Castle Eden

In the civil parish of Castle Eden.
In the historic county of Durham; County Palatinate of (Modern Authority of Durham, 1974 county of County Durham).

Deserted Medieval settlement of Castle Eden, ploughed up in 1971. Exavations in 1974 revealed at the north end of the site a moat 10m broad was found cutting off a large promontory, within which was a late C14 or early C15 building. This may be the documented castle. Part of the settlement survived as earthworks, but no longer extant, these were infilled during construction of a golf course. C18 house on part of possible site of a C12 castle and moat, attested by William de St Barbara, Bishop of Durham from 1143 to 1152.

This site has been described as a;
Masonry Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Nothing visible remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NZ42753880

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; 27112

County Sites and Monuments Record number; D164

Web site links
- http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=D164
  http://www.teesarchaeology.com//projects/aerial_photography/gallery/index312.html
Books
- Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles and Tower Houses of County Durham (Malvern) p33
  Jackson, M.J., 1996, Castles of Durham and Cleveland (Carlise) p32
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p138
  Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker) p354
  Fordyce, W. 1857. History of Durham Vol2 (London) p365
  Whellan, F., 1894 (2edn), History, Topography and Directory of the County of Durham p770
  Surtees, W., 1816 [1972 Reprint], History and Antiquities of Durham Vol1 p40-1
  Hutchinson, Wm, 1785-94, The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham Vol1 (London) p16-163
Journal Articles
- Austin, D., 1987. 'The Medieval Settlement and Landscape of Castle Eden’ Durham Archaeological Journal Vol3 p57-78

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This record last updated on Friday, April 6, 2007

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