KENDAL CASTLE

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DESCRIPTION

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A ruined 13th century castle built on a ringwork and barbican of circa 1184, which in turn replaced the Castle How motte and bailey (SD 59 SW 5). There are fragments of the curtain wall, four towers and internal buildings visible. The earthworks comprise a nearly circular ditch, 85 feet wide, with an outer rampart up to 19 feet above the bottom of the ditch, and a small outer enclosure or barbican on the north side. The castle was dismantled in 1566. Catherine Parr was born here in 1510. A Roman gold coin has been found on the site. Scheduled.

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(SD 5220 9240) Kendal Castle (NR) (Remains of) (NAT) (1)

Probably first constructed at the end of the 12th century but none of the masonry seems earlier than the 13th century. The ruins of the hall-block with adjoining square tower are probably of the 14th century. (This dating seems to be entirely on architectural grounds). Ruins structurally sound. The castle became ruined in the 16th century. The earthworks comprise a nearly circular ditch, 85 ft wide, with outer rampart up to 19 ft above bottom of ditch, and a small outer enclosure or barbican on the north side. All in good condition. (See plan). (2)

Indeterminate excavation to examine site and form of the original entrance. Reference to 'the earliest known drawing of the Castle' is a Machell MS (date not given, see illust Card). (3)

Gold coin of Marcus Aurelius said to have been found within the Castle enceinte. (4)

Deer-park disparked 1566. (5)

Well-preserved. Resurveyed at 1:2500. (6)

Further excavation at Gatehouse. (7)

Further excavation at Gatehouse and N perimeter. (8)

Later excavation report. (9)

Account of 1971 excavations. (10)

Condition unchanged.
To be resurveyed at 1:1250 by field surveyor. (11)

Remains of Kendal Castle founded circa 1184 and dismantled 1566, grade 1. Catherine Parr was born here about 1510. (12)

SD 522924. Kendal Castle, scheduled. (13)

Kendal Castle; ruins of a 13th century castle built on a ringwork and attached barbican or outwork defending the entrance, the ringwork was probably constructed in c1184 to replace the the Castle How motte and bailey (SD 59 SW 5). There are fragments of the curtain wall, four towers and internal buildings visible; scheduled. (14)

Listed by Cathcart King. (15)

Listed with plans and illustrations. (16)

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)122-4

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

(J E Spence) 51 - 1951 Page(s)185-6

( 4a) General reference

Topo and Hist Descrip Westm 198 (Hodgson)

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

9 - 1888 Page(s)178

( 5) General reference

History of Westmorland and Cumberland Vol 1 1777 p83 (Nicholson and Burn)

( 6) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ECW 28-APR-66

( 7) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

12 - 1968 Page(s)179

( 8) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

(D G Hurst) 13 - 1969 Page(s)260-1

( 9) General reference

Archaeol Bull, Northum, Cumberland Westmorland No 8 May 1970 p13 (B Harbottle)

(10) Council for British Archaeology Group 3: Archaeological newsbulletin for Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland

(B Harbottle) 1 - 1972 Page(s)7

(11) Field Investigators Comments

F2 BHP 27-OCT-72

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

MHLG (Prov List) Borough of Kendal Westm Sept 1965 p3

(13) by Department of the Environment, Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings London 1978 List of ancient monuments in England: Volume 1, Northern England; Volume 2, Southern England; Volume 3, East Anglia and the Midlands

Page(s)18

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

(15) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

2 - 1983 Page(s)492

(16) 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)348-9

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