Castle Carrock Castle

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Other/Unknown), and also as a Certain Fortified Manor House

There are earthwork remains

NameCastle Carrock Castle
Alternative Names
Historic CountryCumberland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishCastle Carrock

In a marshy field about 40 yds east of the church is an ancient earthwork about 100 yards long x 40 to 50 yards wide, rounded at the SE corner, and formerly surrounded by a fosse now filled up. "An occupation road has probably run through the north-west end where it narrowed" (TCWAAS, 1883). The remains of a sub-rectangular moated enclosure best preserved on the north east side where the ditch, now dry, is 6m wide and 0.7m deep. Elsewhere it is extensively mutilated and virtually obliterate in the north west. There are no internal remains. To the immediate south east there is a possible fish pond. The work has no great strength, but may represent the site of a fortified manor house from which the name 'Castle Carrock' was derived (Field Investigators Comments–F1 BHP 21-MAR-72). (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Renn writes this site is natural (Was he actually referring to the Hallsteads site?) and castle was probably on fell top, presumably at Jacobs Hill. In 1160's Gamel de Castlecarrock had his seat either here or at nearby Jacobs Hill. The family became extinct late in reign of Edward I. This site, by the church, is a typical location for the medieval manorial centre and there seems no reason to doubt it as the location of Gamel's castle. The early 'castle' does not seem to have had a motte and seems to have been of only modest defensive character.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY544554
Latitude54.8914108276367
Longitude-2.71213006973267
Eastings354400
Northings555410
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image

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Books

  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 141
  • Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 37
  • Jackson, M.J.,1990, Castles of Cumbria (Carlisle: Carel Press) p. 41
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 92
  • Hudleston, C.Roy and Boumphrey, R.S., 1978, Cumberland Families and Heraldry p. 58
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 354
  • Armstrong, A.M., 1950, The Place-Names of Cumberland, part 1 The City of Carlisle, and Eskdale, Cumberland, and Leath Wards (English Place-Name Society 20) p. 75
  • Collingwood, W.G., 1901, 'Remains of the pre-Norman Period' in H.Arthur Doubleday (ed), VCH Cumberland Vol. 1 p. 293 (wrongly said to be west of church) online copy
  • Lysons, Daniel and Samuel, 1816, Magna Britannia Vol. 4: Cumberland p. 81 online transcription

Journals

  • Steavenson, Hodgson and Hodgson, 1908, 'Hallsteads, Castle Carrock' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 8 p. 248-52 online copy
  • Hall, G. Rome, 1883, 'On Ancient Remains, chiefly Prehistoric, in Geltsdale, Cumberland' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 6.2 p. 465 online copy (mislocated as west of the church, rather than east)

Other

  • Constable, Christopher, 2003, Aspects of the archaeology of the castle in the north of England C 1066-1216 (Doctoral thesis, Durham University) Available at Durham E-Theses Online