Gale Bay moat, Barton

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Trostetmont; Trostermosit; Triestmont; Tristermont; Hodgson's Hill

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

A moated site called Trostermosit or Triestmont on C17 maps, mentioned in marriage settlement C14 by Sir W Strickland on his son Thomas. The site is also extant on Machells plan of 1691. Consists of a triangular area of 5 acres with its base on the lake facing NW and its 2 sides isolated from the mainland by an obtuse angled ditch, 10 yds wide and 894 yds long, with the ends entering the lake. The excavated earth seems to have been thrown up into a mound in the S angle. The field is drained, but not across the site, and is subject to ploughing at 5-6 year intervals. (Lake District HER)
A moated site and associated annexe. It includes Hodgson''s Hill, a natural feature approx 90 x 50m and up to 8m high, that has been altered by some levelling of the summit to create a building platform and the digging of a now infilled moat up to 10m wide around its base on all sides except the west where Ullswater affords protection. Immediately to the south of the moat is a flat platform or annexe, also formed by a modification of the natural hillslope, measuring c 50m x 25m. According to local tradition the monument is known as Tristermont, home of Sir Tristram, one of the knights of King Arthur's Round Table. The site is mentioned in a C14 document by Sir W Strickland and his son, Thomas. Past ploughing has revealed sandstone on the summit of the hill, indicative of structural foundations. All modern field boundaries are excluded from the scheduling, but the ground beneath is included. Scheduling includes a 2m boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument''s support and protection (AM Schedule).
Two small trenches (c. 0.3m X 1m) were excavated on the top of the mound at Hodgson''s Hill in May 2001 by Mr T.C. Bell in an attempt to prove his theory that this site is a Roman fort. This work was carried out without Scheduled Monument Consent. One piece of glazed medieval pottery was recovered from one of the trenches and a medieval jug handle and a piece of dressed sandstone were found by JCH on the shore, below the mound, during site visit. The site does not appear to be moated - there is no sign now of an infilled moat - but the presence of dressed sandstone and sherds of medieval pottery indicate that the site was occupied in the medieval period. There is no evidence of Roman occupation. (Lake District HER)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NY464233

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 11137
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 2959 '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
  • RCHME, 1936, An inventory of the historical monuments in Westmorland (HMSO) p39
    Curwen, J.F., 1913, Castles and Fortified Towers of Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire North of the Sands (Kendal) p48
• Journal Articles
  • Hay, Thos., 1938, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society NS Vol38 p42-43
    Curwen, J.F., 1912, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society NS Vol12 p99-101 [plan]
    Taylor, M.W., 1874, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol1 p160-1 [plan]
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • English Heritage, 16.2.93, SAM Amendment