Castlestede, Hornby

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Castle Stede; Castleton

In the civil parish of Hornby With Farleton.
In the historic county of Lancashire (Modern Authority of Lancashire, 1974 county of Lancashire).

C11 or C12 motte and bailey castle situated at the north west extremity of a ridge of high ground projecting to the banks of the River Lune overlooking the Loyn Bridge. Consists of a conical motte surrounded by a ditch on three sides. To the west is an oval bailey defended by a rampart and ditch on its south side. To the north and north west a steep slope down to the river provides protection. A modern causeway, possibly on the site of the original, gives access to the bailey whilst a mound and a cutting on the west side of the motte indicates the site of access from the bailey. During World War II a pill box was constructed on the southern outer edge of the bailey. Excavations carried out on the centre of the motte in C19 proved negative.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Earthworks remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SD58336975

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 42931

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 575

• Web site links
  • http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/archaeology/archsites/arch7.asp
    http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/heritage/castle/stede.asp
    http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/heritage/castle.asp
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles and Tower Houses of Lancashire and Cheshire (Malvern) p27
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p136 [slight]
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p246
    Gibson, Leslie Irving, 1977, Lancashire Castles and Towers (Dalesman Books)
    Curwen, J.F., 1913, Castles and Fortified Towers of Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire North of the Sands p17 [plan]
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Gardner, 1908, in Farrer, William and Brownbill, J. (eds), VCH Lancaster Vol2 p526-8
• Journal Articles
  • Higham, Mary, 1991, 'The Mottes of North Lancashire, Lonsdale and South Cumbria' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol91 p79-90
    Forde-Johnston, J., 1962, Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society Vol72 p12
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p249-280]
    Curwen, J.F., 1912, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol12 p412-4
• Guidebooks
  • White, A.J., 1998, Norman Castles of Lunedale A History Trail (Lancaster City Museums) [Leaflet]