Cumbrian Castle Blog!!

Shap Abbey, Shap

2009-06-05T21:08:00.005+01:00

Shap Abbey
Shap
Cumbria

The Abbey at Shap, situated on the Western banks of the River Lowther, would have been a prosperous abbey in its heyday, and as such would have had light security to safeguard its occupants and its finances and possessions. The abbey is known to have had a precinct wall, encircling the entire complex of buildings, but this has long since gone. Whether this would have been as spectacular and solid as the one that Sweatheart Abbey possessed, and which still stands in some sections, is unknown. (http://www.matthewpemmott.co.uk/2008/09/sweatheart-abbey-dumfries-and-galloway.html)

It's also known that the abbey would have had a gatehouse, situated on the grass track, probably on the right hand side of the wall, roughly opposite the sheep feeder in the next field. As with any gatehouse or symbol of strength, this was most likely one of the first buildings to be removed, and consequently there is now no trace of this building.

The huge 15th century tower, the most prominent remains of the abbey complex, sits at the West end of what was the nave. This huge tower, some 50 feet tall, has a huge draw bar tunnel in both of the door jambs. Only the lower portions of these jambs now remain, but the tunnels can still be seen. The tunnel in the left door, is now only about 4 inches deep, whilst the tunnel in the right hand jamb, is about 10 inches deep. They are about 8 inches square, so would have housed a sturdy draw bar. Both are lined with slate, and would undoubtedly have been much deeper when the whole of the retaining wall and the jambs were in place. The wall here is about 5 feet thick, so the occupants would have been able to make this entrance very secure.

Another entrance, separating the nave from the Cloister (and hence the main parts of the abbey) also has a solid draw bar tunnel set within the depths of the wall. The tunnel is visible on both door jambs, and is around 5 inches square. The left hand tunnel is about 6 inches deep, whilst the right hand tunnel is badly damaged, and now only a few inches deep.

It's not possible to tell what sort of security would have been in existence on the buildings on the South West corner of the complex, as these have now been built over. This would have been an exposed section of the perimeter of the abbey precincts. The River Lowther would have provided an adequate boundary on the West flanks of the abbey, with the precinct wall running along the North, the West (incorporating the gatehouse) and possibly the now vanished Southern section. High up on the fells to the West of the abbey two dykes are still in existence. One runs roughly North to South, and is about 900 yards long, and a second runs West to North East, probably running behind the present farm buildings and almost down to the River Lowther. These may just be boundary dykes. As soon as they've been photographed, they'll appear on the blog.

Kemp Howe Stone Circle, Shap

2009-06-02T21:14:00.002+01:00

Kemp Howe Stone Circle
Shap
Cumbria

The remains of this stone circle can be found about half a mile South of Shap, on the Western side of the railway embankment. The stones can just be seen from the road....but there isn't any parking nearby. I would recommend parking back in Shap, and taking a walk to the field that these immense pink granite boulders now lie in.

There are 6 large stones still remaining, with a number of smaller stones between the larger ones. Only half of the circle now remains, with local tradition stating that the others still lay in their original positions under the railway embankment.

It appears that this stone circle was part of a much larger collection of circles, standing stones and avenues, some of which still survive today, hidden away in the corners of fields and gardens. Kemp Howe is variously known as Heppeshaw, Shapshaw and Shapsey.

This website has a huge amount of information on the stone circle, and the other circles and standing stones in the local area.

http://www.shapcumbria.co.uk/Shap%20Standing%20Stones%20and%20Stone%20Circles.htm

Borrowdale Dykes, Nr Kendal

2009-06-02T20:36:00.003+01:00

Borrowdale Dykes
Borrowdale
Nr Kendal
Cumbria

Borrowdale is an area of outstanding beauty, situated some 6 miles North of Kendal, and only a few miles South of Shap summit on the A6. Whilst the area is well known for its walks, especially along Breasthigh Road which runs from the Eastern side of the A6, across the Western flanks of Borrowdale Common, and then on toward Bretherdale Head, there is also historical documentation stating that a plessicium, or slashed hedge was cultivated and maintained. This barrier is reputed to have been created to slow down or prevent the Scots from moving South from Shap summit, in a grant dated 1180.

The wording is as follows "Grant by William de Lancaster II to the monks of St. Mary at Byland, of his part of Borgheredala (Borrowdale) by the great way which goes by Ernestan (Eagle-stone) to the plessicium which has been made on account of the Scots; and by the brow of the hill of Bannisdale, which is towards Borrowdale, as long as Bannisdale continues, and so to Borrowdale Head and so to the bounds of Westmorland, in perpetual alms, and for the settlement of the complaint which Wimund, late Bishop of the Isles, had against the father of the grantor."

A view of Borrowdale looking North.

The exact location of this rural defence, has not been accurately pinpointed, though the old road that runs across Borrowdale Common would certainly have been a well used road in its day...before the A6 was constructed to its West. Any body of men that had climbed Shap summit to the North, would be looking for an easy track across both Shap Fells and Birkbeck Fells, and this road, rough as it would most likely have been, would have presented any traveller with an easier route over the boggy high ground, especially if there were men on horse back and wagons with supplies.

The road, now only used by walkers and hardy bikers, can be seen winding its way up the fell in the centre of the above photo. Parts of this road appear to have the remains of a low rampart or earthen bank, possibly all that is now left of the hedge that may have topped it at some point. This barrier would surely only have provided anyone moving South with a minor obstruction, and would most certainly have been without any fortifications along its route. It's also possible that the dyke may have been situated about half a mile South, where the valley narrows. This point, called Hollowgate would be much easier to build a barrier across. Perhaps the name is indicative of some early medieval 'checkpoint'....and the same could also be asked of Watchgate, about 3 miles further South.

Helmsley Castle, Helmsley

2009-05-16T16:27:00.004+01:00

Helmsley Castle
Helmsley
North Yorkshire

The small market town of Helmsley lays about 10 miles West of Pickering on the A170. This road makes a peculiar Southerly route through the village after travelling West from Pickering. As you pass through the village the remains of the castle can just be made out over the roof tops.

Built by Walter Espec in the early 1100’s, the castle is today represented by a wide range of surviving earthworks, masonry and upstanding walls and buildings. The most spectacular and recognisable of which has to be the half destroyed keep.

A good place to start when exploring these remains, are the remains of the Northern gatehouse and barbican. Today a wooden bridge spans the double ditch, taking you to the D shaped remains of the gatehouse….now standing to around two feet in height. This structure would have been protected on the outer earthen bank, by a 13th century barbican…further protection for this, the original entry into the inner court of the castle. The gatehouse probably dates from the early 1200’s, as does most of the outer stonework of the castle, ie, curtain walls (excepting the Southern defences including the 14th and 16th century gatehouse here) The ditch here is around 30 feet deep, and is a similar depth for its complete circuit of the castle…well preserved and intact.

