LAMMERSIDE CASTLE

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The remains of Lammerside medieval tower house, located on the western side of the River Eden. It includes the upstanding remains of a 14th century tower or wing which originally formed part of the building's central core, together with the earthwork remains of buildings to the north and south of the tower and a barmkin wall which enclosed a yard to the west of the tower. The castle was occupied by a branch of the Warcop family, but is thought to have been abandoned in the 17th century. The tower is constructed of coursed, squared rubble, measures 14 metres by 11 metres, and survives to two storeys high.

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NY 7725 0477. Lammerside Castle (NR) (remains of) (NAT) (1)

A partly surviving pele tower, probably 14th century, but now in such a ruinous state that there is little evidence of the date. Apparently it formed part of a larger building of which traces remain both N and S of the tower. (2)

The pele, which stands to a height of approximately 10.0m is in poor condition. It measures 12.0m by 14.0m with walls 1.6m thick. Some of the rooms are barrel vaulted. The remains to the north and south of the tower consist of collapsed walls averaging 0.7m in height which are now mostly turf covered. See photograph. Published survey (25") revised. (3)

Lammerside Castle (NY 7725 0477) and its environs were surveyed by RCHME in 1993. It is situated on the west bank of the River Eden, at the foot of a small slope. Very little is known of the history of Lammerside; the name `John de Lambyrsete' occurs in 1403 but without mention of property (4a). The tower lies within Wharton Hall deer park which was certainly in existence by 1576 (4b); it seems unlikely that Lammerside was occupied after its creation.

The upstanding remains of the tower, almost two storeys high, represent a reduced form of the original, as noted by authorities 2 and 3. In the north wall of the tower, part of a newel staircase is exposed. The room adjoining this side of the building measures 13.8m by 4.1m; the turf-covered banks which define it contain faced stone in places. There are no internal partitions visible; this and the survival of a small part of the eaves-line suggest that the room was a single storey hall. On the south side of the tower an area measuring 9.7m by 7.8m internally, enclosed by banks up to 2.6m wide and which contain faced and bonded stonework, may be the remains of a courtyard.

Surrounding the tower there is evidence of other, less substantial buildings. To the east are the remains of four possible building platforms, the most definite of which measures 18.5m by 7.4m. There is another group of at least three rectangular building platforms about 30m south of the tower.

The other prominent features of the site are the hedge banks of the surrounding enclosures which border a trackway going N-S past the tower and are probably contemporary with the castle. The largest of the enclosures is D-shaped and takes in most of the hill slope to the west of the tower. Its bank and external ditch are 7.6m wide overall. Three other hedge banks adjoin the D-shaped enclosure and continue in fields to the far west of the tower. In the north-east corner of this enclosure is a square compound about 24m by 26m internally. On the eastern side of the N-S trackway is another large enclosure with less well-defined banks but of similar length to the main enclosure and apparently extending all the way to the river.

There is a possible corn-drying kiln immediately south of the last enclosure described. It is 5.0m by 5.8m overall and 1.1m deep; there is an opening at the front but no stonework is visible.

Full details are contained in the NMR archive. (4)

Lammerside Castle Surviving remains originally formed part of the 14th century building's central core. Grade 2. (5)

NY 772047 Lammerside Castle; scheduled. (6,7)

Listed with plan and illustration. (8)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1957

( 2) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, England 1936 An inventory of the historical monuments in Westmorland

Page(s)240

( 3) Field Investigators Comments

BH Pritchard/11-MAR-74/OS Archaeology Division Field Investigator

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

Amy Lax/01-OCT-1993/RCHME: Howgill Fells Project Phase 2

( 4a) General reference

Calendar Patent Rolls. 1403 (280).

( 4b) Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society

M Blackett-Ord 86, 1986 Page(s)133-9

( 5) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

Eden, 21-OCT-1983 37 Page(s)27

( 6) English Heritage 1995 County list of Scheduled Monuments : March 1994

Cumbria Page(s)35

(7) Scheduled Monument Notification

18-JUL-2000

(8) Denis R Perriam and John Robinson 1998 The medieval fortified buildings of Cumbria : an illustrated gazetteer and research guide

Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society extra series vol.29 Page(s)287

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