Castles in South Yorkshire - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

There are several castles in South Yorkshire. Of the different types of castle, those represented in South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...

are 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...

, the most common type of castle in England after 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...

, and 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. There is also one possible 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...

or siege work at Bradfield

Bradfield, South Yorkshire

Bradfield is a village and civil parish in the City of Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the Peak District. Bradfield itself is divided into two settlements, High Bradfield atop a hill and Low Bradfield in the valley of the River Loxley.Bradfield is the largest parish in...

Beighton

Beighton ward —which includes the districts of Beighton, Hackenthorpe, Owlthorpe, and Sothall—is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the eastern part of the city, on the border with Rotherham and covers an area of 5.7 km2...

is now a suburb of Sheffield

Sheffield

Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...

, but in the mediaeval period lay just over the county boundary in Derbyshire

Derbyshire

Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...

. Its castle is known only from a single thirteenth century reference to "the tower of the former castle", and its location is not known with certainty. However, the Enclosure

Enclosure

Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...

Plan for the village and a plan made in 1792 indicate a site by the River Rother

River Rother, South Yorkshire

The River Rother is a river in the northern midlands of England, after which the town of Rotherham and the Rother Valley parliamentary constituency are named. It rises near Clay Cross in Derbyshire, and flows through the centre of Chesterfield, where it feeds the Chesterfield Canal...

, which may have formed 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...

Bradfield

Bradfield, South Yorkshire

lies north west of Sheffield

Sheffield

. Two sites in the village have been identified with castles. Bailey Hill is a 60 feet (18.3 m) motte

Motte-and-bailey

, and an eighteenth-century excavation found stonework, suggesting that its castle may have been rebuilt in stone. Its bailey covered three-quarters of an acre, and its surrounding ditch and rampart still stand up to 30 feet (9.1 m) high. The village grew up around this castle, which was dependent on Sheffield Castle. The site is 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...

.

Nearby Castle Hill has been variously identified as 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...

, a natural look-out point, or a siege work.
The hill, which could possibly be a motte, has been quarried, although one source suggests remains of a keep were visible in 1819.

Conisbrough

Conisbrough is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. It is located roughly midway between Doncaster and Rotherham, and is built alongside the River Don at...

Castle dates from the twelfth century castle. Its remains are dominated by the 100 ft (30.5 m) high circular keep, which is supported by six buttress

Buttress

A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...

es. In the mid-1990s, the keep was restored, with a wooden roof and two floors being rebuilt. The building is considered one of South Yorkshire's primary tourist attractions, and sees in excess of 30,000 visitors per year.

Doncaster

Doncaster Castle lay on the site of the town's Roman fort, beside the River Don. It stood on a motte, which lies under the east end of St George's Minster. The motte was surrounded by a 16 feet (4.9 m) deep ditch, 30 feet (9.1 m) wide, which later marked the bounds of St George's churchyard. The castle was demolished, probably in the twelfth century, and there are no visible remains.

Hickleton

Hickleton is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 290.There are records of Hickleton’s history dating back to Saxon times, although some consider the settlement has Roman roots.More recently, it was the 'estate...

lies west of Doncaster

Doncaster

Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...

. Its castle was a motte and bailey, known from a seventeenth-century sketch of the motte made by Roger Dodsworth

Roger Dodsworth

Roger Dodsworth was an English antiquary.-Life:He was born at Newton Grange, Oswaldkirk, near Helmsley, Yorkshire, in the house of his maternal grandfather, Ralph Sandwith...

. The site was subsequently destroyed by quarrying, and no remains are visible.

Kimberworth

Kimberworth is a suburb of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. It is located in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, about 2.2 miles north west of Rotherham town centre and 4.7 miles north-east of the City of Sheffield....

lies west of Rotherham

Rotherham

Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...

