Bewley Castle
Has been described as a Certain Palace (Bishop), and also as a Certain Fortified Manor House
There are masonry ruins/remnants remains
| Name | Bewley Castle |
| Alternative Names | Buley |
| Historic Country | Westmorland |
| Modern Authority | Cumbria |
| 1974 Authority | Cumbria |
| Civil Parish | Bolton |
Late C14 to early C15 ruined remains of a former residence of the bishops of Carlisle, possible on site of earlier house of Bishop Beaulieu. Built by Bishop Ross (1325-1332), it was restored by Bishop Strickland in 1402. The remains consist of the lower part of one range with a tower at its south east angle and still standing to the lower part of the third storey. There are traces of adjoining buildings on the north and north west of the surviving range. (PastScape)
Bewley Castle (Plate 80), ruin on the S. edge of the parish, 1½ m. S.S.E. of the church, was formerly of three storeys; the walls are of rubble and ashlar. The castle was formerly a residence of the bishops of Carlisle and the surviving remains seem to date very largely from the 14th century. The house, including the chapel and Lord's chamber, was restored by Bishop Strickland in 1402. The house subsequently passed to the families of Machell and Musgrave. The remains consist of the lower part of one range with a tower at its S.W. angle and still standing to the lower part of the third storey. There are traces of adjoining buildings on the N. and N.W. of the surviving range. The N. end of the range was cut off by a cross-wall and had a barrel-vault, the springing of which remains on the N. wall; there are remains of single-light windows in the N. and E. walls of this apartment. Immediately to the S. there appears to have been a large recess or window in the E. wall and against the S. splay is a doorjamb in a second cross-wall, now removed. Near the S. end of the wall is a single-light window with a depressed rear-arch. In the S. end of the range is a square-headed window, formerly of two lights, and above it is a window of two trefoiled lights with window-seats; both have lost their mullions; at the S.W. angle are the remains of a garde-robe turret. The S.E
tower has a barrel-vaulted ground storey with a loop in the E. wall and a garde-robe turret on the S.E. The room is entered by a doorway with a four-centred head. The second storey has a 14th-century window in the E. wall, of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head with a moulded label and in the S. wall is a square-headed window. The top storey is largely destroyed but has remains of two door-jambs on the S. wall. At the N. end of the range an adjoining building on the W. had a barrel-vault, of which the springing remains on the wall of the range. (RCHME 1936)
Substantial remains of south end, up to 30 feet high, date from late C14/early C15. Ashlar and rubble, roofless; one ground floor room retains segmental barrel vault. Remains of 2 garderobes. Various windows survive. (Listed Building Report)
This site is a scheduled monument protected by law
This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law
Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | NY648211 |
| Latitude | 54.5843200683594 |
| Longitude | -2.54637002944946 |
| Eastings | 364800 |
| Northings | 521150 |