Once over the modern bridge, the whole of the inner court is laid out before you. To the left, the keep can be seen (more about this faux keep later) the scrap of the 13th century chapel, numerous low footings of buildings, and to the right, the West range and the de Brus tower, along with the remains of the Hall and various towers.

The keep is a monumental structure, still standing to around 5 storeys tall. I say half, as only half of this towering building now stands on the edge of the moat. The outer walls of the ‘keep’ were destroyed along with most of the upper levels of the curtain walls on the orders of Oliver Cromwell’s government, after the castle was surrendered to Sir Thomas Fairfax in November 1644 after a three month siege.

This left only the inner shell of the building remaining. What is known, is that this building was in fact not the keep, but a tall chapel with an apsed (oval) projection out over the first defensive ditch.

This chapel formed the core of the castle built in the early 1200’s, and can be entered from the inner court. Looking up at the now empty shell, its immense size can truly be appreciated.

Moving South from the ‘keep’ the Southern gatehouse still survives to a height of around 20 feet. These immensely thick walls are part of the original castle from the early 1200’s, and lead onto the 14th and 16th century gatehouse that extends across the double ditches.

The outer gatehouse, or barbican, still retains its portcullis grooves, indications of the defences employed here. There are the intact remains of two D-shaped towers on either side, with standing portions of curtain wall, and then two more towers, one extending over the first ditch, and the other following the line of the curtain wall.

This latter tower would have provided defensive line of sight down the Western curtain wall, and out over the Southern portions of the outer court. Here the rocky outcrop that the castle is built upon, can be seen beneath the curtain wall, indicating the strength of the site up on which the castle was built.

View of the faux keep from the South, showing the amount of damage done upon Cromwell's orders.

The building to the West of the inner court, consists of the castle’s original keep…the much altered early 1200’s solar tower. This tower was largely re-built on its Southern and Western walls during the early 1300’s. Whereas originally it would have been a stocky, probably almost windowless tower, sufficient as a last place refuge, it became, over the years, a lofty and comfortable tower, sporting a number of windows (including at ground level) suitable for accommodating important residents and guests alike. This tower lacks its roof, but is accessible. It sports an impressive pair of draw bar slots in the entrance wall, and clear indications of the comfort employed for those living in the castle. There are a multitude of fireplaces and indications that the tower had at least four floors.

The whole of this castle will take you a good hour at the very least, to walk around...there are simply loads of remains here. I'll follow this up with a history at some point, which will give me the opportunity to add a few more photos.

Beacon Hill siege castle, Pickering

2009-05-16T15:36:00.005+01:00

Beacon Hill siege castle
Pickering
North Yorkshire

It is suggested by many historians that this low scarped mound, some 500 yards to the West of Pickering castle, is in fact a siege castle, not a ‘motte’ as marked on the Ordnance Survey map. Visible from the Southern Gatehouse of Pickering castle, and also from the summit of Pickering Castle’s 20 metre high motte, the earthworks are visible as a flat topped mound, half covered with trees, topped with a bank, and encircled by a ditch and a low outer embankment.

The summit is around 3 metres by 25 metres, and was occupied from the late 1930’s to 1991, by a Royal Observer Corps post (much like Sedbergh’s Castle Haugh) Consequently, it was damaged by its military occupation and use.

It has been suggested that the siege castle was raised to threaten Pickering Castle during the Anarchy (1135 to 1154) a 19 year period of unrest throughout England, however no documentary evidence has been found that supports this theory. It’s therefore more likely, that it was built to threaten the castle during the period, 1216, 1217, during the first few years of Henry III’s reign. The damage done at this time to Pickering castle, necessitated the spending of several hundreds of pounds on the rebuilding and repair of the castle's fabric.

You'll need to click on these photos to see them full screen, so that you can identify the siege castle on the horizon!

Pickering Castle, Pickering

2009-05-16T15:32:00.006+01:00

Pickering Castle
Pickering
North Yorkshire

The castle at Pickering in North Yorkshire, lays on the junction of the A169 and the A170, about 20 miles West of Scarborough. The significant remains can be found at the end of Herisson Close, a residential street at the centre of Pickering, and on the banks of Pickering Beck which runs to the West of the castle. There are a significant of both masonry and earthwork remains here, including curtain wall, towers, a huge impressively preserved earthen motte, and a large quantity of masonry footings and low walls. Entrance is via the Southern gatehouse, straight onto the Outer Ward which stretches to the ditch in front of you, and to your right, all the way around to the wall that separates the inner and outer wards across the deep ditch. To the left, and below the level of the Southern gatehouse, the Mill Tower still stands fairly intact. It is joined to the gatehouse by a low section of curtain wall, which has probably been reduced in height at some time. The remains of the gatehouse are also joined to the Diate Hill Tower to the East of the castle, by curtain wall, here surviving to a greater height. This portion of higher wall continues right around to Rosamund’s Tower in the North Eastern section of the castle. Immediately in front of you, the ruined shell of the Colemen Tower can be seen, with a thick wall with wall-walk climbing the steep sided motte to the summit where the King’s Tower would once have been. The motte is indeed the most impressive structure in the whole of the castle (in my opinion) Steep sided, intact and well preserved, it serves as an apt centre piece to this impressive castle. You are free to explore the whole of the castle and its attendant buildings…nothing is closed off.

View of the Coleman Tower with wall-walk to the summit of the motte.

The Coleman Tower straddles the Outer and Inner Wards, and would have served as a defence against intruders making it into the inner sanctum of the castle. It was built around the end of the 12th century. The tower is a squat, square building, and in 1323 records show that it was being used as a prison. The tower was remodelled after this time, and a parapet was built onto the top floor. The Coleman tower would have originally butted onto the Grayss Chamber…another fortified building that would have held sway over the drawbridge across the deep ditch separating Outer and Inner Wards.

A view of Rosamund's Tower from the Outer Ward, showing the attached curtain wall.

Rosamund’s Tower, at the far North Eastern part of the castle, protected the curtain wall where it met the Inner and Outer Wards….with line of site into both parts of the castle’s grounds. The upper portion of the tower was probably built for accommodation, with a room for lowering and raising the drawbridge from the postern in the lower floor of the tower. A nearby turret would have given defenders good line of site over anyone looking at breaching the postern. The outer door, leading into the Outer Ward has a set of impressively deep draw bar slots for securing the doors. The postern can be accessed from the walk that now encircles the castle.