. Its wooden castle was a motte and bailey, dependent on Tickhill Castle. The motte survives, but there is no visible evidence of the bailey, and the castle was never rebuilt in stone. The site is a scheduled ancient monument

Scheduled Ancient Monument

Laughton

Laughton-en-le-Morthen

Laughton-en-le-Morthen is a small dormitory village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham lying to the south of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, and its main attraction is the All Saints Church with its huge spire. It has a population of 1,185.- Origin :There are several...

lies south east of Rotherham

Rotherham

. Laughton Castle was a motte and bailey dependent on Tickhill Castle, and was probably built on the site of a hall owned by Edwin, Earl of Mercia

Edwin, Earl of Mercia

Edwin was the elder brother of Morcar, Earl of Northumbria, son of Ælfgār, Earl of Mercia and grandson of Leofric, Earl of Mercia. He succeeded to his father's title and responsibilities on Ælfgār's death in 1062...

. The motte survives, as does a ditch surrounding the bailey. The castle was probably originally built by Roger de Busli

Roger de Busli

Roger de Busli was a Norman baron who accompanied William the Conqueror on his successful conquest of England in 1066....

, and may predate his castle at Tickhill. The site is a scheduled ancient monument

Scheduled Ancient Monument

Langthwaite

Langthwaite lay north of Doncaster

Doncaster

Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...

. The village is now abandoned, but the site of the castle lies near Adwick-le-Street. The castle was a motte and bailey. The motte survives, reduced in height, while a 40 feet (12.2 m) wide ditch marks the outline of the bailey. The site is a scheduled ancient monument

Scheduled Ancient Monument

Mexborough

Mexborough is a town in the metropolitan borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, situated on the north bank of the River Don west of its confluence with the River Dearne...

lies north of Rotherham

Rotherham

. Its wooden castle was a motte and bailey, dependent on Tickhill Castle. The motte and earthworks of the bailey survive in a private garden. The castle was never rebuilt in stone. Although reduced in size, the motte stands 52 feet (15.8 m) high, and is surrounded by a six-foot bank and a 50 ft (15.2 m) wide ditch. The site is a scheduled ancient monument

Scheduled Ancient Monument

Sheffield

The first Sheffield Castle was a wooden motte and bailey type, built for William de Lovetot

William de Lovetot

William de Lovetot, Lord of Hallamshire, possibly descended from the Norman Baron Ricardus Surdus, was an Anglo-Norman Baron from Huntingdonshire, often credited as the founder of Sheffield, England....

in the early twelfth century. The first castle was destroyed during the Second Barons' War

Second Barons' War

The Second Barons' War was a civil war in England between the forces of a number of barons led by Simon de Montfort, against the Royalist forces led by Prince Edward , in the name of Henry III.-Causes:...

in 1266, along with the rest of the town, and was replaced by a larger stone castle in 1270. The castle was badly damaged in the English Civil War and largely demolished in 1648.

Skellow

Skellow is a village in rural South Yorkshire part of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The village is roughly six miles north north west of Doncaster...

lies north west of Doncaster

Doncaster

Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...

. Its castle was a motte and bailey. The motte survives in the grounds of Skellow Hall, and part of the earthworks of the bailey can be seen in a field to the north. The site was reused during the English Civil War

English Civil War

The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...

, and is now known as Cromwell's Batteries. The site is a scheduled ancient monument

Scheduled Ancient Monument

Tickhill

Tickhill is a small, wealthy town and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England, on the border with Nottinghamshire. It has a population of 5,301.-Geography:...

Castle was a prominent stronghold in the reign of King John I of England.W. Stubbs, ed. Chronica magistri Rogeri de Houedene

Thorne

Thorne lies north east of Doncaster. Its castle was a motte and bailey dependent on Conisbrough. The motte survives, now known as Peel Hill. A ditch around the motte also survives, and a few wall fragments have been found. The castle may have also acted as a hunting lodge

Hunting

Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...

for Hatfield Chase

Hatfield Chase

Hatfield Chase was a low-lying area in South Yorkshire, England which often flooded and is chiefly known from the Battle of Hatfield Chase in 633. It was a royal hunting ground until Charles I appointed the Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden to drain it in 1626...

