The Gatehouse website record for Askerton Castle

In the civil parish of Askerton. In the historic county of Cumberland (Modern Authority of Cumbria, 1974 county of Cumbria).

Early C14 with C15 alterations; late C15 and early C16 additions for Thomas, Lord Dacre, with further additions of late C16; C19 alterations by Anthony Salvin and 1922 alterations by Edmond Warre. Large blocks of calciferous sandstone rubble on projecting plinth stones; graduated sandstone slate roof, flat lead roofs on towers, ashlar chimney stacks. 3-storey, 4-bay, C14 former tower house (now gabled) with flanking 4-storey, single-bay late C15 or early C16 towers; early C16 curtain wall enclosing courtyard to rear, C16 hall and barrack block in L-shape within courtyard. Central block has C20 door in chamfered surround with C20 pointed arch. Ground floor 2-light chamfered mullioned windows with hood moulds are C19 replacements. 2 original C16 3-light chamfered mullioned windows above; a third similar window to right is C19. 2 small square attic windows flank 2 two-light mullioned windows of 1922. Rear wall has blocked courtyard entrance; small chamfered-surround windows on various levels, some with iron grilles. Interior has C15 roof timbers. Tower to right has C19 ground floor window, smaller original windows above. Top courses of stonework project irregularly and may be rebuilt. Projecting battlemented parapet to both towers. Tower to left is set back with garderobe in the angle. Corbelled-out firebreast at first floor level. Parapet has early C16 stone inscribed T.D. (Thomas Dacre). Interior has garderobe on each level; windows between the adjoining hall and tower suggest hall is of later date; floor levels altered in 1922. Curtain wall forms outer wall of adjoining hall and barrack block. Hall has ground floor stone-mullioned windows of 1922; upper floor chamfered-surround windows are probably C16. End wall has 3-light window with trefoil heads. Slit vents to left light garderobes. Interior has fireplace with inscription Thomas Carleton Junior 1576 (land serjeant); blocked door and stairs in thickness of end wall suggest a third tower and parapet walk around curtain wall; C16 roof timbers, tie-beams, kingposts with two-way braces and queenstruts. Barrack block has small C16 chamfered-surround windows on various levels, some with iron grilles and slit vents for garderobes. Wall to courtyard has 1922 windows, converted from later use as stables. Interior has 2 C16 fireplaces between modern floor levels. Curtain wall continues to enclose courtyard and has C19 rebuilt segmental arch. Blocked C16 window to left, suggests a porter's lodge with slight remains of steps to parapet walk. (Images of England)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NY55036923

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 12604
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 4571 '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.

It is an offence to disturb a Scheduled Monument without consent. It is a destruction of everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from any site without proper recording and reporting. Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation.

Please help me to make this as useful a resource as possible by contacting me if you see errors or if you can add information.
I do acknowledge the help I get with this site.

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