A good view of the motte, with the remains of the Coleman Tower to the left. Rosamund's Tower can just be seen to the right behind the trees.

The motte would have formed the centre of the original timber based castle built by William I (Conqueror) in 1069-1070. A deep ditch, some 5 metres deep surrounds its base, with the motte standing some 20 metres tall. It’s base measures around 60 metres in circumference, and is complete and in good condition. The steep sides seem to have withstood the test of time with no slippage or damage visible. The top of the motte would have housed the King’s Tower, first timber built, and then rebuilt in stone, possibly between 1180 and 1236. The remains of a few portions of this tower still survive.

The gatehouse, in the Southern wall of the Outer Ward, has been virtually demolished. All that remains is the external brickwork minus most of the building beyond the curtain wall. A double door would have been hung from the jambs here, with a draw bridge over the shallow ditch. The archway that the double doors occupied can be seen when looking back at the gatehouse from the Outer Ward, now bricked up and only just visible. Some timbers are also embedded within the stonework, probably from later building periods. A barbican would have extended beyond the curtain walls, affording the castle’s occupants good lines of site for firing on any would be attackers.

The North facing door of the Mill Tower, secured from the outside.

The Mill Tower, situated at the South Western corner of the castle’s Outer Ward was built to protect the vulnerable corner of the curtain wall. The tower measures around 8 metres square, with the ground floor being used as a prison….the door here was secured from the outside. The floor above most likely provided fairly spacious and perhaps luxurious accommodation. The tower most likely gained its name from the horse powered mill that once existed nearby.

The Diate Hill tower stands on the West portion of the Outer Ward’s curtain wall. It is positioned so that it straddles the curtain wall, thereby giving the castle’s occupiers a good view of the curtain wall at a point where it turns gradually West. The 6 metre square tower is fully accessible (except for the second and third floors) A good set of draw bar slots can be seen on the internal door jambs, providing good security against unwanted visitors. The wooden access stair and balcony have been recreated to enable access to the first floor. Good views of the outer walls of this tower can be seen from the walk that circles the outside of the castle.

This view of Rosamund's Tower demonstrates where the Outer Ward meets the Inner Ward. There is a door in the bottom of the ditch (out of shot here) which connects with the postern in the outer wall of the tower. Anyone trying to enter uninvited here, would have faced defenders firing from above, from the flanking walls, and from the keep ahead of them.

A view of the exterior postern door of Rosamund's Tower.

This entrance into the castle, in the Northern wall wouldn't have been as exposed as this. Originally a draw bridge would have spanned the ditch\moat at this point, preventing access to the tower and subsequently the castle. The tower would have had battlements at its summit, and the curtain wall would have had a wall walk from which the castle's defenders could quite easily defend the wall.

Castle park motte, Kendal

2009-05-09T16:26:00.006+01:00

Castle Park earthworks
Kendal
Cumbria

This interesting feature can be seen just to the North of the Castle Green Hotel in Kendal, sandwiched between the A684 and the Kendal Windermere railway. The railway embankment lays some 50 yards to the East of the mound, both structures appearing to merge gently into each other. At first glance, this earthwork feature, a mound with a steep West facing slope, crowned by a huddle of trees, appears to be nothing special. Upon closer inspection however, a number of interesting aspect appear.

The mound is flat topped, with a ring of trees crowning the summit. There is a fairly large central areas within this ring of trees.

The rim of the mound appears to have been shored up...there are large amounts of masonry beneath the tree roots. For what purpose this building work was done, and from what period is open to debate. The fact that much of the masonry appears to be beneath the tree roots, could suggest that the stone work is older than many of the trees.

The most complete piece of masonry, appears to be on the West facing slope, as shown in the photos below.

This photo clearly shows the masonry beneath the root line of the mature trees.

And again, below.

The stone work is visible m ost of the way around the summit of the moound, although on the North and Eastern sides, it is either buried just beneath the surface, or has been robbed or fallen away.

The above photo shows the summit of the momound from the North. The slope here to the fields below, is much gentler.

The photo below shows the mound from the South. The railway embankment can just be seen to the right of the photo. The walk to the summit from here is a gentle uphill walk.

To the West of the mound, and at the foot of the steep drop, a shallow pond or mere can be seen. The original banks of this small mere can still be seen as earthworks higher up the field, indicating that it may have been larger some time in the past. It is this feature that I feel indicates the initial use of this feature.

If this earthwork feature is taken in the context of the Castle Green Hotel, which lays about 100 yards to the South, it could be suggested that it is merely a garden feature attached to what was once a wealthy family's home, not a spoil heap from the nearby railway, and, unfortunately, probably not the remains of a motte and bailey castle!! The Bindloss family built Castle Green as a home....and the motte, or the mound as it should probably be more correctly referred to as, which is probably one of the many drumlins left over from the last ice age, is ideally situated to give the family panoramic views over Kendal. Indeed, the mound looks directly onto Kendal castle, some three quarters of a mile away to the West, with the tiny mere at its Western base making a pretty ornamental garden. The gentle slope rising from South of the gardens of the Castle Green hotel to the summit, would have made for an easy walk to the summit....and the masonry that encircles the summit could have been put in place to stabilise the earth and prevent any slippage, especially with the number of trees already growing there. There seems to be no evidence of this being a motte and bailey castle...there are no signs of infilled or silted ditches, no banks acting as defences at the base of the mound, and the fact that it's overlooked by higher ground to the East negates any defensive qualities this site might show. All in all, this appears to be an interesting footnote to the Castle Green Hotel, built by a rich local family in order for them to enjoy the gardens of their home, and also to enable them to look out over the town that they lived and worked in.

Royal Observer Corps Monitoring station, Kendal

2009-05-02T16:21:00.002+01:00

Royal Observer Corps Monitoring Station
Kendal
Cumbria

This Cold War bunker, used for monitoring the movement of radioactive fallout in the event of a nuclear attack on the UK, is probably not much known to many locals. Situated on a hillock, overlooking Heron Hill and the Castle Estate, it consists of nothing more than a green concrete 'box' protruding above the surrounding grass.

The bunker was inspected as part of the Defence of Britain survey between 1995 and 2002, and was found to be in good condition. It was opened in March 1963, and closed in September 1991.

Check out the following link for some great close up and interior photos:
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=38672

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?s=3e4f75c1c8f26667062990042e96cc31&t=31771

Mallerstang Bronze age Cairns

2009-04-13T20:35:00.002+01:00

Bronze age burial cairns
Mallerstang
Nr Kirkby Stephen
Cumbria

On the South banks of a bend in the River Eden in the Mallerstang valley, there are possibly 4 Bronze age cairns....two visible, one possibly damaged at the river side, and another unidentified as yet.

