GREENHALGH CASTLE

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Castle, built 1490, demolished in 1645. The remains of the castle consist of a tower about 7.5 metres square standing to a height of 8 metres standing on a knoll, which has contemporary cultivation terraces on its south east flank. The monument is of unusual form with elements of both tower keep and quadrangular castle. The castle also incorporates the remains of the preceeding manor house. The castle was besieged by parliamentarian forces during the civil war and taken in 1645. Scheduled.

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SD 50054511. Greenhalgh Castle (NR) (remains of)
(NAT) (1)

Greenhalgh Castle was built in 1490. The original structure was
of rectangular form, with probably four towers, surrounded by a
moat. In 1645 the castle was made untenable and never re-built.
(2)
The remains of the castle consist of a tower about 7.5m. square
and standing to a height of approximately 8.0m. It is situated
on a knoll which has been scarped to give a nearly flat top
and steep sides. On the east are traces of a ditch.

The interior of the tower and the immediate surrounds to NE and
SE are strewn with fallen masonry. See photographs. (3)

Surveyed at 1:2500. (4)

Condition unchanged. (5)

SD 5006 4510. Greenhalgh Castle, cultivation terraces SE of the
castle, and site of Greenhalgh manor house. Scheduled RSM No 27678.
The upstanding remains of the castle comprise the SW tower (of what
was originally a square keep with towers at each corner) c.7.5m
square, up to 10m high with walls averaging 1.6m thick. There are
traces of an original entrance at the E corner and arrow slits with
splayed openings are placed in the W and N corners and midway along
the NW side. Traces of others are visible in the SW and SE sides and
in the S corner. In the NE side there is a fireplace and at first
floor level remains of windows. Whilst there are no upstanding
remains of the other three corner towers, on all sides of the knoll's
summit apart from the SW there are traces of a rubble bank up to
4m wide and 0.8m high, which is interpreted as the foundation wall
of the main block. On the SE slope of the knoll there are a number
of well preserved agricultural terraces associated with the castle.

In the 14th and 15th centuries the manor or estate which had its
headquarters at Greenhalgh belonged to the Lord of Wyresdale, but it
was given to Thomas Stanley, first Earl of Derby, as a thank-offering
by Henry VII for his support at the battles of Bosworth (1485) and
Stoke (1487). In 1490 the earl received permission to fortify his
manor house by constructing the castle, a square tower with
additional towers at each corner. The monument is of unusual form
with elements of both tower keep and quadrangular castles, and as
such it may owe much to the quadrangular building tradition common
during the 15th century. It is unlikely the Earls of Derby resided at
the castle, indeed custody of the castle was given to Thurstan
Tyldesley and then Sir Richard Shireburne during the mid 16th
century. During the Civil War the castle was held for the king by
men loyal to the Earl of Derby, but was not besieged until 1645 when
the garrison surrendered. Thereafter the timber was removed, the
walls breached and the castle rendered untenable. (6)

Listed by Cathcart King. (7)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1968

( 2a) General reference

A discourse of the war in Lancs. Chet Soc lxii 60

( 2) Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society

(H Fishwick) 19 - 1901 Page(s)70-1

( 3) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ASP 16-OCT-57

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F2 FDC 15-JAN-59

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

F3 BHP 02-SEP-75

(6) English Heritage 1996 County list of Scheduled Monuments : March 1996

(7) by David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands. Volume I : Anglesey - Montgomery

1 - 1983 Page(s)245

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