Borgue Motte, Borgue

Borgue Motte\Boreland of Borgue
Near Kirkcudbright
Dumfries and Galloway

This is a large well preserved motte very much in the vein of the Motte of Urr. The earthworks lay just to the North of the A755 some three miles West of Kirkcudbright. I wasn't expecting to see such a spectacular earthwork castle to be honest. Even aerial photos don't do this site justice, so when I spied it in a dip in the surrounding fields and hills it was a great find. 

This is one of only a handful of Galloway mottes that can be reliably verified by written documents, as belonging to a specific landowner....in this instance Hugh de Moreville. The Moreville family already owned huge tracts of land in Lauderdale and North Ayershire. The Morevilles will most likely have gained this area directly from the Crown or will have taken it from Uchtred who lost the Lordship of Galloway in 1160. Either way, the establishment of such a huge motte would have been a 'hard to ignore' feudilisation of the surrounding area.

Overall, this site is slightly smaller than the Motte of Urr, but the motte itself is larger, standing to some seven metres above the surrounding fields. The summit measures in the region of 35 by 25 metres, and is built up over a naturally occurring rocky outcrop.

Any former bailey area appears to have long since vanished....perhaps ploughed out. Certainly, from aerial photos, there is no evidence of the remains of any bailey. There is a similarly sized circular area to the South of the motte that may have been the bailey, but it is very faint now.

Sometime around 1200, the Lordship of Borgue passed to the de Campania family, which may account for the appearance of smaller mottes at Barmagachan and Roberton, both still visible today.

Chester, Dee Bridge

Dee Bridge

Chester

With the recent addition of Fortified Bridges as a category of fortifications to the Gatehouse website, I thought it was apt to add some photos of the Old Dee Bridge. This is a seven arched sandstone structure, spanning the River Dee at the South of the city. It connects Lower Bridge Street to the North, with Handbridge to the South. It is a Grade I listed building and also a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Above. View across the bridge looking South from the top of the Bridge Gate.

The bridge was constructed in stone from around 1387, and was, at the time, the only crossing over the River Dee into the city of Chester. The bridge was therefore an important element in the city defences and for controlling the transport of goods both into and out of the city. 

Above. Looking towards the bridge from Southern banks of the Dee.

From a fortification point of view, the bridge originally had a gatehouse and drawbridge spanning the last two piers at its Southern end but the drawbridge was demolished between 1499 and 1500. The gatehouse, perhaps the last element of defence, was removed in 1781.

Above. The bridge as seen from the city walls, looking South West.

The stone bridge, erected in 1387, most likely replaced a series of wooden structures, and lays over the route of the original Roman bridge. The bridge was widened in 1826 to allow easier entry and exit of the city by the ever increasing amounts of traffic.

Whilst perusing Google Books looking for some information on Chester's tower, walls and other interesting buildings, I came across this beautiful engraving by Randal Holme from the mid 1600s.

It clearly shows the gatehouse at the Southern end of the bridge with the road running across the bridge right to the doors of town's gate, emphasising how important the fortified aspects of the bridge were to protecting this entry into Chester.

Above. Another fantastic engraving showing the bridge with its towers.

Mapping Medieval Chester Excellent website with some great digital maps of Chester.

Chester Walls Some great old photos and engravings of the bridge.

Kendal Town Council collection of paintings, held at the Town Hall

Nothing to do with castles, towers or city walls, but another interest I've held for a while, is Kendal's history. I've recently found this link to some BBC web site pages, detailing some of the paintings held by Kendal Town Council in the Town Hall.

Kendal Town Council painting collection.

Lancaster Castle, Lancaster

Lancaster Castle
Lancaster
Lancashire

Just a couple of photos of Lancaster Castle that I've not posted on the website. They were both taken from the South, at the Lancaster Royal Infirmary whilst waiting for my son to be born back in 2011.

Above. Lancaster Castle over the city's rooftops. 

The photo shown above, shows the castle keep smack bang in the centre of the photo, with the tower of the priory to the right, and the massive double towered gatehouse just below (also to the right)

Above. Close up panorama of the castle.

This photo simply shows the castle keep peering over the top of the curtain walls.

Melmerby

Melmerby

Eden

Cumbria

Melmerby is one of a small number of villages in the Eden area, that were supposed to have been laid out in such a way, that the houses surrounding the open village green, provided a protective barrier against cattle raiders, with Melmerby beck providing a suitable barrier on the open side of the village. 

