More information : Centred NZ 17924276 Castle (NR) (Site of) (NAT)
Moat (NR)
Castle Steads (NAT) (1)
Tower supposed (2). An entrenchment bearing the quadrangular form of a Roman camp, with the foundations of a castle, or strong stone building in the middle of it. It appears to have been altered by deepening the ditch for water etc in the improvements about the subsequent castle, but it still retains its probable Roman character. The present farm house, Rowley, seems to have been built with the stones of the castle, which was probably the place of defence of De Esh against the `inroads of the Scots'. Foundations now (1891) visible comprise a space about 95' x 75', with possible remains of a window head of two pointed lights (3) (See also NZ 14 SE 7)
Rectangular earthwork 200 yards x 100 yards enclosed by an inner bank, on which are traces of a wall, and a ditch with outer bank; main entrance on south. In the centre is a series of mounds covering foundations of a rectangular building; traces of lines of walls are visible to E of entrance. Northern half of enclosure is low and marshy. The defences are broken at several places, ie, on the middle of the west side, at the south end of the east side and at the east end of the north side; in all three cases the breaks are due to water. (4)
Considered Medieval. (5)
Description by Authority 3 correct. The moat has a maximum depth of 4 m; the inner bank shows traces of walling. The banks representing the foundations of the central building have a maximum height of 1.5m with many undressed stones visible. The original entrance to the enclosed area is by causeway on the south side and to the east of this entrance are banks probably representing the foundations of two rectangular buildings. Although some parts of the moat could be flooded the slope of the ground would prevent its use as a continuous water obstacle. The remains suggest this was probably a fortified manor house with ancillary building inside a wall and protective ditch. The whole area is under pasture. None of the buildings in the nearby farm of Rowley shows any trace of antiquity. Although the shape of the earthwork has Roman characteristics, the sharp profile of the ditch and lack of extensive silting indicate a probable Medieval origin. (6-6a)
A moated homestead mainly as described. It appears as if the low lying `old stream bed' depression at the NE corner has been made more defensive or utilized as a pond by a continuation of the rampart to block it in the E. The moat also appears to have been blocked to prevent water escaping at the two points where it meets the depression. The turf covered footings of a probably contemporary wall survive parallel to the outer bank to the SE of the entrance. Outside the outer bank at the N end of the W side are traces of a possible secondary bank. The central buildings and those to the E of the entrance are too ill-defined for any definite measurements and appear now as turf-covered stay banks with occasional facing stones visible.
To the N of the central buildings are footings of a wall and there is also a similar longer wall to the N of the buildings to the E of the
entrance. The whole area is wooded and traces of ridge and furrow can still be seen inside. The name Castle Steads is not used locally. Re-surveyed at 1:2500. (7)
NZ 17924276. Situated at about 152 m OD on a NE facing slope are the remains of a rectangular enclosure measuring about 190 m. NW/SE by 114 m. Transversely between the centres of a well formed ditch with inner and outer banks. (See Illustration Card).
The ditch, now mainly dry, (4 m maximum depth and 10 m average width) is of unusual construction as it is not a complete unit but is formed by four separate watertight arms. The breaks in the centre of the NW side (a) and at the S end of the SE side (b) are deliberate in order to form dams to retain the water. Water had drained along a natural channel (c) to a low-lying depression (d) at the NE corner which appears to have been utilized as a pond, strengthened by a retainingbank at (e). The inner bank, where best preserved to the W of the entrance at (f) (1.3 m maximum height spread to about 5 m) shows traces of walling. The outer bank of similar dimensions is predominantly earth. Although there is no ditch at (b) there are traces of the outer bank continuing.
The turf covered footings of a probably contemporary wall survive
parallel to the outer bank to the SE of the entrance at (g). Outside
the outer bank at the N end of the W side are traces of a possibly
secondary bank (h). The entrance in the centre of the S wall at (j)
appears to have been the only one. The gently sloping, marsh, interior contains the remains of buildings, the main block at (k) and others against the inner bank at (1). They are now too ill-defined for accurate measurement but appear as turf-covered stony banks (1 m maximum height spread to about 3 m) with occasional facing stones. Attempts to excavate have left large robber trenches which confuse their outlines. To the N of both of these groups of buildings are the remains of contemporary wall footings. The whole area is now wooded and traces of ridge and
furrow can be seen as delineated.
The site is probably the remains of a fortified manor house with
ancillary buildings inside a wall and protective ditch. Surveyed at
1:2500. (8)
The site was visited by RCHME during a survey of scheduled
monuments in County Durham.
The site, comprising the severely robbed remains of a house (k) and further buildings (l) within a substantial rectangular moat, is as described by authorities (6-8) with the following exceptions (it
should be noted that all lettering refers to 1:2500 plan of Authority
8): The walls of the house (k), including the foundations, have been systematically robbed leaving trenches 0.8 - 1 m wide between banks of debris; two mounds on the west side of the house are almost certainly undisturbed collapse covering surviving walls though no stones are visible. The buildings (l) are turf-covered and do not appear to have been robbed to the same extent as (k). Narrow ridge-and-furrow, parallel to the south-east arm of the moat, occupies the east part of the enclosure; north of (k) there is further narrow rig parallel to the north-east arm. There is no evidence of garden earth works. The possible `secondary bank' (h) noted by Authority 8 at the north-east end of the north-west arm is mutilation caused by a former hedgeline; the bank (g) outside the south-west arm closely follows the north side of a farm track shown on OS 25" 1856 which has now gone. The large field to the west of the moat (OS no 6100) contains broad ridge-and-furrow, much of it abraded; the fields on the other three sides carry a standing crop. The substantial size of the house and moat and the proximity to a chapel and extensive ridge-and-furrow suggests a manorial complex.
(See NZ 14 SE 5 and 7). (9)
NZ 177427. Castle Steads camp. Scheduled No DU/12. (10)
Listed as a possible castle by Cathcart King. (11) |