The largest of the two found recently on my visit to Lammerside Tower, is shown above, with collapsed interior and an exposed rim of river washed stones. The centre measures about 15 feet across, and is around 5 feet deep. The rubble at the centre is moss and grass covered, suggesting that its collapse was some time ago. It could of course have been robbed out, causing the damage seen today.

The above photo shows the small peninsula that the two cairns can be found on. The largest of the two cairns seen on this visit is on the mound of earth in the centre of the photo. The second, is to the right of the larger cairn, still covered in turf.

This photo (above) shows the second of the two surviving cairns. It is only distinguishable from one angle...viewed from other angles it's almost impossible to make the cairn out from the surrounding landscape.

The photo above, and below, show panoramic shots of the best of the two cairns. The collapsed centre can clearly be seen, along with the rubble rim, surrounding the centre of the cairn. The stones used to make up the rim are all smooth river washed pebbles, probably collected from the nearby river.

Cairns would most likely have contained a human burial, with huge amounts of stone piled upon the body, and sometimes turf being used to cover the stones. Over time, these burial mounds blend in with the surrounding countryside and are sometimes now difficult to find. These two cairns are right on the footpath and so very easy to explore.

Mallerstang pillow mounds

2009-04-10T21:33:00.006+01:00

Pillow mounds
Mallerstang
Nr Kirkby Stephen
Cumbria

It will probably come as a great surprise to many, to know that rabbits are not native to the UK, but originally come from the warmer climes of Southern Europe. Rabbits were introduced to the UK by the Normans, sometime after 1066, and were 'farmed' for their fur and meat. Originally they were not at home in England's climate, and had to be well managed...fed, protected from predators and sheltered from the adverse weather. To enable the small collections of rabbits to survive, artificial warrens were built by wealthy land owners. These artificial warrens are today known as 'Pillow Mounds' and can be found all over the UK. In the past they were sometimes mis-identified as burial mounds, and the three in Mallerstang have, for many years, been known as the Giant's Graves.

The photo above (courtesy of Simon Ledingham) shows the position of the pillow mounds in relation to the road (bottom left hand corner) the three pillow mounds shown below, can clearly be seen in this photo, with a possible fourth one on the left hand side of the hill side. At the bottom right hand side of the hill, the remains of an enclosure can just be made out, with a track running through it. This could be related to the management of these warrens.

A pillow mound typically consists of a low flat topped mound of earth, surrounded by a ditch (as illustrated here) Sometimes a run of tunnels would be constructed for the rabbits, and then earth would be thrown over these runs, creating the artificial warren. Usually, as at Mallerstang, a ditch would be dug around the warren, and if possible, filled with water. A pale, or fence, would most likely be erected around the lip of the ditch to keep out predators. On Dartmoor, where there are a large number artificial warrens, they are called buries, but elsewhere they are known as coney garths, conegars or conygrees....many villages will have streets or places bearing these names, perhaps harking back to when there were artificial warrens in the area. There is a Conybeds in Kendal, destroyed in 1815, once thought to have been a motte of some sort, but probably an artificial rabbit warren. Cornelius Nicholson, in his 1861 book, The Annals of Kendal, thought these earthworks were an 'exploratory camp'...probably Roman!

The pillow mounds in the Mallerstang area can be seen on the North facing lower slopes of Birkett Common as you travel along the B6259 between Nateby and Pendragon Castle. They appear as long narrow rectangular shapes cut into the hillside. There are three pillow mounds here, possibly more...but the three that can be seen are the best preserved. One of the mounds appears to have been excavated at some time as it has a shallow trench through its centre. The other two are very well preserved, standing to around two feet tall, and with well defined ditches around them. Each of these pillow mounds are about 20 feet wide, and about 50 feet in length.

It's thought that these particular rabbit warrens belonged to the Cliffords of Pendragon castle, about a mile and a half south. It's possible that they were placed here, visible on the side of the common, so that visitors on their way to Pendragon castle could see them from the road. Rabbit was a high status food stock, and anyone with the wealth to import rabbits, farm them and manage the warrens would be able to entertain guests to the highest standards.

In order for a land owner to be able to farm his rabbits, a licence was required from the King...providing the land owner with the 'Right of free warren'. Rabbits were hunted like many other animals, but rabbits were the only animals women could hunt....they were excluded from hunting boar or deer.

These pillow mounds can be seen from the road across the river, or can be inspected up close by following the footpath past Lammerside castle.

Lammerside Tower and its security

2009-04-10T18:48:00.006+01:00

Lammerside Tower
Lammerside
Nr Kirkby Stephen
Cumbria

It’s looking increasingly likely that Lammerside Tower is in fact the upstanding remains of a gatehouse, and not a pele tower or castle. Despite mentions in numerous books on the subject and a number of writers perpetuating the myth of this building's defensive purpose, these remains could just be one of the attendant buildings of Lammerside….a seemingly complex manorial range of buildings, including stables, a hall (possibly lightly fortified), outbuildings, accommodation for servants and workers, a narrow tower house (built behind the surviving ruins) and an encircling barmkyn or simple curtain wall.

The above photo (courtesy of Simon Ledingham) shows the earthwork remains of the barmkyn encircling the manorial site, with other earthworks indicating the sites of buildings and landscaping features.

Indeed the whole complex would have been surrounded by this wall, to what height or thickness we don’t know…it could have been a curtain wall, or simply a field wall marking the boundary. The photo below, shows the earthwork remains of the barmkyn as it snakes over the brow of the hill. It would have continued turning right, out of site of this position, and round the back of the tower's remains, and then joined this portion of the remains from the right.

Click on the photo below for a brief explanation of the layout of the Southern end of the complex, including the path of the barmkyn, and the site of the original hall....the manorial accommodation for the Warcop family.

The following photo shows the footings of the barmkyn as it passes over the top of the hill to the West of the tower's remains. I'm reliably informed that there are masonry remains beneath the grassed bank that we can see today...indicating a wall of some sort once stood here, indeed, at certain points along the course of the earthworks, there are exposed blocks of limestone....and where rabbits and hares have been excavating, rubble has been exposed in a few places.

The following photo shows the draw bar slot in the door of the South facing wall. The reason the draw bar slot looks as if it is only a few inches above the ground...is that it is. There is so much rubble here, that the ground has been raised about a foot and a half.

