Bishops Dyke, Dalston Barrs

Has been described as a Possible Linear Defence or Dyke

There are earthwork remains

NameBishops Dyke, Dalston Barrs
Alternative Names
Historic CountryCumberland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishDalston

Alleged defensive earthwork to protect the Manor of Dalston during the Scottish wars although possibly earlier. Partly upstanding earthwork. (PastScape)

Bishop's Dyke - probably formed as a defensive earthwork during the Scottish wars for the manor of Dalston, and consists of a double ditch with a causeway between.

Commencing near the River Caldew at Cummersdale, the dyke passes to the north of Dalston Hall, crosses the Dalston-Carlisle road at East Barras, continues for two hundred yards and then swings south-west. It is then lost in a morass but is well preserved in a strip of wood to the south.

From here it continues to West Barras at Barras Brow Foot, crosses Barras Lane, then along Buebank Lane to Bruntgate, then along a footpath to Bellgate, and, continuing in a south-west direction, finally ends on the steep banks of Shawk Beck.

The word 'Barras' which occurs along the length of the dyke is Old French for 'barrier' or 'outwork' (Armstrong 1950), and Ferguson implies that it marks the enclosure round the Teutonic 'ton' of Dalston, dug by early settlers.

Bishop's Dyke is generally in poor condition (B H Pritchard/05-DEC-1969/Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigator).

There is a possible Mediaeval gateway at NY374518 (Perriam and Robinson). (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Runs from NY368513 north east to NY373518 turns and runs south east NY376517. NY374518 marks position of possible medieval gate recorded as Dalston Barrs in reign of Edward IV. There is a tendency in this area is to see medieval works as defences against the 'Scots' and alternative, none military, functions for this earthwork should also be considered. Ferguson, speaking in 1883, felt the work was too elaborate to be a park pale or manorial boundary and felt it was a pre-historic earthwork, although this view would not exclude late use as a park pale and/or boundary marker.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY373516
Latitude54.8557205200195
Longitude-2.98038005828857
Eastings337300
Northings551600
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 196
  • Armstrong, A.M., 1950, The Place-Names of Cumberland, part 1 The City of Carlisle, and Eskdale, Cumberland, and Leath Wards (English Place-Name Society 20) p. 207
  • Curwen, J.F., 1913, Castles and Fortified Towers of Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire North of the Sands (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 13) p. 26-8, 193
  • Wilson, J., 1912, Rose Castle, the Residential Seat of the Bishop of Carlisle (Carlisle) p. 184-99
  • Whellan, W., 1860, The History and Topography of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmorland (Pontefract) p. 161 online copy

Journals

  • Collingwood, W.G., 1923, 'An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Cumberland' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 23 p. 239 online copy
  • Graham, T.H.B., 1913, 'The Townfields of Cumberland. Part II' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 13 p. 26-8 online copy
  • Ferguson, R.S., 1884, 'The Bishop's Dyke, Dalston ; Barras Gate, Dalston ; the Bishop's Dyke, Crosby' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 7 p. 271-78 online copy