Skelton History Group

Friday 7th September – Danby Castle from Danby Lodge
Distance: 2½ miles; Ascent 290ft; Duration 2-2½ hours Our meeting point for this walk is the car park at Danby Lodge Moors Centre at 10:30am. The route, which could be described as “frying-pan”-shaped, uses field paths and reasonably quiet country lanes, and takes us south from the Centre to Danby Castle before returning.

A charge of £2 per person will be made on each walk to offset the costs of Insurance. Please wear appropriate footwear and have clothing suitable for the likely weather conditions on that day. It is suggested that you bring food and drink as we usually stop between midday and 1:00pm for a lunch break.

Further details can be had from: skeltonhistorygroup@gmail.com or by contacting Peter Appleton (Tel: 01287 281752)

Marmion Tower is the 15th-century gatehouse of a vanished riverside manor house. Entry is free.

It features a fine spiral staircase

An elaborate oriel window

A vaulted porters lodge with large fireplace

Other sources seem to suggest there is no surviving evidence of the medieval Castleton castle other than the mound it once stood one.

I’m sure an architectural historian could point out the error of my ways immedaitely, but i’ve always though this door lintel adjacent to the site looks like its re-used from something much older.

Bishopton castle was built in the 12th century by the Conyers family

It was (and still is) surrounded by marshy ground as part of its defences.

The nearby information board has a reconstuction and a plan of the site.

Despite a visit to the library I can find out nothing about this monument at the edge of the wood overlooking Wilton Castle, no plaque or inscriptions seems to be present.

Close by in heavy undergrowth is the remaining parapet of Waterfall Bridge, this looks like it was a feature of the formal gardens of the Wilton Castle and i’ve read it was still useable with care in the 1950s. A waterfall exists further up the gill, although obscured by trees now.

 

If anyone knows anything more about these two places, or knows of a photo of the bridge intact I would love to hear from you.

Wilton Castle is just below the location, in the shadow of the chemical works.

 

Update 6/5/2011

Craig Hornby, director of “A Century In Stone” sent me the following info :-

I was told by Doug Kneeshaw a mine horse driver about 20 years ago that the bridge was wooden and very rickety! And the monument was to old man Lowther’s favourite donkey!!! (The Wilton castle being the family home of the Lowther family until ICI bought in the 1940s). There is a large gravestone to one of them in Wilton cemetary and it says Secretary of State for Ireland or something …how’s that! Doug Kneeshaw 1920-2000 and featured in ACIS. filmed 1989 with big hoss at California Stables where he lived back in the day as his dad was mine hosskeeper.

This is my first third party contribution courtesy of barender and redpete from redcar.net so many thanks to them for the photos and information. Click on the small thumbnails for bigger photos although not from the usual Flickr.

First things first, this site is on private property belonging to Skelton Estates and they had permission to visit it. If you intend to visit, make sure you get permission too.

The remains visible are of a castle built between 1190 and 1200 by the Kilton family on a long promentary overlooking Kilton Beck. By the mid 1300s it had fallen out of use and was totally abandoned by the 16th century. The area covers approximately 100m x 30m and has been heavily robbed out over the years.
The eastern tower contains a crossbow window, and a huge crack that will eventually lead to its demise.

Here are some shots of the same area internally.

A stretch of the northern wall still remains.

Some doorways are still visible in the heavy undergrowth now covering the internally structure, one has been highlighted for us here.

Also the remains of a well are visible inside.

Tees Archaeology has a huge amount of detail on the castle.

The village of Whorlton no longer exists, just the 14th Century castle and church remain between Swainby and Faceby.



The cellars to the rear are from an even earlier castle

A 13th Century castle, but without the usual gift shop and tourist buses,nice bricked up 16th century Elizabethan mullioned windows. The castle was a ruin in 1309, habitable again in the Civil War when it was destroyed in 1647

The bridge is formed under a path to the entrance.