More information : [SE 98778514] Ayton Castle [NR] (Remains of) (1)
Ayton Castle. A peel-tower with close parallels further north.
Excavated by F C Rimmington 1960-1, when four and possibly five phases were identified:
Phase I. A thick layer of farmyard refuse on which had been built,
Phase II. A manor-house of the late 12th century with which was associated a hoard of iron tools.
Phase III. A complex manor of several separate buildings (including kitchen & dovecote) c.1250, which show evidence of Scottish attack after Bannockburn.
Phase IV. The present 'castle c.1400, built by Ralph Eure partly over one of the buildings of phase III. There is a large amount of
15th-17th century domestic rubbish all round the tower apparently so placed to level the ground.
Phase V. Inferior masonry dating from the late 17th century when the castle had become uninhabited and turned into a cattle byre. (2)
The tower appears to have been enclosed by a stone wall, the turf covered footings of which survive in part. The interior is generally hummocky, but the remains of several buildings are discernible; none, however, can be identified with any particular phase. See photographs. Published earthworks and fishponds at SE 98918507 revised. (3)
Ayton Castle. Full excavation (1958-61), architectural and historical report (Plans 1 & 4) including surrounding earthworks (Plans 2 & 3). Finds from the excavation are in Scarborough Museum. (4)
A resistivity survey at Ayton Castle in 1966-67 detected a massive wall on the south (river) side of the existing building, other buildings close to those excavated in 1958-61 and also in the east corner of the enclosure. The lead pipe excavated in 1958-61 was shown to continue in the direction of the east corner of the enclosure for at least 100 ft. Plan 5. (5)
SE 987851. Ayton Castle. Scheduled. (6)
Ayton Castle. Late 14th century. A tower house with evidence of a surrounding wall. Now in ruins. Stone and originally of three storeys with corbelled parapet. The ground floor consists of two rooms both with pointed and ribbed barrel vaults and lighted by narrowsquare headed windows deeply splayed. The angles were machiolated below the parapet. Rectangular on plan. Grade 1. (7)
Listed by Cathcart King. (10)
The Medieval Pele Tower and associated settlement are visible as a ruined building and earthworks on air photographs, centred at SE 9881 8511. The earthwork elements are defined by buildings, a dovecote, a lime kiln, terraced ground, a hollow way (which may be later in date), boundary banks and a platform. To the immediate south-east east of Ayton Castle are the earthwork remains of medieval fishponds with an associated leat, dam and banks. Elements of the earthworks appear to have been damaged by a modern trackway. A potential pond or extractive pit is visible as a shallow earthwork to the north of the settlement, which may be associated or may be later in date. The features are extant on the latest 2009 vertical photography.
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