The intriguing thing about this draw bar slot, is that it appears to be on the wrong side of the door. It is actually on the outside wall of the tower....which means that if it was used, it would secure anyone stood this side of the door against anyone already in the tower? Confusing. This could re-enforce the view that the tower is in fact a gatehouse, in which case the draw bar slot would be just another level of security against anyone getting past the security of the gatehouse if they'd already managed to break in. Or...it could simply mean that the door had been moved from its original location, and re-inserted into this wall. Another explanation, could be that the substantial rectangular earthworks that lay behind the ruins, could represent the site of a tower of some sort....so that the door, with its draw bar tunnel, may have been put in place to secure the gatehouse entrance to the tower.

As more information about this building becomes available, it will be posted here.

Lammerside Tower bridge remains

2009-04-04T21:28:00.004+01:00

Lammerside Tower bridge remains
Lammerside
Nr Kirkby Stephen
Cumbria

The manorial complex at Lammerside was large and consisted of a hall (possibly fortified) a gatehouse, attendant buildings, landscaped gardens, a barmkyn or simple curtain wall, a road approaching from the South, and to the South East, a bridge over the River Eden.

The above photo shows the roads, cut into the top soil and still visible to this day. The road disappears down to the River Eden to the right of the photo, and there are two visible trackways to the left of the photo and in the centre, both leading ultimately to Lammerside Tower, out of shot to the left.

The photo above, shows the roadway clearly leading down to the river. The limestone built bridge, probably built by the Warcops when they inhabited the hall at Lammerside, would have had a direct route to the road running through Mallerstang, North to Kirkby Stephen, and South, ultimately, to Sedbergh. The hall at Lammerside (now long gone) and the tower would have been visible from across the river as guests approached. They would then have seen the hall and all its buildings as they crossed the river, and made their away up the dedicated road heading North. This was all designed to impress those who visited the hall, and to impress on them the importance of the family in the local area.

Another view of the surviving trackway leading down to the bridge.

The photo above probably shows all that is left of the bridge, dismantled by the Whartons when they took possession of Lammerside. As well as dismantling the bridge, the Whartons tore down the hall, now only a feint earthwork in the hill side, destroyed all the attendant buildings, and probably converted the tower we see today, into accommodation. It is their possession of the Lammerside buildings, that has resulted in the tower mistakenly being identified as a pele tower. In all likelihood, this surviving building was in fact the gatehouse, not the hall (fortified or otherwise) of the complex of buildings. It seems that the Warcops of Lammerside, sandwiched between the Cliffords of Pendragon to the South East, and the Whartons of Wharton Hall to the North West, were in an almost perpetual state of neighbourly dispute, and after many years of bullying by their Wharton neighbours, finally succumbed. The Whartons all but wiped Lammerside and the Warcops off the map.

Lammerside Tower, Spring 2009 visit

2009-03-31T20:55:00.002+01:00

Lammerside Tower
Nr Kirkby Stephen
Cumbria

Lammerside deserved another visit...I haven't been there since December 2005....and this time the weather, although cold, was much better. The earthworks also look more defined, the grass was just the right length.

The above photos shows the earthworks that now show where the surrounding barmkyn or curtain wall would once have run. This view shows the earthworks at the South side of the tower. They run from right to left, and continue right up the hill (out of shot) and would originally have surrounded the whole complex of buildings. At the top of the hill, the buried footings are surmounted by a modern fence, re-enforcing the medieval boundary.

The photo above, shows the tower looking from the West, at the top of the hill. The earthworks in the foreground, are thought to be the remains of an ornamental garden, probably placed here to give the viewer the best panoramic views of the tower and its attendant buildings, and Nateby Common. The fence, sitting on top of the medieval boundary, can just be seen to the left.

The photo above, shows the hall, looking at the Southern wall. The earthworks in the foreground would have been a substantial building, with thick walls, that would most likely have butted up against the now exposed face of the tower.

This photo shows a view from the first floor of the tower. The collapsed floor can just be seen in the foreground.

View of the South East corner of the tower. This photo shows just how much of the cladding has been destroyed or removed over the years, exposing the rough rubble from which the tower is constructed.

Pendragon Castle, Spring 2009 visit

2009-03-31T20:22:00.005+01:00

Pendragon Castle
Mallerstang nr Kirkby Stephen
Cumbria

My favourite site, probably in the whole of Cumbria...Pendragon is isolated on the best of days, but with a cold wind blowing, and squally showers and bleak grey skies, it's all the more spectacular and yet lonely. This visit yielded some glimpses into the defences employed by its builders that made this building a safe haven in such a bleak and lonely landscape.

First of all, the doorway in the castle's North facing wall. There are no less than three levels of security on this entrance. The first, seen on the left of the door jamb (above), and the right of the door jamb (below) The series of deep holes would originally have had metal hinges leaded into them securely, from which a heavy door would have hung.

The next two photos show the draw bar slots and the groove in which the portcullis would have run. The draw bar slots would have secured yet another door, and the portcullis would have been the external security for this entrance.

The photo above, shows the East door jamb. The draw bar tunnel in this jamb is fairly shallow, perhaps around 4 inches deep, and rectangular in shape...however this may be due to a missing stone from it's lower lip. The portcullis slot can also be clearly seen on this jamb, running from top to bottom of the outer lip of the door jamb...although the interior guiding lip has been chipped or eroded away.

The photo above, shows the West door jamb, again with the draw bar tunnel and the portcullis slot....this time much better preserved. The draw bar tunnel in this jamb is perhaps a foot deep. The portcullis slot runs from top to bottom and looks almost complete. There would most likely have been a room above part of the doorway from which the portcullis could be raised and lowered.

The photo above shows the remains of the gatehouse. Most likely the site of the Countess Gate, this would have been the only way over the deep moat that runs almost the full circuit of the castle's mound. These earthwork remains are situated on the East side of the site, next to the modern causeway that now provides easy access to the castle. The mound in the centre of the photo, probably marks the last remains of buried footings of the gatehouse, and the area to the left of this, in front of the modern wall, would most likely have been an outer courtyard area.

The photo above shows the deep depression in the moat where the gatehouse's deep cellar would have been (just to the right of the modern causeway) You can just make out the buried masonry marking the spot the gatehouse would have occupied.

It's now thought that Lady Ann Clifford had the castle rebuilt and refurbished as a Summer retreat, with her ancestors using it as a hunting lodge....the security built into its fabric to make sure that local families, such as the Warcops and the Whartons, did not enter un-invited. There seems to have been a long running feud between the Cliffords, the Whartons and the Warcops regarding park boundaries, with all three families laying claims to large areas in the region.

