Askerton Castle (The Gatehouse Record)

Description

Early C14 with C15 alterations; late C15 and early C16 additions for Thomas, Lord Dacre, with further additions of late C16; C19 alterations by Anthony Salvin and 1922 alterations by Edmond Warre. Large blocks of calciferous sandstone rubble on projecting plinth stones; graduated sandstone slate roof, flat lead roofs on towers, ashlar chimney stacks. 3-storey, 4-bay, C14 former tower house (now gabled) with flanking 4-storey, single-bay late C15 or early C16 towers; early C16 curtain wall enclosing courtyard to rear, C16 hall and barrack block in L-shape within courtyard. Central block has C20 door in chamfered surround with C20 pointed arch. Ground floor 2-light chamfered mullioned windows with hood moulds are C19 replacements. 2 original C16 3-light chamfered mullioned windows above; a third similar window to right is C19. 2 small square attic windows flank 2 two-light mullioned windows of 1922. Rear wall has blocked courtyard entrance; small chamfered-surround windows on various levels, some with iron grilles. Interior has C15 roof timbers. Tower to right has C19 ground floor window, smaller original windows above. Top courses of stonework project irregularly and may be rebuilt. Projecting battlemented parapet to both towers. Tower to left is set back with garderobe in the angle. Corbelled-out firebreast at first floor level. Parapet has early C16 stone inscribed T.D. (Thomas Dacre). Interior has garderobe on each level; windows between the adjoining hall and tower suggest hall is of later date; floor levels altered in 1922. Curtain wall forms outer wall of adjoining hall and barrack block. Hall has ground floor stone-mullioned windows of 1922; upper floor chamfered-surround windows are probably C16. End wall has 3-light window with trefoil heads. Slit vents to left light garderobes. Interior has fireplace with inscription Thomas Carleton Junior 1576 (land serjeant); blocked door and stairs in thickness of end wall suggest a third tower and parapet walk around curtain wall; C16 roof timbers, tie-beams, kingposts with two-way braces and queenstruts. Barrack block has small C16 chamfered-surround windows on various levels, some with iron grilles and slit vents for garderobes. Wall to courtyard has 1922 windows, converted from later use as stables. Interior has 2 C16 fireplaces between modern floor levels. Curtain wall continues to enclose courtyard and has C19 rebuilt segmental arch. Blocked C16 window to left, suggests a porter's lodge with slight remains of steps to parapet walk. (Listed Building Report)

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Heritage List for England Listed Building number(s) 1087531
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 12604.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 4571.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Wikipedia entry
  Charles Taylor's ecastles
  Old Cumbria Gazetteer
  Abaroth's World
Books
- Grimsditch, Brian, Nevell, Michael and Nevell, Richard, 2012, Buckton Castle and the Castles of the North West England (University of Salford Archaeological Monograph 2) p. 105
  Goodall, John, 2011, The English Castle 1066-1650 (Yale University Press) p. 407
  Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 130-31 (plan)
  Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 16
  Emery, Anthony, 1996, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 1 Northern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 185
  Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 34-5
  Jackson, M.J.,1990, Castles of Cumbria (Carlisle: Carel Press) p. 29-30 (plan)
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1
  Hugill, Robert, 1977, Castles and Peles of Cumberland and Westmorland (Newcastle; Frank Graham) p. 33-5
  Pevsner, N., 1967, Buildings of England: Cumberland and Westmorland (Harmondsworth: Penguin) p. 62-3
  Hugill, R.,1939, Borderland Castles and Peles (1970 Reprint by Frank Graham) p. 28-30
  Curwen, J.F., 1913, Castles and Fortified Towers of Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire North of the Sands (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 13) p. 344-6
  Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 2 p. 296 online copy
  Taylor, M.W., 1892, Old Manorial Halls of Westmorland and Cumberland (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 8) p. 350 online copy
  Lysons, Daniel and Samuel, 1816, 'Antiquities: Castles' Magna Britannia Vol. 4: Cumberland p. ccii-ccvi online transcription
Periodical Articles
- Eden, M., 1958, 'Askerton Castle' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 115 p. 226 (plan), 227 (slight note) online copy
  Warre, W.L., 1924, 'Askerton Castle' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 24 p. 149-55 online copy
  Graham, T.H.B., 1911, 'Extinct Cumberland Castles (Part III)' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 11 p. 254-8 online copy
  Ferguson, 1904, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquarians of Newcastle (new ser) Vol. 1 p. 215-6
  Ferguson, C.J., 1878, 'Two Border Fortresses' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 3 p. 178-81 online copy
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
- Bain, J., 1894, Calendar of Letters and Papers relating to the Borders of England and Scotland (Edinburgh: HMSO) Vol. 1 1560-1594 p. 32 (1580 border survey), 392 (1592 survey) online copy
  Green, M.A.E.(ed), 1872, Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Elizabeth, Addenda 1580-1625 p. 17-18 no. 44 (Reference for for Dacre's 1580 survey of the West March) online copy
Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
- Camden, Wm, 1607, Britannia hypertext critical edition by Dana F. Sutton (2004)

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