Castles in Greater Manchester - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

There are nine castles in Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county

Metropolitan county

The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...

in North West

North West England

North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. They consist of four motte-and-bailey

Motte-and-bailey

A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...

s, three fortified manor house

Manor house

A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...

s, a ringwork

Ringwork

A ringwork is a form of fortified defensive structure, usually circular or oval in shape. Ringworks are essentially motte-and-bailey castles minus the motte...

, and a possible shell keep

Shell keep

A shell keep is a style of medieval fortification, best described as a stone structure circling the top of a motte.In English castle morphology, shell keeps are perceived as the successors to motte-and-bailey castles, with the wooden fence around the top of the motte replaced by a stone wall...

. A motte-and-bailey castle has two elements, the motte is an artificial conical mound with a wooden stockade

Stockade

A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls made of logs placed side by side vertically with the tops sharpened to provide security.-Stockade as a security fence:...

and stronghold on top, usually a stone keep

Keep

A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...

or tower. A bailey is a defended enclosure below the motte, surrounded by a ditch. Motte-and-bailey castles were the most common type of castle in England following the Norman Conquest

Norman conquest of England

The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...

. Ringworks are similar to motte-and-baileys although lack the characteristic motte; they are an uncommon form of fortification – though contemporary with motte-and-baileys – a ringwork may have been built rather than a motte-and-bailey because the soil was too thin to provide a proper motte. A shell keep was a motte with a stone wall rather than a wooden stockade on top; there would have been no tower within the walls. Four of Greater Manchester's castles are Scheduled Ancient Monuments

Scheduled Monuments in Greater Manchester

There are 37 Scheduled Monuments in Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. In the United Kingdom, a Scheduled Monument is a "nationally important" archaeological site or historic building that has been given protection against unauthorised change...

: Buckton

Buckton Castle

Buckton Castle is a medieval ringwork near Carrbrook, Stalybridge, England. It is listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument due to its proximity to the Buckton Vale Quarry. The castle is oval, with a stone curtain wall wide, surrounded by a ditch wide and deep. Buckton Castle was probably...

, Bury

Bury Castle

Bury Castle is an early medieval moated manor house in Bury, Greater Manchester . It is listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The manor house was built by Sir Thomas Pilkington – lord of the manors of Bury and Pilkington, and an influential member of Lancashire's gentry – in 1469...

, Radcliffe Tower

Radcliffe Tower

Radcliffe Tower is the only surviving part of a manor house in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester . It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Monument. The house was rebuilt in 1403 by James de Radcliffe, who was lord of the manor of Radcliffe, and consisted of a stone-built hall and one or two...

, and Watch Hill

Watch Hill Castle

Watch Hill Castle is an early medieval motte-and-bailey on the border of Bowdon and Dunham Massey, England. It is the only Scheduled Ancient Monument in Trafford, and so is arguably the most important archaeological site in the borough...

. A Scheduled Ancient Monument is a "nationally important" archaeological site

Archaeological site

An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...

or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change.

The purpose of a castle was not simply militaristic, but was also considered to be a stamp of authority over the population of an area and a status symbol. Some would have acted as centres of trade and administration for a manor

Manorialism

Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...

. The earliest castles in Greater Manchester are Dunham and Watch Hill in Trafford, Ullerwood in Manchester, and Stockport Castle in Stockport. They were first recorded in 1173 as belonging to barons who had rebelled against Henry II

Henry II of England

Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...

, and at least three were motte-and-bailey castles, probably because of the speed and ease with which they could be erected. Hamon de Massey

Hamon de Massey

The first Hamon de Massey was the owner of the manors of Agden, Baguley, Bowdon, Dunham, Hale and Little Bollington after the Norman conquest of England in 1066, taking over from the Saxon thegn Aelfward according to the Domesday Book....

, who owned the Trafford castles and Ullerwood, and Geoffrey de Constentyn, who owned Stockport Castle, were two of the three rebels from Cheshire; the other was the Earl of Chester

Earl of Chester

The Earldom of Chester was one of the most powerful earldoms in medieval England. Since 1301 the title has generally been granted to heirs-apparent to the English throne, and from the late 14th century it has been given only in conjunction with that of Prince of Wales.- Honour of Chester :The...

, the owner of Chester Castle

Chester Castle

Chester Castle is in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. It is sited at the southwest extremity of the area bounded by the city walls . The castle stands on an eminence overlooking the River Dee. In the castle complex are the remaining parts of the medieval castle together with the...

. Castles continued to be built in the area, although the last to be built in Greater Manchester were two fortified manor houses near Bury

Bury

Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...

