| Summary : The remains of a castle of 13th century date which replaced a timber castle constructed between 1135-40. The remains visible today were built about 1190-1200 by the Kilton family. The castle is mentioned in a document of 1265 in which a chantry was granted to an existing chapel at the site. The castle was abandoned as a dwelling soon afterwards, and in 1341 and 1345 it is described as small and worthless. It was totally abandoned during the 16th century. The ruined castle remains are of coursed random sandstone rubble and dressed sandstone. It is long, narrow and roughly-rectangular in plan, projecting eastwards into a deep ravine; a causeway at the west end is flanked by the remains of a moat. The castle remains include the lower two storeys of the north, east and west walls of the tower at the north- east angle of inner bailey. It is rectangular in plan with a segmental north end. Between the north east tower and basement of the north and west walls of the keep are the lower parts of the 13th century bastion. The curtain wall is of rubble construction faced with fine ashlar blocks; in places the latter have been removed and the rubble core is visible. The height of the curtain wall varies from between 1.5 metres to 5.3 metres. On the south side, for much of the east side and the south part of the west side, it is visible as the low foundations of a stone wall. Scheduled and Listed Grade I. |
More information : NZ 70281758 Kilton Castle (NR) (remains of) (NAT).
NZ 70181760 Moat (NR). (1)
The remains of Kilton Castle situated on a steep-sided promontory overlooking Kilton Beck consists of mainly 12th and 13th century fabric. Grade 1. (2-3)
Kilton Castle was constructed as a timber 'adulterine' castle in 1135-40 and rebuilt in stone circa 1190-1200. The site was naturally defended on all sides except to the west, where the entrance was protected by a deep ditch, still discernible in parts. An outer ward, said to have been added circa 1212, stood immediately north west of the castle and also protected the entrance. It consisted of a three-sided moat, now filled in, enclosing an area of about 1/3 of an acre. Two modern cottages now stand on part of the site (4)
Excavations by F Aberg at the east end of the castle in 1965-1975 revealed foundations of 14th and 15th century domestic buildings, and evidence of timber structures, iron smelting, a forge and drawbridge pit. This are appears to have been abandoned in the early 16th century. (5)
NZ 703 176. Kilton Castle. Scheduled No CL/22. (6)
A substantial ditch and flanking bank are visible as cropmarks on air photographs taken in 1997. These features are orientated roughly east-west and are centred at approximately NZ 7020 1765, just to the north-west of Kilton Castle. They may represent one side of the three-sided moat of the outer ward recorded by Authority 4. (7-7a)
Information from English Heritage Schedule Entry. (8)
Information from List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. (9)
Listed by Cathcart king. (10) |