Castle Carrock Castle

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

In a marshy field about 40 yds east of the church is an ancient earthwork about 100 yards long x 40 to 50 yards wide, rounded at the SE corner, and formerly surrounded by a fosse now filled up. "An occupation road has probably run through the north-west end where it narrowed" (TCWAAS, 1883). The remains of a sub-rectangular moated enclosure best preserved on the north east side where the ditch, now dry, is 6m wide and 0.7m deep. Elsewhere it is extensively mutilated and virtually obliterate in the north west. There are no internal remains. To the immediate south east there is a possible fish pond. The work has no great strength, but may represent the site of a fortified manor house from which the name 'Castle Carrock' was derived (Field Investigators Comments–F1 BHP 21-MAR-72). (PastScape)
Renn writes this site is natural (Was he actually referring to the Hallsteads site (q.v.)?) and castle was probably on fell top, presumably at Jacobs Hill (q.v.). In 1160's Gamel de Castlecarrock had his seat either here or at nearby Jacobs Hill. The family became extinct late in reign of Edward I.
This site, by the church, is a typical location for the medieval manorial centre and I see no reason to doubt it as the location of Gamel's castle. The early castle does not seem to have had a motte and seems to have been of only modest defensive character.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NY54405541

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 12520
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 565; 3850 '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.

• Books
  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (CWAAS)
    Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern) p37
    Jackson, M.J.,1990, Castles of Cumbria (Carel Press) p41
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1
    Hudleston, C.Roy and Boumphrey, R.S., 1978, Cumberland Families and Heraldry p58
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
• Journal Articles
  • 1908, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol8 p248-52
    1883, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol6 pt2 p465