Above. Old postcard showing the village green and church.

Other villages in the area that share this claim are Askham, Temple Sowerby and Milburn, all within five or six miles of each other.

Penrith Castle, post card

Penrith Castle
Penrith
Eden
Cumbria

I love this post card. It shows the castle with a cluttered exterior, obviously still used by the townsfolk of Penrith. The wall transcending the castle mound and the moat is interesting, and possibly suggests that at the time the photo was taken, the grounds were grazed by local farmers. The wall is long gone, though a scar can clearly be seen on the more modern photo shown below.

Above. 2011 photo, demonstrating the remarkable lack of decay since the postcard from 1906.

Caerlaverlock Castle, postcards

Caerlaverock Castle
Near Dumfries
Dumfries and Galloway
Scotland

Two nice post cards showing the castle pretty much as it is today. Here's the link to my previous post including quite a few photos and some information.

Above. Post card (1900)showing the gatehouse, moat and Nithsdale hall. 

Above. Aerial photo showing the immense earthworks surrounding the castle.

The photo shown above, gives a rare sight of the earthworks surrounding the castle, including the single huge bank and the moat (drained in this photo) 

The Canmore website has some great photos of the castle, as well as loads of additional information.

The Historic Scotland website also has loads of important information on the castle.

Greystoke Castle, old postcard

Greystoke Castle
Greystoke
Eden
Cumbria

These are the only two postcards of Greystoke Castle I have so far. The post mark on the rear of the first card appears to show a date of 1925. This is the link to my previous post on Greystoke, along with the one single photo I managed to take.

The official Greystoke Castle web site is also well worth checking out.

Scarborough Castle, the South Steel Battery

Scarborough Castle

The South Steel Battery

Situated at the top of the towering cliffs upon which Scarborough Castle is built, the slight remains of the South Steel Battery can still be seen from the streets of the old part of Scarborough. From below, the remains look just like a few walls, scaling the heights and clinging precariously to the steep protective cliffs.

The battery was built in 1643 during the English Civil War, and was rebuilt in 1746 at a time when the Jacobite rebellion had jolted the English into action against the Stewart pretender. 

The battery was built at the Northern most tip of the castle's enclosure, and gave a commanding view over the harbour and town of Scarborough for its twelve guns. There is nothing remaining today, of the gun positions, just the wall that would have provided shelter to those coming and going to the battery. 

The battery sits some 30 metres above sea level, and gave the castle garrison a perfect defensive position over both the town and the important harbour.

A small portion of the protective wall can be seen from the castle enclosure at the top of the cliff, whilst other portions can be seen from below on Marine Drive.

Kendal, Benson Hall

Benson Hall

Kendal

Cumbria

Ok...again I've presented a photo that's not really up to much. Benson Hall is hidden by a small hill on its Eastern side and a host of farm buildings on its West side. The only view that can really be had of this curious building, is from the North...shown below...and all we get here is one gable end.

The building we see today consists of a mish mash of 16th, 18th and 19th century extensions and alterations. Benson Hall reputedly still retains the remains of an earlier building, ie, a pele tower.....a newel stair connects the ground floor and first floor, and there is a vaulted chamber on the ground floor. One of the internal walls, thicker than the 19th century walls around it, still has an entrance way through it with the remains of draw bar slots in it, possibly indicating an original entrance into the hall or tower. There is in fact very little information regarding this building, most of the info here coming from the listed building text that is available on line.

As I find more information regarding this building, I'll post it here.

Scarborough Castle, Keep, motte and inner bailey

Scarborough Castle
Keep, motte and inner bailey

The keep, stood on its motte and surrounded by its bailey, represent the core of Scarborough castle. The wall and ditch were built in the 12th century by Henry II and were designed to create a secure enclosure within the confines of the fortified summit of the headland.

Above. A view of the keep over the Eastern wall and ditch.

The circumference of the bailey area measures approximately 250 meters. The keep was probably an addition to an already busy area, populated with both stone and wooden buildings.

Above. The keep above the Eastern ditch.

There were two gates into the inner bailey area of the castle. Both can still be seen to some extent. The first lies at the North end of the bailey near to the Master Gunner's house, and the other lies at the South end abutting the wall.

Above. The keep viewed from within the bailey.

