Lowther Castle Stead

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Castlesteads; Castellum de Lauudre

In the civil parish of Lowther. In the historic county of Westmorland (Modern Authority of Cumbria, 1974 county of Cumbria).

Earthworks of a rectangular enclosure in Lowther Park. PastScape report suggests it probably represents the overgrown foundations of a Medieval pele tower or other Medieval building. Field investigations carried out in 1966 found it to be in good condition. (PastScape)
The site is a large 30m by 25m rectangular ramparted enclosure with very substantial ramparts 4-5m thick with 2m wide tops and standing to 3m in height. At the south-eastern corner the ramparts stand to 4m in height and are much thicker, possibly being the location of a tower. There are possibly two entrances, one in the south and the other in the east. There may be collapsed debris in the interior. The predominantly earthwork form of the structure, the paucity of collapsed masonry and the possible twelfth century date would suggest that this was not a peel tower. It is too small to have been a motte and bailey, but could have been a timber ringwork castle. (LUAU)
Jackson suggests this is the site of the 'castellum de Lauudre' mentioned in 1174. Castellum mentioned c1250. This is is a likely position for an early castle, at other end of now vanished village of Lowther from church. May have undergone some later alteration, including conversion to peel tower site, and landscaping. It is also suggested that the C12/C13 castle was on the site now occupied by the modern Lowther Castle.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NY51892412

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 12131
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 3832 '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.

• Web site links
  • http://www.matthewpemmott.co.uk/2008/03/lowther-castle-stead-lowther.html
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern) p72
    Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (CWAAS)
    Jackson, M.J.,1990, Castles of Cumbria (Carel Press) p72-3
    Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1967, Buildings of England: Cumberland and Westmorland (Harmondsworth) p160
    1967, Place Names of Westmorland (English Place Name Society) Vol2 p184
    RCHME, 1936, An inventory of the historical monuments in Westmorland (HMSO) p160
    Curwen, J.F., 1932, Later Records of North Westmorland p329 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=43523
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Machel Manuscript, vol III, CRO, p 37
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • Lancaster University Archaeological Unit, March 1997, Arch Survey (Lowther Estate)