Sizergh Castle, Spring 2009

2009-03-23T19:06:00.005Z

Sizergh Castle
Sizergh
Nr Kendal
Cumbria

Sizergh Castle has recently undergone a period of in depth maintenance. For two years the exterior of the castle has been clad in scaffolding, essentially hiding the building from view...until now!! The scaffolding is down, and the newly re-pointed castle has been unveiled.....and what a fantastic job the restorers have done. Gone is the dour, dark exterior stone work, and gone is the (beautiful in Summer) ivy that previously clung to most of the tower. Instead, a pale limestone tower dominates the buildings looking out over beautifully manicured gardens.

A view of the castle from the gardens below. This photograph shows the South facing, 14th or 15th century Deincourt tower to the left, the 15th century Drawing room with its terrace in the centre, and the 15th century Muniments tower to the right.

A view of the castle from the South West from the drive. The stair turret can be seen jutting out from the Deincourt tower.

A magnificent view of the Deincourt tower from the West across the well manicured lawns.

The same view, but closer. The re-pointed tower shows off it windows much better now that the ivy cladding has been removed.

A classic view of Sizergh castle looking from the North into the courtyard. The Deincourt tower can be seen to the right of the photo, with the North face of the Hall in the centre. The 16th century Morning room can be seen to the left of the photo. To the right of the photo, disappearing behind the trees, are a line of buildings, erected in the 16th century, and containing kitchens, barracks, a chapel and laundry rooms. The line of buildings to the left of the photo, also date from the 16th century, and contained another kitchen and accommodation.

Another view of the castle from the South, showing the Deincourt tower, the central Hall, and the Muniments Tower.

A view of the Deincourt tower from the West in the walled garden.

The armorial plate above the second floor window in the North facing wall of the Deincourt tower, probably dates from the 14th century, and is quartered with the Strickland coat of arms (top right and bottom left) and the, as yet, unidentified arms of another family.

The castle is open to view now, and you can pay to see the house and the gardens, or just the gardens.

Moat, Ravenstonedale

2009-03-14T19:51:00.006Z

Moated site
Ravenstonedale
Cumbria

This is one of the intriguing sites with little history available to tell. Sited some two miles South West of Kirkby Stephen, just off the A685, the earthworks here are only really visible if you stop and take a 'slide' down the embankment. Once you've found them however, they're quite impressive. The site consists of a range of banks and ditches, and may represent the remains of a medieval moated manor. The Southern extremes of the site have undoubtedly been buried beneath the houses here, whilst the Northern extremes of the site have undoubtedly vanished beneath the bank upon which the A685 now runs.

The site is very large, covering all of the fields between the houses and road with an estimated width of around 120 feet and a total overall length of around 180 feet. The ditches and embankments are very well defined, some of them up to 4 feet deep in places. The remains are described as a moated site, or a motte with a gate, by Pastscape, and may represent the remains of a manor dating from before 1150. Philip Davis of the Gatehouse website labels this site as a 'questionable' fortification.....but whatever the history connected with these remains, they represent something fairly major.

Of course...there is always the possibility that these remains represent nothing more than the remains of a medieval garden that was built in the area. Whatever it's history, the remains are worth seeing. Click on the photos for full size versions!

Kentmere Hall, Kentmere Nr Kendal

2009-02-03T20:11:00.006Z

Kentmere Hall
Nr Kendal
Cumbria

Kentmere Tower can be found about 12 miles North of Kendal, at the end of the Kentmere valley from where the River Kent springs. The tower and attached hall dominate the Northern end of the valley, along with the small church of St Cuthbert.

The site consists of a 15th century cross wing to the East of the building, a central hall, again dating from the 15th century, and, most importantly, a 14th century tower to the West. A 19th century kitchen is situated to the rear of the hall.

The tower stands to three storeys, and was probably built around 1375 by the Gilpin family. Indeed, the whole of Kentmere once belonged to the Gilpin family, until the land and the tower and hall were sold to the Philipsons in the 1660’s. The tower covers an area of around 9 metres by 7 metres, with walls some 1 and a half metres thick at ground level. There is a vaulted basement and a spiral staircase still exists in the North East corner, visible from the outside as a small projection. The corbelled parapet still exists most of the way around the summit of the tower.

An early drawing by Machell, shows the hall with the tower attached to it, with no other buildings in attendance.

This is one of those great sites that have good access. A public footpath runs right past the tower, affording great views.

The building of Kentmere Hall, includes the fantastical appearance of a local 'giant', Hugh Hird (the Troutbeck Giant!!). It is alleged that, whilst the tower was being roofed, ten men could not lift and place the huge chimney beam, which it is said, measured thirty feet long, thirteen inches by twelve and a half thick, and sits some six feet up. Whilst the builders were resting, and no doubt pondering how they would get this huge piece of wood in place, Hugh turned up and single handed put this chimney beam into place. The story then goes onto say how Hugh killed himself at the age of 42, tearing up trees in the Kentmere valley, with his bare hands!!! Legend also tells us that Hugh was a defender of local villages and their people during raids by the Scots.

Melmbery Hall, Melmerby

2009-02-01T18:10:00.006Z

Melmerby Hall
Melmerby
Cumbria

The small village of Melmerby can be found about six miles North East of Penrith on the A686. The church of church of St John the Baptist sits right next to a long high wall that runs the length of the gardens of the hall. The village appears in some historical documentation as a defensible village....a feature of a few scattered villages in this part of the county. But unlike Milburn and Temple Sowerby, Melmerby seems to have lost the traditional form and shape of these villages.

(Above photo courtesy of Simon Ledingham)

Views of the hall are difficult to come by, so my visit to Melmerby was fruitless where photographing the hall was concerned. However, a kind benefactor recently sent me a newspaper cutting with a photo of the hall....and this is what can be seen here.

The oldest part of the current building probably dates from around the latter part of the 16th century. There are reports of a date stone being seen with a date of 1597 carved in it.

The original fortification, a 'tower' of some description, is thought to have been built sometime in the early 14th century, but all that survives now, is the 16th century hall range, consisting of a parlour and scullery. A record, probably dating from around 1322, states "John de Denum kept a garrison of twelve men at his tower of Melmerby".

Interestingly, the small church a few hundred yards away, is thought to contain the remains of 14th century tower, possibly built as a place of refuge. Could this be in any way connected with the hall?

see http://www.matthewpemmott.co.uk/2008/07/fortified-ecclesiastical-sites-in.html

More views of Kendal Castle

2009-01-30T22:50:00.003Z

Here are a few more views of Kendal Castle, a site that seems to change with each day!!

First off, a view of the main hall from within the confines of the inner court. This part of the castle has been heavily restored and consolidated. Originally, this area would have contained the kitchens, guest accommodation and stores in the vaulted chambers beneath (not shown here)

A view of the castle from across Goose Holme by the river. (click to enlarge)

A view of Kendal Castle taken in the snow in December last year (click to enlarge) It is thought that the castle started off its life as a ring work, much like Pennington. The moat is surmounted by a bank upon which the wall was\is built. There's every possibility that the castle was temporarily set up as a ring work structure, for the duration of its construction.

