sheet. The SW side contains water which appears to be at some depth, but the slopes forming the remaining 3 sides are barely discernible especially to the NE side(2)
Published originally as (Horton Castle (Supposed site of)'. Name changed to 'Halton Castle' at revision of 1926 in accordance with local usage and the writings (a) of Mr F.H.Cheetham, an antiquarian of Southport. It is "the supposed site of an ancient
Castle ...It is not known when or by whom founded." (3)
In a letter of 31.12.52 Wilfred Smith, professor of Geography at Liverpool University, asked for information about this site. (1). He required 'reasons for this identification of Horton Castle with this site'. (4)
The moat is 14 paces wide, one portion of which is still filled with water. The area of space within is, roughly 120 ft. N-S by 180 ft
E-W. The water lies in the western half, but the site of the building is crossed at this end by a wall which is carried over the moat itself. Nothing is known of the building although Peter Draper (a) says that it was a castellated mansion of considerable dimensions at the time of the siege of Latham House. (5)
'A residence of considerable dimensions at this time [the C17th] stood in the New Park, about half a mile from Lathom House, which was pulled down in the early part of the last century. This building also appears to have been a castellated mansion, surrounded by a moat, which now remains, by the side of which lies a long piece of stone, said to be about 300 years old, as shown by some marks curiously inscribed upon it; and, near this moat, old people tell us, once stood a dovehouse, about five yards square ... Part of the brick wall of a garden, the walls of which appear to have been tastefully laid out, still remains ... This house is supposed to have been the residence of the steward, as noticed in Halsall's diary, and was called "Horton," "Alton," or "Halton Castle."' It was probably to this building that Lady Derby was summoned on Feb 28, 1643/4, by Sir Thomas Fairfax, when she was called upon to surrender Lathom House, before the commencement of the siege. (6)
Halton Castle [GT] (site of) (7)
Except for the water-filled SW arm the traces of this moat are
very slight and most of it has obviously been filled in at some
time. There is no trace of an original entrance or causeway.
The only traces of internal habitation are two dressed stones lying in the grass and the foundations of a wall of early brick. The wall crosses the moat and continues to the NW as a fragmentary stone wall. The line of the wall is continued outside the moat to the SE as a grassy bank. The overlaying of the moat by this wall suggests that it is a later feature although the brick portion may be contemporary with the building which formerly stood inside the moat. Lying in the grass to the SE of the moat where the grassy bank forms a 'stop' is the lintel of a doorway, cut from a single stone in the form of a three centred arch. Its present position suggests that it may once have been the head of a doorway in the bank and that it was part of an approach to the house from the SE. No trace was seen of the inscribed stone or dovecote referred to by authority (6). Local enquiries regarding these features were
negative. No conclusions could be drawn regarding the origin or type of building which stood within the moat. Its identification as 'HORTON', ALTON' or 'HALTON CASTLE' appears to be merely a conjecture by authority (6) with no supporting evidence. The site may, however, have some Civil War associations. About 350.0m to the SSW is a small earthwork, the shape and orientation of which is suggestive of a small siege work covering the house. (See SD 40 NW 12)
The wall bounding NEW PARK (SD 40 NW 9) in which the house stood contains worked stone and early hand made brick, suggesting that when the building was demolished in the early 18th cent (authority 6 refers) the material was used for the park wall. (8)
Resurveyed by FDC April 1959 (9)
Listed as a possible castle by Cathcart King. (10) |