Cheristone Castle (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of Calke.
In the historic county of Derbyshire.
Modern Authority of Derbyshire.
1974 county of Derbyshire.
Medieval County of Derbyshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SK373233
Latitude 52.80671° Longitude -1.44696°

Cheristone Castle has been described as a Uncertain although is doubtful that it was such.

There are no visible remains.

Description

Fortification referred to in the early C17 as 'Cheristone castle' in the parish of Derby Hills, the ruins of which were still partially visible in C16 but which have now totally vanished beneath the north-east comer of Calke Park. Nothing seems to be known of its history. (Turbett ref Usher, 1988, p. 95 in note about adulterine castles)

A castle which was on the Earl of Chester's land is revealed by the field name "Castle Close" at Calke. This may have originally been within the common pasture of Castle Donington at Derby Hills, but has now been incorporated in Calke Park and has been landscape so that nothing is now visible. In a dispute over the ownership of this close, the opinion of Brian Knight, an old man aged 63, was sought. He told the inquiry: "There stoode a Castle called Cheristone castle within a close of Sr Henry called now Castle close the ruins remained and in his mothers time a roome remained where they drew leave for the steward and suitors to the Bowley courte but whether the Courte were kept in the Bowley or at the castle he knows not he knoes not whether the castle belong to Dunnington it was not Frances of Tickenhal & no parte of Cawkecell ..." (Melbourne muniment) The document is not dated, but must be between 1622 and 1639 when Sir Henry Harpur held Calke. As he did not remember it but his mother did, the ruin must have been visible about 1550 and it survived like Donington because it was built of stone rather than wood. No other reference to this castle has been found. (Usher)

Sources of information, references and further reading

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

Books
- Turbutt, Gladwyn, 1999, A History of Derbyshire Vol. 2 (Merton Priory Press) Chapter 8 note 5
Periodical Articles
- Usher, H., 1988, 'Castles of South Derbyshire' Derbyshire Miscellany Vol. 11 Part 5 p. 95
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
- Melbourne Muniment Room, X94. Box 58, Bundle 2/10

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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.

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