More information : Near Beighton railway station is a field called Castle Stead, and the moat is still traceable (1). "Castlesteedes" occurs in 1608 but nothing is known of its character although it lies close to the probable line of a Roman Road [RR 18 d & e] [A/Ps. negative]. (1-2) The remains of a moat, with large blocks of dressed stone in its centre, beneath the surface of the River Rother, was pointed out over 50 years ago (c.1900) by a Mr. Smith, an amateur archaeologist, to Mr. J.Stone whose family farmed the land at the time. Site indicated by J. Stone at SK 44658376. It was not possible to identify the moat because of river pollution. Nothing of archaeological interest was seen in Castle Field. (3) There is no surface evidence of antiquity at the indicated site or in the immediate area; nor is the name 'Castlesteads' known to local persons questioned. The Rother is a very ancient river (which gave the name to Rotherham) and it would appear to still follow its original course through this region; a moat beneath the surface is not conceivable and the width at this point is too narrow to warrant an island. The water is clear but no dressed stone was seen, and authority 3 could not be confirmed in any respect. (4)
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