| Summary : The remains of Ravensworth Castle of which there are three phases; a medieval quadrangular castle, an 18th century country house, and a 19th century country house. The medieval fortified house, the standing remains of which are Listed Grade II*, was built in the style of a quadrangular castle, which is a typical form of the 14th century. The remains include two corner towers, sections of curtain walling and deposits preserved beneath the present ground surface. The two surviving corner towers are in the north east and south east corners of the quadrangle. Both stand 10 metres high, almost their full original height, although the crenellation of both towers is now absent. They are of roughly coursed sandstone construction quoined with ashlar. Sections of curtain walling survive attached to the towers. These are of roughly coursed rubble construction, 1.5 metres wide, and standing up to 4 metres high. The two surviving sections of the east curtain extend 7 metres out from each of the surviving corner towers. The section attached to the north tower decreases in height by a series of steps. The section attached to the south tower also decreases in height with distance from the tower. The surviving section of the south curtain wall extends west from the south tower for 7 metres and is of two parts. The first 3 metres from the tower is of roughly coursed rubble construction and has a splayed window at ground level. The south curtain wall has been extended with well coursed ashlar. An 18th century house was erected within the medieval quadrangle in 1724 and altered and improved under the advice of James Paine by 1759. It was demolished prior to the erection of the second housin 1808. No identifiable remains of it are visible, although the remains will be preserved beneath the present ground surface. The second house was built between 1808 and 1846. The main house lay immediately west of the medieval castle and the majority of it was demolished in 1953. |
More information : ('A' NZ 2326 5916; 'B' 2327 5912) Tower (NR)(twice)
(NZ 2320 5909) Ravensworth Castle (NAT)(1)
Two towers and part of the curtain wall are all that remain of the
Medieval castle at Ravensworth. The present castle or mansion dates from 1808. Gde 2. Authority 2, mentions a portion of a moat 'now used as a watering pond'. (2-4)
Tower 'A' measures 6.0m x 7.3m at base, with a portion of curtain wall adjoining on the south side.
Tower 'B' measures 6.3m x 8.6m at base, with portions of curtain walls running from the north and west sides. Ravensworth Castle has been damaged by mining subsidence and is in the process of being demolished; the towers and curtain walls, however, are to be retained.
No trace of moat mentioned in authority 2. (5)
The Towers and part of the curtain wall (the sole remains of the
Medieval castle at Ravensworth) are as described by authority 5 though both are now heavily overgrown and obscured by trees and undergrowth.
The modern Ravensworth Castle (centred at NZ 2319 5909) has
been demolished except for part of the southeast corner, which is ruined and in a state of near collapse, and a gateway and connected walling. A contemporary rectangular enclosed courtyard and stable buildings (centred at NZ 2330 5916) still remain in fairly good condition but they are uninhabited and quickly deteriorating.
Published survey (1:2500) revised (on CR paper copy)(6)
Ravensworth Castle. Two eastern towers and fragments of curtain wall; dates given as C12 (Pevsner and Williamson); late C13 (Boyle); 1290 (Longstaff). C14 plan of 4 towers and curtain wall forming square enclosure with no keep; (compare Ford 1338, Chillingham 1344, Raby 1378) Coursed squared sandstone with ashlar dressings. 3 storeys. Southern tower has elliptical-headed entrance in the north face, 4 lancet windows in west ground floor of late C13 type. North tower has mullioned and transomed window in first floor north face. Historical note: Ravensworth Castle was the property of the Fitz-Marmadukes; then in C14 and C15 of the Lumleys; then of the Gascoignes, from whom Thomas Liddell, a Newcastle merchant, bought it in 1607. It remained in the Liddell family until 1976. Sir Thomas Liddell, later Lord Ravensworth, demolished all but these towers of the house then standing. A scheduled monument.
Stable block and gatehouses to east of Ravensworth Castle.
Stables, arches and towers. Circa 1840. Coursed squared sandstone with ashlar dressings; roof of graduated Westmorland slate. Gothick style. Eastern gate house: spiked and studded double gate in buttressed double chamfered 4-centred arch flanked by octagonal towers of three storeys and one bay with lancet windows to ground and first floor. Later infill over gate has 3-light stone transomed and mullioned window with label mould; crenellated parapet on corbels; square towers set back have pyramidal Westmorland slate roofs. West elevation shows 4-light stone mullioned and transomed window and a corbelled parapet above arch. Octagonal clock tower over western arch entrance to stable block. Stable ranges around courtyard have stone mullioned and transomed windows, coped buttresses and Tudor arches; some original doors and stable fittings. Western range has square tower with pointed arches in upper stages and coped crenellated parapets at north-west corner.
11/65 Well in Stable Yard of Ravensworth Castle (formerly listed
as outer courtyard well Ravensworth Castle)
G.V. II
Well. Early C19. Low and flat-coped octagonal wall of ashlar to well in centre of stable yard.
11/66 Arch, walls and towers to west of Ravensworth Castle.
G.V. II
Between 1808 and 1840. Possibly by Nash, for Sir Thomas Liddell. Coursed squared sandstone with ashlar dressings. Chamfered Tudor arch with blank shield above; high walls either side terminating in 2-storey round turrets. Lancet windows in first floor of turrets over sill band; east side has Tudor-arched doorways. Corbelled parapets to turrets and walls, battlemented parapets to archway, all roll-moulded.
11/67 Ravensworth Castle
G.V. II*
Ruin. Remains of Ravensworth Castle. By Nash 1808, for Sir Thomas Liddell. Ashlar sandstone; Castle style. 4 storeys with door opening at ground floor, 2-light window openings under label moulds at first and second floor. Ruined third floor window opening. Historical note: some building work designed Sir Thomas' son Thomas Henry Liddell, about 1822. Building completed 1846. (7)
The two towers and adjacent lengths of curtain wall are the remains of a quadrangular castle, 'presumably' of 14th-century date (8a). An 18th-century house illustrated by the Bucks in 1728 (8b), built over the west side of the castle, was apparently entirely destroyed by the construction of the 19th-century house, which was itself demolished in the 1950s. To the east the 19th century stable block, of more than one phase, is the most complete part of the whole building complex still remaining but is deteriorating.
One tower of the 19th-century house at NZ 2322 5909 still stands, as do some other fragments. The outline of the building, and some internal partitions, can still be traced as rubble mounds between 1.0m and 2.5m high, probably concealing substantial wall footings in situ. This house was surrounded by a relatively small formal garden and, between the house and the stables, a kitchen yard.
A brief description accompanies the RCHME 1:500 plan. (8)
NZ 232 592. Ravensworth Castle (medieval parts). Scheduled No TW/11. (9)
Scheduled listing. (10) |