, built more for comfort than as utilitarian military structures. Bury Castle

Bury Castle

and Radcliffe Tower

Radcliffe Tower

followed the national trend in the 13th century; they would most likely have acted as the centre of the manor they served.

List of castles

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;border:0px;text-align:left;line-height:150%;"
|-
! Castle
! Location
! Type
! Constructed
! Scheduled
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|Buckton Castle

Buckton Castle

|Buckton Hill, Carrbrook

Carrbrook

Carrbrook is an area in the east of Stalybridge, in Greater Manchester, England. The area still has many seventeenth and eighteenth century buildings. Much of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century village was built during the industrial boom brought by the printworks. Modern Housing...

|Ringwork
|1180s
|Yes
|Buckton Castle is on Buckton Hill near Carrbrook, overlooking the Tame Valley. Its location possibly allowed the castle to guard the valley. It was built for William de Neville, and was first referred to in 1360, by which time it was ruinous. It was constructed with a stone curtain wall

Curtain wall (fortification)

A curtain wall is a defensive wall between two bastions of a castle or fortress.In earlier designs of castle the curtain walls were often built to a considerable height and were fronted by a ditch or moat to make assault difficult....

and is surrounded by a ditch 10 metres (32.8 ft) wide and 6 metres (19.7 ft) deep; the site covers an area of 1250 square metre (0.308881453769095 acre). The site has been damaged by 18th-century treasure hunters and threatened by the nearby Buckton Vale Quarry.
|-
|Bury Castle

Bury Castle

|Bury

Bury

Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...

|Fortified manor house
|1469
|Yes
|The castle is on a slope overlooking the River Irwell

River Irwell

The River Irwell is a long river which flows through the Irwell Valley in the counties of Lancashire and Greater Manchester in North West England. The river's source is at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately north of Bacup, in the parish of Cliviger, Lancashire...

in the centre of modern Bury

Bury

Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...

. It is a fortified manor house constructed from stone and was built for Sir Thomas Pilkington. The castle may have replaced an earlier house on the site, surrounded by a moat

Moat

A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...

. Excavation of known remains has revealed foundation walls 180 metres (590.6 ft) by 82 metres (269 ft) and a keep

Keep

or tower 25 metres (82 ft) by 19 metres (62.3 ft). Bury Castle was razed to the ground after the Wars of the Roses

Wars of the Roses

The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...

when Thomas Pilkington had his land confiscated. The remains, previously buried, have been excavated for public view, forming the centre piece of Castle Square in the town centre.
|-
|Dunham Castle

Dunham Castle

Dunham Castle is an early medieval castle in Dunham Massey, England . The castle is first referred to in 1173, in a document stating Hamo de Masci held the castles of Dunham and Ullerwood. Documentary evidence suggests the castle at Dunham was still standing in 1323. The castle fell into disuse...

|Dunham Massey

Dunham Massey

Dunham Massey is a civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. The parish includes the villages of Sinderland Green, Dunham Woodhouse and Dunham Town, along with Dunham Massey Park, formerly the home of the last Earl of Stamford and owned by the National Trust...

|Motte
|Pre-1173
|No
|It was first referred to in 1173 and belonged to Hamon de Massey. Dunham Castle was still standing in 1323 and fell into disuse between then and 1362. The castle is 24 metres (78.7 ft) in diameter and survives to a height of 2 metres (6.6 ft). The site is surrounded by a moat which has been turned into an ornamental lake. It used to be protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument

Scheduled Ancient Monument

In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...

, but was delisted as it may be a "natural hummock of glacial sand".
|-
|Manchester Castle

Manchester Castle

Manchester Castle was a medieval fortified manor house, probably located on a bluff where the rivers Irk and Irwell meet, near to Manchester Cathedral, underneath where Chetham's School of Music now is, putting it near the edge of the medieval township of Manchester .-History:Manchester Castle was...

|Manchester

Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

|Fortified manor house
|Pre-1184
|No
|It is probably located on a bluff

Hill

A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...

where the rivers Irk

River Irk

The River Irk is a river in Greater Manchester in North West England that flows through the northern suburbs of Manchester before merging with the River Irwell in Manchester city centre....

and Irwell

River Irwell

meet, near to Manchester Cathedral

Manchester Cathedral

Manchester Cathedral is a medieval church on Victoria Street in central Manchester and is the seat of the Bishop of Manchester. The cathedral's official name is The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George in Manchester...

