More information : (SE 23959804) Tumulus (NR). (1)
A round barrow 20m in diameter and 4m high, surmounting the remains of a natural knoll. Published survey (25") correct. (2)
(SE 240980). Possible adulterine castle at Catterick, which looks like a typical motte and bailey. The supposed motte (published by the OS as a tumulus) known as Palet Hill lies north of the church with the triangular bailey, which is defended by steep natural slopes with a large ditch to the west now occupied by the churchyard. I'Anson considers that if a castle did exist it was probably founded by Count Alan the Black of Richmond and dismantled soon after peace was restored (in 1154) thus accounting for its absence in written records. MacLauchlan says that the churchyard seems to have formed the interior of an ancient camp, with Palet Hill a later addition, while Camden terms the mound a high hill or keep and refers to traces of outworks. (3-5)
Listed by Cathcart King. (6)
SE 23959804. Mound identified as the motte for a small motte and bailey castle within Catterick village. Possibly adapted from a natural hillock or a prehistoric round barrow. It was probably built as an adulterine castle during the reign of Stephen (1135-1154), and controlled the Great North Road which passed immediately to the east. The top of the steep-sided mound measures roughly 12 metres by 7 metres and there is some evidence for stone footings surviving below the turf. The bailey to the south west is now occupied by the church and churchyard. Scheduled. (7)
The motte is visible on air photographs as a mutilated earthwork centred at SE 2395 9804. The possible outline of the bailey has been inferred from the layout of the extant buildings. notwithstanding historic modifications to these features they appear to be upstanding on Google Earth photography. (8-9) |