The Gatehouse website record for Scargill Castle, Barningham

In the civil parish of Scargill. In the historic county of Yorkshire North Riding (Modern Authority of Durham, 1974 county of County Durham).

The remains of a fortified house, a settlement and part of a field system of medieval date situated in the fields surrounding Castle Farm and Scargill Farm. The fortified house now stands among modern farm buildings 50m south-east of Castle Farm. The house was built during C13 and partially rebuilt during the C15. The remains now comprise a gatehouse, standing to full height, with the remains of 4 adjacent ranges around a main courtyard to the east. An outer courtyard is attached to the south side of the south range. The settlement survives as a series of earthworks situated to the west of the fortified house. Two areas of ridge and furrow lying to the south and west of the house represent the remains of the extensive former field system. (PastScape)
Scargill Castle, an ancient peel, of which three storeys of the tower still remain, appears from the foundations to have covered about two acres of ground. The walls are from 4 feet to 6 feet thick, but there is no inscription or armorial bearing to show when, or by whom, the castle was built. About a quarter of a mile S.E. is a small portion of the wall of the Chapel. There is the usual story of a subterranean passage connected with the castle, which, it is said, leads to Egglestone Abbey. (Bulmer)
The standing remains are a gatehouse to a large complex. This had been failing into disrepair and was on the buildings at risk register. It was purchased in 2001 (as a wedding present) by two archaeologist who have restored the gatehouse. A Time Team evaluation excavation was undertaken in 2008. The standing remains are mainly Tudor. The evaluation possibly identified a medieval tower house and barmkin but limited medieval finds suggested relatively short term high status occupation in the C13 with abandonment and reoccupation and rebuilding in the Tudor period of an unfortified manor house.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NZ05361072

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 19951
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is D13216 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

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*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.