| Summary : The earthwork remains of a low, flat-topped mound, forming an irregular oval in plan circa 35-40m across, survive on the summit of Castle Hill within the grounds of Dallam Park (UID 1071159). The monument enjoys a commanding position overlooking the Kent estuary, Milnthorpe and the valley of the River Bela. A low, spread, earth and stone bank is traceable around the perimeter of the mound summit on all sides except the north where the monument is truncated by a later field boundary. Trees were planted on the mound circa 1733 as part of the parkland setting of the nearby early 18th-century Dallam Tower (UID 41661) when quantities of bone, metal and wall foundations were reportedly discovered. A section on the south side in 1965 revealed a ditch outside the bank with stone revetting to the outer face of the bank, and a post hole in the interior, but no finds apart from charcoal. Although no documentary evidence for the site is otherwise known, it is scheduled as a ringwork and the probable Norman precursor to the original 14th-century Dallam Tower (UID 41644) which stood immediately east of the early 18th-century house. It may instead be a low motte. |
More information : [SD 4937 8082] Castle Hill:- a mound of irregular, semi-circular form, 350 yds SE of Dallam Tower. ? Site of Medieval building. [See Illustrations Card]. (1-2)
The Dallam Park earthwork is in a good defensive position on the highest point of an esker. It is an irregular oval in plan, with bank best preserved on the south and very weak on the North. The site was levelled in the 18th Century, when quantities of bone and metal and wall foundations were found, and was probably planted with trees at that time. A section on the south side in 1965 showed a ditch outside the bank, stone revetting on the outer face of the bank, and a post-hole 9" square, in the interior about 10' from the bank. No artifacts were recovered, but there was a considerable quantity of charcoal at the ditch bottom.
The work is probably a small fort, of any period from 5th Century (or earlier) to 11th Century; it is unlikely to be the site of a medieval building (as suggested by the RCHM) because the medieval sites in the area are reasonably documented and established elsewhere. (3)
The flat-topped, defensively situated mound is correctly described by auth. 2. Surveyed at 1:2500. Other features shown on A.O. 2215 are old field boundaries with scarps formed lynchet fashion on the downhill sides. Hollows are amorphous and of no interest; no building sites were noted. (4)
SD 493 808 Earthwork in Dallam Park; scheduled. (5)
SD 4936 8081. Medieval ringwork in Dallam Park, thought to be a precursor to the 14th-century Dallam Tower. Scheduled. (6)
A medieval mound is visible as an earthwork on air photographs, within the grounds of Dallam Park (UID 1071159) at SD 4936 8081. Medieval/post-medieval ridge and furrow (UID 1002729) appears to respect the extent of the mound. The feature appears to be extant on the latest 1991 Ordnance Survey vertical photography, albeit under some tree cover. (7)
The earthwork remains of the probable medieval mound described above could be seen at SD 4936 8082 on aerial photographs and lidar images taken in 2009. The mound is sub-circular with a flattened top and measures approximately 33m x 45m. (8)
The site was targeted for follow-on ground investigation in Stage 2 of English Heritage's NAIS Upland Pilot Project (covering parts of the Southern Lakes, Western Dales & Arnside), and was briefly perambulated.
The monument comprises a low, flat-topped mound, circa 35-40m across, much as described by previous authorities. It lies on the highest point of a ridge (probably not an esker, contra authority 3) with commanding views north and north-west over the Kent estuary and also north-east and south-east over Milnthorpe and the valley of the river Bela; to the south it commands rolling hills. A low bank, much disfigured, runs around much of the perimeter of the mound summit; this is circa 3m wide by upto 0.5m high internally, except to the north where a later east-west field boundary has truncated or redefined the mound slightly. No sign of the 1965 excavation trench or of the external ditch recorded in that excavation is visible.
The standing trees and tree stumps on the edges of the mound undoubtedly represent 18th-century and later parkland landscaping since the text of authority 6 states that Castle Hill is depicted as a wooded clump on estate maps of Dallam Tower of both 1733 and 1799. According to dates on its rainwater heads, the extant Dallam Tower (SD 48 SE 26) was constructed circa 1722; the 1733 map may therefore represent the date of completion of its associated parkland setting, including the landscaping of Castle Hill. The east-west lynchet mentioned above makes it clear that the monument was earlier surrounded by an agricultural landscape that nevertheless post-dates disuse of the site. The monument was probably abandoned circa 1375 in favour of the original, medieval, Dallam Tower (SD 48 SE 09) which stood a little to the east of the present house. Although scheduled as a ringwork, the monument could instead be a small, low, motte.
Castle Hill lies on private land, and there is no automatic right of public access. No survey action. (9)
|