Kendal Castle from Abbot Hall park (click to enlarge)

Towers in Frejus, South of France

2008-12-31T15:31:00.002Z

Towers

Frejus

France

As far as I can tell, the tower shown below, was the original palace for the Bishop of Frejus, probably built in the latter part of the 11th century, with additions being made into the early part of the 12th century. The tower is three storeys tall, with a vaulted hall on the second floor and a terrace on the roof, originally designed to take a dozen canons for the town's defence.

The building has lower walls some three metres thick, and was designed to accommodate the Bishop, his family and other town dignitaries, and would have formed part of the original town walls.

In the 13th century, a separate building was erected, possibly shown above, where all the town's canons were moved to.

Low Hall, Little Strickland

2008-12-31T14:58:00.002Z

Low Hall
Little Strickland
Cumbria

Although only a tentative possibility of a fortified building exists here, I thought it would be good to include it anyway. Little Strickland can be found about 5 miles South of Penrith, just off the A6 and behind Thrimby Grange.

Finding the Hall was a little difficult, as the building is set back off the B road and is situated amongst all sorts of buildings on a working farm. I think that the photo above represents the end of one of the wings....although if anyone tells me otherwise I'll go with that!!

From a historical documentation point of view, the site has always been described as a hall site with towers, although it's thought that the towers were either built over, or incorporated into the present buildings. Some historical texts describe the site as having a 9 feet curtain wall, so it was fairly well defended.

The hall was most likely built for the Crackenthorpe family, some time around 1540, although there are a number of 16th, 17th and 19th century buildings and alterations present.

The photo above, if actually of the hall, was a very narrow view, only available from the grass verge of the small road running nearby.

New Blog for churches!!

2008-11-13T18:11:00.003Z

As I have managed to visit around 150 churches in Cumbria, North Yorkshire and North Lancashire, it is only right that these buildings get their own blog. A new site has therefore been put together, and can be found at the following link http://cumbrianchurches.blogspot.com/

This blog will continue to be used for fortifications and other historical buildings visited in the future, and the church blog will be solely dedicated to ecclesiastical buildings.

Warton Old Rectory, Autumn 2008 visit

2008-11-11T20:35:00.005Z

Warton Old Rectory
Warton
Lancashire

Autumn 2008 sees me re-visiting Warton Old Rectory, a rare medieval stone house situated in Warton, just off the Yealand Conyers to Carnforth back road. The remains are extensive, with the main body of the late 13th, early 14th century still standing to full height at the gable ends, and most of the windows and doors still in situ.

The main reason for the re-visit, was to get some photos of the security of this building, namely, the draw-bar-slot in the main East facing doorway. Apart from the thickness of the walls, the fact that the main doors all exited into a semi-secure courtyard, the draw-bar-slot represents a clear desire for this building to be secured. Against whom...I'm not sure. It's very possible, as with any buildings with this form of security\minor defence, that it was designed purely and simply as security. There's also the possibility that this could be classed as a 'light fortification', but seeing as the building obviously had windows at ground floor level, I'm not sure this is really the case. It's possible that any desire for defence or security, was influenced by a Scottish raid in the area dating from 1322. This was a wide ranging period of disturbance, with many villages in the area being raided and damaged.

Detail of the draw-bar-slot built into the thickness of the wall.

The draw-bar-slot vanishes into the wall to the depth of about three feet, and is about 9 inches square. It was obviously quite a large draw-bar that was used to secure this external door.

The above photos shows three smaller draw-bar type slots (one now filled) in one of the central doors. There are three doors of this type, side by side in this wall, and this is the only door with these shallow, oblong slots. This door originally led to a small room that was used either as a pantry or a buttery...so what use security would have been here, is debatable. There's every possibility of course that the use of the room changed at some point.

Chester City Gates, Chester

2008-11-07T21:43:00.003Z

Chester City Gates
Chester
Cheshire

All of the old medieval gates in Chester have unfortunately been removed. All that we are left with, are architecturally interesting replacements that do not bear any resemblance to their original fortified incarnations.

The Wolf Gate

The Wolf Gate, situated opposite the Roman Amphitheater, is probably built on the site of a Saxon gateway. Built in the 17th century, it was rebuilt again later in the 18th century, and is linked to the Wolf Tower, also known as Thimbleby's Tower a short distance to the North.

The Newgate

The Newgate was built in 1937\38 and follows a Neo Gothic design. As with the other gates in Chester, it was built to allow the free flow of traffic into and out of the city.

The Water Gate

Situated at the West of the city, the Water Gate links Watergate Street with New Crane Street beyond the city walls. This gate was built in 1788 to a design by Joseph Turner, and was often referred to simply as the West Gate.

Up until the 18th century, the River Dee actually came right up to the city walls at this point, giving the gate its present name.

St Martin's Gate

A controversial addition to Chester's architectural heritage, this concrete footbridge was erected in 1966 and spans the Inner Ring Road.

During its construction the remains of a Roman tower were found.

The Bridge Gate

Unfortunately there were roadworks taking place underneath this gate, so I was unable to take any photos at road level. This gate was constructed in 1782, again to designs by Joseph Turner. This gate was also known as the South Gate (for obvious reasons) and also as the Welsh Gate.

The North Gate

This structure was built in 1810, to designs by Thomas Harrison. It replaced the medieval gateway which at the time contained the city gaol.

The East Gate

This gate was built between 1768 and 1769, and replaced the original medieval gateway which was far too narrow for the increasing flow of traffic. This gate was considered to be the main entrance into the city.

The clock that sits atop the gate commemorates Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee of 1897.

Chester's city wall towers, Chester

2008-11-01T18:18:00.019Z

Chester City Walls
Chester
Cheshire

The city wall walk at Chester is easily walkable in under two hours....time enough to walk the whole circuit and stop to examine all the major features along the way. The walk is a revelation, taking you along side the canal, over the main gates into and out of the city of Chester, past towers and along wall walks offering fantastic views of the city and beyond.

The City of Chester web site (http://www.chester.gov.uk/tourism_and_leisure-1/heritage_trails/chester_city_walls_trail.aspx) offers some excellent maps, detailing not only the walk, but details of the many features that can be seen and the excellent viewing points along the way.

