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Whittington motte and bailey castle is a Norman fortification situated in Lancashire, England, likely constructed in the late eleventh or early twelfth century. The castle consists of a substantial mound or motte with an adjoining bailey, representing the characteristic earthwork design of early post-Conquest military architecture. Although the castle is now reduced to earthworks, with no surviving stone structures, it remains an important physical record of Norman settlement and territorial control in the region. The site demonstrates the strategic importance placed upon this area during the early medieval period, when such motte and bailey castles served as administrative and defensive centres for Norman lords establishing authority across northern England.
Whittington motte and bailey castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1010796. View the official record →
Whittington motte and bailey castle is a Norman fortification situated in Lancashire, England, likely constructed in the late eleventh or early twelfth century. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1010796.
Whittington motte and bailey castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1010796.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Romano-British enclosed hut circle settlement 375m ENE of Collingholme (4.1 km), Chapel Hill Motte, Arkholme (4.6 km), Castle Mound motte and bailey, Melling (5.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Whittington motte and bailey castle's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Whittington motte and bailey castle stands on Yoredale Group, bedrock that formed in the Bashkirian. The rock here is limestone, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.