Castlefacts³

Egglescliffe Castleholmes

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Motte)

There are no visible remains

Name	Egglescliffe Castleholmes
Alternative Names	Castle Holm; Castelholme
Historic Country	Durham
Modern Authority	Stockton on Tees
1974 Authority	Cleveland
Civil Parish	Egglescliffe

Somewhere in the vicinity of Egglescliffe "castleholmes" was a place-name in 1554, and a visitor in the 1780s wrote of a "piece of ground called Castle Holm - no remains appear, nor have we received any account of a castle here". By the early C19 the location of Castle Holm was "not certainly known". (Jackson)

There is little to say of the early history of Egglescliffe. Though a piece of land with which the manor was thought to descend was called Castle Holme, (The site is now not certainly known.) there is no record of the building of any castle here, but it has been suggested that the Devil's Hill was a fortified mound. (VCH)

The ancient owners of Egglescliff were the Aslakbys, lords of the adjoining vill of the same name, where their descent is traced. The heiress of the chief line of the family, Agnes, daughter of Walter de Aslakby (Inq. p. m. Walter de Aslakby, 5 Langley), intermarried about 1420 with Hugh Asteley, who jointly with his wife settled the estates in 14 .. William Astley, the descendant of Hugh and Agnes, died seised of the manor of Egglescliffe in 1552 (Inq. p. m. 25 Tunstall) , leaving William his son and heir, who, by charter 4 Aug. 1554, granted the Castleholmes to James Garnet. This estate seems to be identified with the manor, for in 1564 Garnet (Inq. p. m. Jac. Garnet, 6 Eliz) is stated to die seised of the Castelholme, a free fishery, and the tenement called Holehouse, held of the Bishop by homage and half a knight's fee, which is the exact tenure of the manor of Egglescliffe in the old inquests. (Surtees)

Gatehouse Comments

Surtees identifies Castleholmes with the manor of Egglescliffe and it seems likely the manor house site was at the location of Old Hall (at given map reference) Certainly this position would be entirely consistent with a castle location although it is a little way from the north end of Yarm bridge. However, in all likelihood, the castle name comes from the site being a centre of administration rather than being a fortification. The mound Devil's Hill has a separated record but was not a motte, is of recent origin and can not have been the documented Castleholme.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record

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OS Map Grid Reference	NZ424131
Latitude	54.5120506286621
Longitude	-1.34627997875214
Eastings	442400
Northings	513100