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Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument () 32704: Sherrif Hutton quadrangular castle and early garden earthworks
• Conservation Area: Sheriff Hutton Conservation Area

Monument Type(s):

• FORTIFIED HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)

Other References/Statuses

• AMIE Reference / HOB UID: 58375 SHERIFF HUTTON CASTLE
• National Monuments Record: SE66NE1

Full description

Sheriff Hutton Castle, a rectilinear castle raised in the latter part of the 14th century; now in a very ruinous condition. (1)

A programme of non-destructive archaeological and architectural survey was carried out in 1998. The work included documentary research, a review of investigation and repair, a survey of the earthworks and a condition survey of the ruined structure. (Dennison, E) (2)

Scheduled (3)
This castle was started circa 1382, and is thought to be a replacement for the ringwork recorded in M21065. A series of non-destructive surveys were carried out in 1998 to inform possible consolidation and conservation. These works suggested "the castle was built as a high status, semi defensive 'castle residence' " (2,4)

Sheriff Hutton castle was included in a dissertation on Yorkshire courtyard castles and social identity c 1360-1420: ambitions and anxieties. (Humble, L) (5,6)

A book has been produced on the history of Sheriff Hutton Park by various authors during the Women's Institute Community pale Project in 2005. (7)

A programme of repair and consolidation of the North East Tower of the castle was carried out between 2003 and 2005. The work comprised both building recording and a watching brief. The building recording involved a drawn re-survey of the tower comprising elevations and a large amount of new structural information was recorded. The watching brief concentrated in three areas, where further information regarding the phasing of the castle and new features were discovered and recorded. He final report provides a detailed description of the results of the archaeological and architectural survey of the north-east tower. (Dennison, E) (8), (Richardson, S & Denison, E) (9)

A resistance and ground penetrating radar survey was carried out within the inner court of the castle, with an area of magnetic survey to the south east of the monument over an area of earthworks presumed to be part of the castle gardens. Within the castke many anomalies were found that related to the earthwork plan. Elements of the east, west and southern ranges have been identified and some potential floor surfaces. The magentic survey results appeared to link with current interpretations as gardens and ponds. (10)

A summary of current knowledge about both of the castles and the village of Sherrif Hutton was produced in 2007. (Dennison, E) (11)

In 2009 a programme of archaeological and architectural recording was undertaken on a scaffolded portion of the south-west tower of the inner court of Sheriff Hutton Castle, and a summary report proiduced. The work comprised a drawn and photogrpahic record along with a detailed description. (Dennison, E) (12)

An article discussing the licences granted to crenellate in Yorkshire was included in Medieval Yorkshire in 2017.Sheriff Hutton Castle is listed in the gazeteer with the date of the licence as 26th April 1382. (Davis, P) (13) Further information can be found on the website for the Gatehouse Gazeteer. The castle was associated with Warwick the Kingmaker and Richard III and was used as a seat of provincial government via the Council of the North up until 1537.It was also used as a palace for Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset, the bastard son of Henry VIII, during his childhood. (Davis, P) (14)

Research by the Ryedale Vernacular Building Materials Research Group has found that the building stone used for Sheriff Hutton Castle is Dogger (Middle Jurassic) from the Mowthorpe Quarries. (Myerscough,R) (15)

<1> Ordnance Survey, Various, Ordnance Survey Record Card, SE66NE001 (Card Index). SNY1.

<2> Ed Dennison Archaeological Services, 03/1998, Archaeological and architectural Survey Sherrif Hutton Castle (Report). SNY7299.

<3> North Yorkshire County Council, 2001, SAM Working (Database File). SNY6921.

<4> English Heritage, 29/01/2002, Sherriff Hutton quadrangular castle and early garden earthworks (Scheduled Monument Notification). SNY7297.

<5> University of York, 2003, DISSERTATION: Yorkshire courtyard castles and social identities c 1360 - 1420: ambitions and anxieties (Manuscript). SNY8413.

<6> 2003, Sherrif Hutton - SMR (Manuscript). SNY8440.

<7> Sheriff Hutton Women's Institue Community Pale Project, 2005, Within the Pale: The Story of Sheriff Hutton Park (Monograph). SNY9896.

<8> Ed Dennison Archaeological Services, 2003, Current work on the NE tower (Manuscript). SNY8761.

<9> Ed Dennison Archaeological Services, 01/04/2008, Sheriff Hutton castle, Sheriff Hutton, North Yorkshire. Architectural and Archaeological Survey of the North-East Tower. 2 vols. (Report). SNY11895.

<10> GSB Prospection, 22/02/2006, Sherriff Hutton, The Second Castle and Gardens (Report). SNY10916.

<11> Ed Dennison Archaeological Services, 2007, The Castles of Sheriff Hutton (Report). SNY12057.

<12> Ed Dennison Archaeological Services, 03/2009, Summary of Recording on the South-west Tower of Sheriff Hutton Castle, North Yorkshire. (Report). SNY12658.

<13> Medieval Yorkshire, 2017, Yorkshire Licences to Crenellate, p32&38 (Article). SNY22629.

<14> Philip Davis, The Gatehouse Gazeteer (Webpage). SNY22630.

<15> Ryedale Historian, 2007, Ryedale Vernacular Building Materials Research Group (Article). SNY23263.

Sources and further reading

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