Oswinthorpe

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Questionable Palace (Royal)

There are no visible remains

NameOswinthorpe
Alternative NamesOsmondthorpe
Historic CountryYorkshire
Modern AuthorityLeeds
1974 AuthorityWest Yorkshire
Civil ParishLeeds

Clark, in his list of moated mounds or burhs, records 'Oswinthorpe.–A supposed seat of the Kings of Northumberland.'

In the time of Charles I., fragments of extensive Saxon work were to be seen at Osmondthorpe, but these were cleared away when the late hall was erected, and the trenches were filled up. (White)

Possible fortified site at Osmondthorpe Hall, however, sources are vague. According to Parsons extensive earthworks are supposed to have been visible until the mid C17, including causeways and trenches, reputed to have been levelled up when Osmondthorpe Old Hall was built; pavements are said to have been ploughed up in the vicinity (Wardell, 1851). Wardell (1851) and Smith (1912) suggest that Osmondthorpe was the site of the Villa Regia of Bede, in Regio Loidis, an argument that is somewhat weakened by bringing in as a conclusive piece of evidence a C15/C16 fragment of painted glass from Osmondthorpe Old Hall which depicts Edwin, King of Northumberland, with a crown, a sword and a shield (Wardell, 1851). Some other explanation must be sought for the earthworks. A gold coin of Justinian (525-565) was found at Osmondthorpe in 1774, now lost. May support the theory of diplomatic contacts between Byzantium and the British kingdoms at this time (Smith, 1912). (West Yorkshire HER)

Gatehouse Comments

Quite what was at Osmundthorpe may be an unanswerable question. Even before being built over in the Leeds urban sprawl this was an area of much coal mining and the land will be heavily disturbed. However, there does seem to have been something here, most probably of medieval date. A precursor site to Osmundthorpe Hall, possibly a moated house would be most likely but a Saxon palace site can not be excluded.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSE331335
Latitude53.7967796325684
Longitude-1.49836003780365
Eastings433140
Northings433500
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Smith, R.A., 1912, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Yorkshire Vol. 2 p. 101
  • Wardell, J., 1851, Antiquities of Leeds p. 14 online copy
  • White, 1837, History, gazetteer and directory of the West Riding of Yorkshire online copy
  • Parsons, E., 1834, History of Leeds Vol. 1 p. 32-3 online copy
  • Whitaker, T.D., 1816, Loidis and Elmete (Leeds)

Journals

  • Clark, G.T., 1889, 'Contribution towards a complete list of moated mounds or burhs' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 46 p. 197-217 esp. 215 online copy