Rest Park, Sherburn in Elmet
Has been described as a Questionable Masonry Castle, and also as a Questionable Palace (Bishop), and also as a Possible Fortified Manor House
There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains
| Name | Rest Park, Sherburn in Elmet |
| Alternative Names | Reste; Manor Garth; Sherburn Palace |
| Historic Country | Yorkshire |
| Modern Authority | North Yorkshire |
| 1974 Authority | North Yorkshire |
| Civil Parish | Sherburn in Elmet |
Manor Garth, Rest Park, near Sherburn, property of the Archbishops of York who were licenced in 1382 to build a fortlettum for defence of the manor. Rest Park was in use as a residence until the Reformation, being mentioned in a letter of 1500. The lands were sold in 1647, since then the 'Archiepiscopal Palace' has been destroyed (VCH; Wheater). "The site has now been entirely cleared and levelled, leaving no trace of the former extensive earthworks". (PastScape)
Excavation by Mrs. J. Le Patourel for M.P.B.W. on the site of the archbishop's manor house of Rest Park showed it to have had a life of under 200 years. The earliest buildings, erected about the middle of the 14th century, had stone foundations, were rather dispersed and had no moat. All save one were destroyed for the rebuilding which followed Alexander's licence to crenellate dated 13 November, 1383. The ensuing residence consisted of a main 'fortelet' or residential block, backed by an enclosed courtyard of half-timbered buildings, one of which, a reused part of the earlier building, was probably a chapel, since window mouldings and stained glass were found in the vicinity. The main block was 150 ft. by 36 ft. with walls 6 ft. thick and a tower at the S. end. There was probably a vaulted undercroft and the principal rooms were at first-floor level. The buildings were set within a double moat and traces of the bridge-pit were found. Remnants of a stone pier suggest the drawbridge may have been replaced by a fixed bridge. No evidence of outlying fortifications was found, nor was there any sign of defensive work save that provided by the dual moat and the character of the main building itself. The destruction-level was well marked and of uniform date; the pottery compares very closely with that from the Dissolution levels of local monasteries. The house is known to have been occupied in 1528, but after demolition the site was completely deserted and reverted to woodland. (Med
Arch., 1964)
Not scheduled
Not Listed
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | SE542336 |
| Latitude | 53.7964286804199 |
| Longitude | -1.17803001403809 |
| Eastings | 454250 |
| Northings | 433660 |