, underneath where Chetham's School of Music

Chetham's School of Music

Chetham's School of Music , familiarly known as "Chets", is a specialist independent co-educational music school, situated in Manchester city centre, in North West England. It was established in 1969, incorporating Chetham's Hospital School, founded as a charity school by Humphrey Chetham in 1653...

now is, putting it near the edge of the medieval town of Manchester

Manchester

. It may have originally been a ringwork castle before it became a manor house. First recorded in 1184, in 1215 Manchester Castle was recorded as being held by Gresle, the baron of Manchester. Three rings of ditches have been discovered surrounding the likely site of the castle.
|-
|Radcliffe Tower

Radcliffe Tower

|Radcliffe

Radcliffe, Greater Manchester

Radcliffe is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on undulating ground in the Irwell Valley, along the course of the River Irwell, south-west of Bury and north-northwest of Manchester. Radcliffe is contiguous with the town of Whitefield to the...

|Fortified manor house
|1403
|Yes
|Located on Church Street East in Bury

Bury

Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...

, the tower is all that remains of a medieval fortified manor house, built in 1403 and constructed from stone with two towers and a moat. The house was demolished in the 19th century leaving only one remaining tower, which is now a Grade I listed building

Grade I listed buildings in Greater Manchester

-See also:*Architecture of Manchester*Conservation in the United Kingdom*Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester*List of tallest buildings in Manchester*Scheduled Monuments in Greater Manchester-Bibliography:...

and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The tower measures 9.6 metres (31.5 ft) by 17 metres (55.8 ft) and survives to 6.1 metres (20 ft) in height. It was used as a pig sty before being restored.
|-
|Rochdale Castle

Rochdale Castle

Rochdale Castle is a motte-and-bailey castle in Castleton, Greater Manchester . It was built in the early post-Norman Conquest period. The motte is at the base; the bailey is rectangular and lies to the south and measures by . The defences consisted of an earth rampart and ditch. The castle was...

|Rochdale

Rochdale

Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...

|Motte-and-bailey
|Early post Norman Conquest
|No
|The castle is defended by a ditch and an earth rampart

Defensive wall

A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...

; the motte measures 30 metre at the base and the bailey is 37 metres (121.4 ft) by 30 metre. It lay derelict by the early 13th century. Both the motte and bailey are obscured by housing developments.
|-
|Stockport Castle

Stockport Castle

Stockport Castle was a motte-and-bailey castle in Stockport, Cheshire. The castle was in the medieval town, overlooking a ford over the River Mersey. It was first documented in 1173, but the next mention of it is in 1535 when it was in ruins. What remained of the castle was demolished in...

|Stockport

Stockport

Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...

|Motte-and-bailey
|Pre-1173
|No
|Stockport Castle is in the town of Stockport on the south side of a valley, overlooking a ford over the River Mersey

River Mersey

The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....

. It was first referred to in 1173 when Geoffrey de Constentyn held it against Henry II

Henry II of England

during the barons' rebellion. Stockport Castle was originally constructed with timber and earthwork defences, though these were replaced with stone walls at the start of the 13th century. The castle lay in ruins by 1535 and was demolished in 1775 to be replaced by a cotton mill. Although no trace of the keep

Keep

on top of the motte survives, it was recorded in 1775 as being irregular in shape and measuring 31 by. The bailey is located to the south-east of the motte.
|-
|Ullerwood Castle

Ullerwood Castle

Ullerwood Castle is an early medieval castle, possibly a shell keep, in Ringway, England . The castle is first referred to in 1173, in a document stating Hamo de Masci held the castles of Ullerwood and Dunham. There is no other contemporary documented reference to the castle...

Bowdon, Greater Manchester

Bowdon is a suburban village and electoral ward in the Altrincham area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England.-History:...

; both probably belonged to Hamon de Massey. Ullerwood Castle was first referred to in 1173 as one of the castles de Massey held against the King. The site is topped by a modern house.
|-
|Watch Hill Castle

Watch Hill Castle

|Bowdon

Bowdon, Greater Manchester

Bowdon is a suburban village and electoral ward in the Altrincham area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England.-History:...

|Motte-and-bailey
|Probable 12th century
|Yes
|It is located on the border of Bowdon

Bowdon, Greater Manchester

Bowdon is a suburban village and electoral ward in the Altrincham area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England.-History:...

and Dunham Massey

Dunham Massey

. The castle constructed from timber, with the conical motte measuring 40 metres (131.2 ft) in diameter at the base and 17 metres (55.8 ft) at the top; the bailey covers approximately 2400 square metre (0.593052391236663 acre). It is unclear when the castle was built, but it was most likely constructed during the late 12th century and belonged to Hamon de Massey. A suggested late 12th century date for the construction of the castle would mean it was probably constructed to aid in the barons' rebellion against Henry II

Henry II of England

. The castle had fallen out of use by the 13th century.
|}