The Gatehouse website record for Stanhope Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Castle Heugh; Castle Hill

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

C18 mansion, built on the possible site of a motte and bailey castle, of which no remains are now visible. A fragment of the motte may have survived until c1900 and is shown in a photograph of c.1906. However, Hutchinson writing in 1794 reported the following: "At the west end of Stanhope town, lying between it and the River Wear, is an eminence called Castle Hill or Castle Heugh. The crown of the hill forms an oblong figure 30 paces in width. To the north and east it is defended by a deep ditch. A ditch crosses the crown of the eminence and divides it into unequal parts. A wall was discovered, which appeared to defend the whole summit of the hill, built of ashlar work, strongly cemented. It is certain that a castle stood here in the days of Bishop Bek, for he granted lands on the west side of the castle of Stanhope"

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NY99603916

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 17909
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is D2326 '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.

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.

The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes. I do not receive any income from this site and I fund it myself.
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.