Castlefacts³

Beckfoot Castlefield

Has been described as a Questionable Bastle

There are no visible remains

Name	Beckfoot Castlefield
Alternative Names	Mawbray Castle, Bibra
Historic Country	Cumberland
Modern Authority	Cumbria
1974 Authority	Cumbria
Civil Parish	Holme St Cuthbert

Here is a place called Castlefields, said to have been the site of an ancient fortress, which is generally understood to have been one of the partially fortified farm-houses of the monastery. (Whellan 1860)

Supposed bastle but probably a Roman Fort. Whellan writes 'said to have been the site of an ancient fortress, which is generally understood to have been one of the partially fortified farmhouses of the monastery of Holm Cultram'. (Perriam and Robinson)

Gatehouse Comments

Jackson does not mention the possible bastle (they are not generally included in his castles book) but does mention Roman fort, once locally called 'Mawbray Castle'.This is clearly the site of a Roman fort and the castle place-names clearly refer to Roman remains. The site was excavated in 1879-80 but is not likely to have paid significant attention to late medieval remains, so this does not exclude the presence of a bastle (built of easily available stone) using the Roman fort as a barmkin.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

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

9087

County Historic Environment Record

maps.cumbria.gov.uk/eggp/eggp.aspx?dept=Environment&scriptname=1%20Historic%20Environment

OS Map Grid Reference	NY089488
Latitude	54.826099395752
Longitude	-3.41859006881714
Eastings	308960
Northings	548840