Tunstal (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of Sunderland.
In the historic county of Durham.
Modern Authority of Sunderland.
1974 county of Tyne and Wear.
Medieval County of County Palatinate of Durham.

OS Map Grid Reference: NZ39155446
Latitude 54.88342° Longitude -1.39123°

Tunstal has been described as a Timber Castle but is rejected as such, and also as a Masonry Castle but is rejected as such.

There are uncertain remains.

Comments

Tunstall is a place-name in Wolsingham parish was also a township in Silksworth ecclesiastical parish, formed out of Bishop Wearmouth parish, on the outskirts of Sunderland (NZ391534). The later site has been extensively mined and quarried but has within it several limestone hills two of which, the Maiden's Paps, are notably sea marks. There is nothing in the archaeological records near either site which even vaguely fits Clark's description, which is probably derived from a correspondent rather than from his own direct observation. However Maiden Paps could be mistaken for a motte by someone not really understanding what Clarke meant although there is nothing which really could be called a 'shell keep' unless a particularly ill informed person though the exposed nature limestone crag of Rocky Hill, the southern most of the two hills, constituted such a thing or if there was some post medieval building (built as a sea mark) on either of the hills which has now been entirely lost (There has been quarrying on the hills).
Given map reference for Rocky Hill.

Sources of information, references and further reading

Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Wikipedia entry
Periodical Articles
- Clark, G.T., 1889, 'Contribution towards a complete list of moated mounds or burhs' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 46 p. 197-217 esp. 203 online copy

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

The possible site or monument is represented on maps as a point location. This is a guide only. It should be noted that OS grid references defines an area, not a point location. In practice this means the actual center of the site or monument may often, but not always, be to the North East of the point shown. Locations derived from OS grid references and from latitude longitiude may differ by a small distance.
Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.

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