Lune Rambler
Motte and Bailey Castle, Burton-in-Lonsdale
This scene shows the motte and bailey in the foreground, with the spire of the church just behind. In the distance on the left of the scene Ingleborough dominates the landscape.
North Craven Historical Research:
"The earliest recorded direct mention of the motte and bailey castle at Burton in Lonsdale was during the early 14th century period in an account rendered to the Exchequer by Robert de Widvilla and Henry de Montfort for expenses ‘de castro de Burtona de Lanesdala’ for payment of a ‘militis’ (knight), 10 ‘servientes’ (sergeants), a ‘janitoris’ (gatekeeper) and a ‘vigil’ (watchman) [1] Also Moorhouse [2] discusses this and gives a review of finds in excavations at the motte in Burton.
Stephens [4] infers from the 1379 Poll Tax that the castle at Burton ceased to function a little before 1379, by observing that Adam and Willhelmus de Burgh were in the Poll Tax returns from Thornton, not Burton. The Norman castle was more of a support base than a stronghold; he further conjectures that whereas there is no archaeology to support that it was formerly an Anglo-Saxon fortified site, it may be worth considering it as one of several in the Lunesdale area that could have been in use as signaling posts by the Romans. Burton was the head manor of the Burton Chase, a roughly circular region centred on Ingleborough that included Whernside, Penyghent, Lawkland and Bentham; Ewcross was the wapentake area that included Burton."
Motte and Bailey Castle, Burton-in-Lonsdale
This scene shows the motte and bailey in the foreground, with the spire of the church just behind. In the distance on the left of the scene Ingleborough dominates the landscape.
North Craven Historical Research:
"The earliest recorded direct mention of the motte and bailey castle at Burton in Lonsdale was during the early 14th century period in an account rendered to the Exchequer by Robert de Widvilla and Henry de Montfort for expenses ‘de castro de Burtona de Lanesdala’ for payment of a ‘militis’ (knight), 10 ‘servientes’ (sergeants), a ‘janitoris’ (gatekeeper) and a ‘vigil’ (watchman) [1] Also Moorhouse [2] discusses this and gives a review of finds in excavations at the motte in Burton.
Stephens [4] infers from the 1379 Poll Tax that the castle at Burton ceased to function a little before 1379, by observing that Adam and Willhelmus de Burgh were in the Poll Tax returns from Thornton, not Burton. The Norman castle was more of a support base than a stronghold; he further conjectures that whereas there is no archaeology to support that it was formerly an Anglo-Saxon fortified site, it may be worth considering it as one of several in the Lunesdale area that could have been in use as signaling posts by the Romans. Burton was the head manor of the Burton Chase, a roughly circular region centred on Ingleborough that included Whernside, Penyghent, Lawkland and Bentham; Ewcross was the wapentake area that included Burton."