Castleton Town Defences

In the civil parish of Castleton.
In the historic county of Derbyshire (Modern Authority of Derbyshire, 1974 county of Derbyshire).

The earthwork remains of the medieval town defences of Castleton. The monument lies in two area towards the outer limits of the town in the north west and south east corners. The construction of the bank and ditch are thought to have been connected with the foundation of the borough in 1196 after Henry II acquired Peveril Castle from the original owners, the Peverels. The monument survives as a linear earthwork which includes a bank and outer ditch. The bank is approximately 12m wide and the ditch is of a similar width.

This site has been described as a;
Urban Defence.
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 SK15208282

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; 309539

• Web site links
  • http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_north/110/castletonbank.htm
• Books
  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p24, 266
    Bond, C.J., 1987, 'Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Defences' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p92-116
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p112
    Hart, C.R., 1981, The North Derbyshire Archaeological Survey to AD1500 (Derbyshire Archaeological Trust)
    Barley, M.W., 1975, 'Town Defences in England and Wales after 1066' in Barley (ed) Medieval Towns in England and Wales (CBA research reports) pp57-71
    Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London)
    Beresford, Maurice, 1967, New towns of the Middle Ages: town plantation in England, Wales and Gascony pp416-7
    Cox, 1905, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Derbyshire Vol1 p379-80
• Journal Articles
  • Brooksbank, J.H., 1925-8, 'Castleton: its traditions, sayings, place-names, etc. Transactions of Hunter Archaeological Society Vol3 p43-4