Wakefield Castle
Encyclopedia
Wakefield Castle, Lowe Hill or Lawe Hill was a castle built in the 12th century on a hill on the north side of the River Calder
near Wakefield
. Its name derives from the Anglo Saxon hlaew meaning a mound or cairn, possibly a burial mound or barrow
. The mound, situated a quarter mile from the river, was separated from the town by flat swampy land and was seen as a good site for a fortification.
William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey
probably started to build the castle, an earthwork motte and bailey structure. A ditch, six feet deep and forty feet wide was dug and the spoil used to construct a mound or motte about forty feet high with a flat top about fifty feet in diameter. The castle had two baileys further fortified by timber palisades and these were occupied by stables, workshops and sleeping quarters for the soldiers.
Wakefield Castle and neighbouring Sandal Castle
were granted to Thomas, Earl of Lancaster in 1318 and in 1324 King Edward II
committed them to the care of Richard Moseley. At what time the castle was destroyed is not known but a great gale in 1330 which caused much damage in Wakefield may have been the cause. Excavations in 1953 indicated that the castle was probably an adulterine castle, built without permission, and abandoned unfinished.
In July 1558 a beacon
was lit on Lowe Hill to warn the population that the Spanish Armada
had been sighted off The Lizard
in Cornwall
.
Little remains of the castle, a Scheduled Ancient Monument
, which is situated in Thornes Park, other than the motte which is covered in trees. The site is accessible to the public.
River Calder, West Yorkshire
The River Calder is a river in West Yorkshire, in Northern England.The Calder rises on the green eastern slopes of the Pennines flows through alternating green countryside, former woollen-mill villages, and large and small towns before joining the River Aire near Castleford.The river's valley is...
near Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
. Its name derives from the Anglo Saxon hlaew meaning a mound or cairn, possibly a burial mound or barrow
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
. The mound, situated a quarter mile from the river, was separated from the town by flat swampy land and was seen as a good site for a fortification.
William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey
William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey
William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey was the eldest son of the William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey and Elizabeth de Vermandois.He was generally loyal to king Stephen...
probably started to build the castle, an earthwork motte and bailey structure. A ditch, six feet deep and forty feet wide was dug and the spoil used to construct a mound or motte about forty feet high with a flat top about fifty feet in diameter. The castle had two baileys further fortified by timber palisades and these were occupied by stables, workshops and sleeping quarters for the soldiers.
Wakefield Castle and neighbouring Sandal Castle
Sandal Castle
Sandal Castle is a ruined medieval castle in Sandal Magna, a suburb of the city of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, overlooking the River Calder. It was the site of royal intrigue, the opening of one of William Shakespeare's plays, and was the source for a common children's nursery rhyme.-The...
were granted to Thomas, Earl of Lancaster in 1318 and in 1324 King Edward II
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
committed them to the care of Richard Moseley. At what time the castle was destroyed is not known but a great gale in 1330 which caused much damage in Wakefield may have been the cause. Excavations in 1953 indicated that the castle was probably an adulterine castle, built without permission, and abandoned unfinished.
In July 1558 a beacon
Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
was lit on Lowe Hill to warn the population that the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
had been sighted off The Lizard
The Lizard
The Lizard is a peninsula in south Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The most southerly point of the British mainland is near Lizard Point at ....
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
Little remains of the castle, 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...
, which is situated in Thornes Park, other than the motte which is covered in trees. The site is accessible to the public.