The walls around Chester were first built by the Romans in around 70AD, when the Roman settlement\fort of Deva was founded. At this time, the defences consisted of earthen ramparts, with ditches and embankments protecting the settlement. By around 90AD, some of the earthen defences had been rebuilt in stone, utilising the easily quarried red sandstone that is so much in evidence in Chester. There was a long period of neglect, when the rebuilding was halted, and not started again until mid 200AD. The Romans left in around 410AD, leaving the tribes of Britain to their own devices, and into this power vacuum, the Saxons gradually moved, slowly making their dominance felt. Between 894, and 895, an invading Viking army wintered in the city of Chester, using the Roman defences as a safe haven until Spring 895. The Vikings moved on, and in 907, Aethelflaed created the Burh of Chester, making it a fortified town, and extending the walls right down to the river side.

Chester was endowed with a castle in 1070, when William I further fortified the town, with the walls again being extended to the West and the South. In 1264, buildings deemed too close to the town walls were pulled down, possibly as they were deemed to be threatening the integrity of the town's defences. The castle at this time (around 1282-83) was garrisoned and used as a staging post in Edward I's campaigns in Wales. Between 1322 and the early 1600's a number of towers were constructed, detailed below, to provide points along the walls where watch could be kept and troops stationed in the continued defence of the town. Between the early 1700's and 1966, the town's gateways were gradually demolished and replaced with the gates that we see today.

The following details are in no particular order.

The Water Tower

The water Tower can be found at the junction of Water Tower Street and City Walls Road, to the North West of the city. Built between 1322 and 1326, it is situated at the end of a small stretch of wall, connected to the main wall circuit by Bonewaldesthorne's Tower. It was constructed in the middle of the Dee, a navigable river at the time, and designed to protect the city from river born attacks. The Dee has since receded, and the tower now stands isolated in a small park.

This tower is one of the finest preserved features on the walls, and is easily visible from the wall walk. It reputedly cost £100 to build, and was paid for by John de Helpston. The wall that connects this tower to Bonewaldethorne's tower is thicker than the rest of the city walls, and has an archway penetrating its thickness, in which a portcullis was probably present in earlier times.

The tower is open on certain days of the year.

The Watch Tower

The Watch Tower is situated on the South Eastern part of the City Walls, and can be accessed directly from the wall walk. This square tower, of which only the lower portion now survives, was used, during the Civil War, as a sniper point, and as such received much attention from attacking Parliamentarian forces. It is said that the points where canon balls hit the walls can still be seen.

What can be seen today, certainly at wall height, is only a portion of what must have been a much larger, taller tower. When looked at from the Roman Gardens below, the damaged part of the tower can still be seen, with the repairs bringing the stump of the tower back to wall height.

The tower is best viewed from the Roman Gardens below, where the path leads right along the base of the walls.

There are great views to be had across the River Dee and to the Church of St John, where the attacking Parliamentarian forces stationed their canons in the bombardment of the city.

Thimbleby's Tower

This peculiar little tower, now only really a scrap of its former self, can be found on the Eastern side of the walls, sandwiched between newer buildings and the Roman tower footings. Once called the Wolf Tower (in relation to the Wolf Gate a few hundred yards to its South) the tower appears to have been in a rather poor state of repair.

It is best viewed from the road near the Roman Amphitheatre, and is easily missed. Its recent steepled roof (added in 1994) doesn't immediately indicate it's age, but peering through the windows whilst walking past on the walls, the interior can be tantalisingly glimpsed through the dirty glass.

It's a difficult tower to photograph, as can be seen here. Like the Watch Tower, what is seen today is only a portion, height wise, of the original tower.

The tower probably dates from the 13th century, and was partially destroyed during the Civil War when the city was besieged. It was probably a drum tower, when complete and in use, but not much remains of it now.

The Round Tower

The Round Tower can be found at the South of the city walls, and overlooks the River Dee and the Old Dee bridge on the Groves.

The tower was again probably built in the 13th century, and what can be seen today is only a small portion of the original structure.

The crenellations date only from the 19th century, and the tower was dropped in height in 1876\87 as part of the development of the wall walk.

The tower affords excellent views out across the River Dee

The South East Angle Tower

This Roman tower can be found between Thimbleby's Tower and the Wolf Gate, at the South East of the city walls, just across the road from the Roman Amphitheatre.

The footings, excavated in 1930, probably date from somewhere between the late 1st century to the early 2nd century.

The ditches in front of this small portion of Roman remains have been dug out to demonstrate the extent of the Roman defences.

Pemberton's Parlour

This tower can be found at the North end of the city walls, along Water Tower Street. It can be viewed from the wall walk, and from the street some 12 to 15 feet below. This 18th century tower, sits on the site of an original drum tower, originally referred to as the Goblin Tower, and the Dille's Tower.

The original medieval tower would have been much taller than the current structure, almost twice as high in fact, and was demolished between 1702 and 1708, with its replacement being erected in 1894.

It's thought that this tower got its name from John Pemberton, who may have once stood on here watching his workmen working below the city walls in his rope works.

North West Angle Tower

This spot, beneath St Martin's Gate, represents the position of the North West corner tower of the Roman fortress. It was probably built around 103AD, and was only discovered in 1965, when St Martin's Gate was being erected.

Measuring 30 feet by 27 feet, this almost square tower had walls some 4 feet thick.

Morgan's Mount

Situated on the North part of the city walls, along Water Tower Street, this tower can be viewed from the wall walk, and from the road below it. Indeed, a great view of it can be had as you cross St Martin's Gate.

Built in 1640, on the site of an earlier tower, it was used during the Civil War as a gun emplacement supposedly by Captain William Morgan or his son Edward Morgan, to direct fire against the Parliamentarian forces besieging Chester.

It was originally, and imaginatively, called The Raised Square Platform.

King Charle's Tower\The Phoenix Tower

This tower was also known as Newton's Tower, but it's most popular name, King Charles' Tower, probably came about due to the local legend that King Charles I stood at its summit and watched his army being routed on Rowton Moor in 1645. It was probably originally built sometime in the 13th century, but has undergone many rebuilds and repairs since then.

It was severely damaged in the 18 month siege (between 1644 and 1646), and largely rebuilt in 1658, with more repairs and changes taking place in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

Above the doorway, at the top of a small flight of stairs, the Royal coat of arms can be seen, together with a memorial plaque commemorating the defeat of King Charles' army.

Bonewoldesthorne's Tower

This tower can found at the Northern tip of the city walls, and would originally have stood along side the river Dee. It is linked by a short stretch of wall to the Water Tower (see above) It can be viewed from the wall walk, from the West and from the South.

This tower is linked with the 11th and 12th century extension of the city walls, and probably stands on foundations from this date. It was, like so much of the masonry on this walk, damaged during the Civil War, and repaired thereafter.

The tower now houses a camera obscura and is open on certain days of the year.