. The tower, built of masonry, survived at least until the fifteenth century, when John Leland wrote that "by the church garth of Thorne is a praty pile or castelet, well diked, now used for a prison

Prison

A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...

for offenders in the forestes". The foundations were largely removed in the 1820s. The site is now a scheduled ancient monument

Scheduled Ancient Monument

Other sites

There is a Castle Hill in Hampole

Hampole

Hampole is a small village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster , on the border with West Yorkshire. The eastern boundary of the parish is marked by the Great North Road, and the parish lies in what was once the Barnsdale Forest. It has a population of 187.Hampole itself is a...

, but the site has been heavily ploughed, and no evidence of a castle survives. Bolsterstone Castle was previously two cottages, and may contain some remains of a mediaeval castle. Fenwick

Fenwick, South Yorkshire

Fenwick is a small village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster , on the border with North Yorkshire. It is located at an elevation of around 6 metres above sea level and has a population of 113. The northern boundary of the parish is marked by the River Went.-External links:...

has a mediaeval moat, and this site has been identified as the possible location of a fortification noted in 1272. Darfield

Darfield, South Yorkshire

Darfield is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. It lies east of the town of Barnsley. It had a population of 8,066 at the 2001 UK Census.-History:...

New Hall was the site of a tower house built around the fifteenth century, sometimes identified as a pele tower. Cusworth Park in Sprotborough has a "Castle Hill", sometimes identified as a motte, but this may be a landscape gardening feature.

Houndhill

Houndhill is a fortified manor house in Worsbrough, Barnsley, England dating from the Middle Ages. It was originally owned by the Elmhirst family who lived on the site from the 14th century. After several enhancements and ownership changes it is now back in the hands of the Elmhirst family as the...

in Worsbrough, Barnsley

Barnsley

Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...

. The house has two sides of mediaeval fortification walls remaining along with two of the original four turrets. The fortified manor house was defended by fifty men-at arms during the English Civil War. The house still remains in the hands of the Elmhirst family who owned it at the time of the civil war.

Manor Lodge

Other sites

Bentley

Bentley, South Yorkshire

Bentley is a village in South Yorkshire, England two miles north of the town of Doncaster.The village was once owned by Edmund Hastings of Plumtree, Nottinghamshire, who had inherited it from his wife Copley's Sprotborough family...

has a double moat, with foundations of a building visible on the central platform. This may have been a mediaeval manor house. Rossington

Rossington

Rossington is a civil parish and former mining village in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England and is surrounded by countryside and the market towns of Bawtry and Tickhill.-Geography:...

similarly has the Draw Dykes Moat, which was probably the site of a manor house, although there could conceivably have been a castle there. Hooton Pagnell

Hooton Pagnell

Hooton Pagnell is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England, on the border with West Yorkshire. It lies on the B6422 road, and is located at approximately , at an elevation of around 80 metres above sea level...

Hall is a Tudor building, likely built on the site of a manor house. Cowley Manor in Ecclesfield

Ecclesfield

Ecclesfield is a suburb and civil parish in the City of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England, about north of Sheffield City Centre. At the 2001 census the civil parish— which also includes the Sheffield suburbs of Chapeltown, Grenoside, High Green, and formerly Thorpe Hesley —had a population...

was demolished in the seventeenth century, but is believed to have been a moated manor house.

Stainborough Castle

Stainborough Castle, in the grounds of Wentworth Castle, is a folly

Folly

In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...

built from 1726 and inscribed "Rebuilt in 1730". It missed by only a few years being the first sham castle in an English landscape garden.

Wentworth Castle

Wentworth Castle, near Barnsley

Barnsley

, is a former stately home

Stately home

A stately home is a "great country house". It is thus a palatial great house or in some cases an updated castle, located in the British Isles, mostly built between the mid-16th century and the early part of the 20th century, as well as converted abbeys and other church property...

, the seat of the recreated Earls of Strafford.

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.