The well in the centre of the bailey is quite impressive. It is around 46 metres deep, and is stone clad to an overall depth of around 20 metres. 

Above. View of the bailey, with the Keep to the right.

Any buildings within the bailey were most likely demolished by King John in the 13th century, leaving the castle's Keep standing almost alone.

Scarborough Castle, the Gatehouse

Scarborough Castle
The Gatehouse

The barbican, gatehouse and associated walls, provide Scarborough Castle with 230 metres of first line defences. The formidable stone built walls, towers and bridges (with wooden drawbridges originally) lie at the Eastern end of the castle, spanning the narrow ridge that allows access to the plateau on which the castle is built.

Above. Panoramic view of Scarborough from the West walls.

Unfortunately, as at many major ruined castles, the gatehouse has long since been demolished, no doubt of symbol of the removal of any authority the castle may have had over its local environs. The photo below shows the only remaining portion of stone work associated with this once great structure.

Above. View of the remains of part of the Gatehouse.

The gatehouse was directly connected to the curtain walls, and would have provided a second line of defence against any attack on the castle. 

Above. The Gatehouse and Barbican from the West walls.

The view in the photo above, shows the extremely narrow entry way into the castle that the the barbican and its associated bridges would have allowed into the castle. Adding in the existence of draw bridges across the barbican's bridges, and this restricted entry way becomes an easily defended point of access.

Above. Remains of one of the Barbican's towers.

The Barbican and Gatehouse were important elements of the external defences of Scarborough Castle, which is possibly one reason that the gatehouse has been all but demolished, leaving us with a single mass of masonry standing to your right as you enter the castle.

Scarborough Castle, the Barbican

Scarborough Castle

The Barbican

The Barbican is the first part of the castle that you pass through on your visit to Scarborough Castle. This collection of walls and towers was built to protect the narrow spur of land that spans the double ditch at the West side of the castle, providing not only the first point of access and defence, but no doubt providing visitors of the time, a symbolic vision of the greatness of Scarborough Castle, impressing upon them the vast cost of building this great structure and reinforcing the power and importance of those who lived here. 

Above. North walls from the Barbican bridge.

The small, twin towered Barbican gatehouse was built  by Henry III between 1243 and 1245 and as very similar in appearance to other gatehouses of the time, namely those at Newcastle and Conwy Castle. 

Above. View of the North walls and interior of the Barbican.

The leafy walk up to the castle these days belies the impressive array of defences employed during the castle's heyday. The area surrounding the ticket office was heavily defended with towers and thick walls. The road from this point, across the Barbican bridge and towards the Gatehouse, is shielded by 5 and a half metre high walls, with wall walks on either side overlooking the double ditch below. 

Above. The Barbican and bridge from the West walls.

The walk would originally have been broken by two gaps, spanned by wooden drawbridges that could be withdrawn to prevent entry to the inner courtyard. These have long since vanished, and have been rebuilt in stone. A tower would originally have sat between each of the drawbridges, offering any would be attacker an almost impregnable barrier. The towers here, would also have had a portcullis, providing yet more solid defence. 

Above. The Barbican gatehouse from the West walls.

Above. The Barbican gatehouse from Castle Road.

Above. The Barbican gatehouse from inside.

Above. The interior of the Barbican gatehouse from the wall walk.

Above. Another view of the Barbican gatehouse.

The Barbican is first mentioned in documents dating from 1175, and a tower dating from this period lays beneath the modern ticket office, possibly representing and original defensive feature of this part of the castle. 

Scarborough Castle, King John's curtain wall

Scarborough Castle

King John's curtain wall

Above. Looking along the wall towards the Keep.

Above. One of King John's curtain wall towers.

Above. Looking along the wall towards the earth banks and the inner bailey.

Above. Interior view of one of King John's curtain wall towers.

Above. Latrine....or machicolation?

Above. Detail of King John's curtain wall and tower.

Above. Looking South East along the outside of the curtain wall.

Above. Looking along the outside of the curtain wall towards North Bay.

Above. The same part of the curtain wall, this time from the inner bailey area.

Above. The Southern most end of King John's curtain wall, with the postern gate just visible.

Above. Portion of King John's curtain wall with Civil war breach.

Above. The curtain wall from within the inner bailey area.

Above. The curtain wall from within the inner bailey, looking South.

Above. Panoramic view of the curtain wall from the town below.

Above. Interior view of one of the curtain wall towers.