Castlefacts³

Warthole Hall

Has been described as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are no visible remains

Name	Warthole Hall
Alternative Names	Wardhall; Warthol; Wardel; Wardell
Historic Country	Cumberland
Modern Authority	Cumbria
1974 Authority	Cumbria
Civil Parish	Plumbland

Whellan in 1860 states that Leonard Dykes pulled the old 'castle' down and built a mansion with an ornamental stone front, (this was evidently in 1813) (Perriam and Robinson). The "low stony banks" recorded by Perriam and Robinson were seen and mapped from air photographs. They lie immediately souh-east of the recorded position of the Hall and are centred at NY13203847. Medieval or Post Medieval incomplete enclosures or field boundaries were seen as earthworks and had approximate maximum dimensions of 60m. More recent photography is showing features to the south of the site of the Hall in greater detail. Two of the enclosures contain ridge and furrow which is 7-8 m in width which is broader than other examples adjacent to the site. Possible hollow ways appear to run north-east to south-west across the area and small enclosures are more clearly visible. (PastScape)

The manor of Warthole belonged formerly to the abbey of Calder: since the Reformation it has been for several generations in the family of Dykes. Warthole Hall, which was their seat, had been for some years past occupied by day-labourers: the greater part of it was pulled down in 1813. (Lysons)

Warthole Hall ... built about 1670, probably by William Thackeray of Torpenhow, who introduced the Classical style into Cumberland, it replaced an earlier semi-fortified house (Anon 2004)

Gatehouse Comments

The house pulled down in 1813 seems to have been a Classical house of c. 1670. However Whellan was referring to the building pulled down c. 1670 to construct that Inigo Jones designed classical house. The actual form of that 'castle' is unknown. It had been a grange of Calder Abbey and, therefore, can not have been an ancient castle. The Dykes will, most likely, have built something in the local militaristic style (? a small tower, a large bastel house, a walled court with crenellated gatehouse) but quite what can not be known. The description of it as a 'castle' rather than as a tower may suggest a walled and/or moated court with crenellated gatehouse.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

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

9457

County Historic Environment Record

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

OS Map Grid Reference	NY131383
Latitude	54.7336883544922
Longitude	-3.34951996803284
Eastings	313100
Northings	538380