Castlefacts³

Gate Castle, Stanhope

Has been described as a Possible Pele Tower

There are masonry footings remains

Name	Gate Castle, Stanhope
Alternative Names	Gaitte; Gates
Historic Country	Durham
Modern Authority	Durham
1974 Authority	County Durham
Civil Parish	Stanhope

Said by Egglestone to be the southern gate of the deer park of the Bishops of Durham and to have been once owned by Emerson the mathematician. It is, however, a mile inside the south wall of the Deer Park with which it probably has some connection. It is quite unrelated to existing field walls. No sign of the east and west walls in 1945 (Hildyard). The remains of the Gate Castle form a rectangle measuring 17m E to W by 7m N to S. The N, E and W walls of coursed rubble masonry stand to a maximum height of 1.4m and are spread to a width of 2.0m. The S wall is visible as a grass covered bank 1.0m wide by 0.2m high. No entrance is visible (F1 DS 01-JUL-57). Abutting the remains above described, are the foundations of a possible wing projecting to the south. This area measures 9 x 5 metres, and makes the building L-shaped on plan (F2 JLD 02-JUL-57). The remains of this probable gate tower have been completely removed. All that remains are a few flat stones protruding through the now level turf (F3 ISS 09-SEP-74). (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

The suspicious must be this 'tenement' was a park lodge built with some entirely symbolic crenellations rather than anything that was ever intended to fortified. However, Weardale is fairly remote and some domestic defenses, of the sort seen in late pele towers and bastles, may have existed.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)

18008

County Historic Environment Record

www.keystothepast.info/article/10339/Site-Details?PRN=D2301

OS Map Grid Reference	NY941379
Latitude	54.7362594604492
Longitude	-2.09296989440918
Eastings	394100
Northings	537910