Castlefacts³

Thorp Arch Castle Hill

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Motte)

There are no visible remains

Name	Thorp Arch Castle Hill
Alternative Names	Thorpe Arch; Castle of De Arches
Historic Country	Yorkshire
Modern Authority	Leeds
1974 Authority	West Yorkshire
Civil Parish	Thorp Arch

possible motte now built over (King)

Close to the park gates {of Thorp Arch Hall} is a large rocky mound-like eminence which I gather is the site of the manor house of Thorp Arch. The site is known as the "old Castle" and is now occupied by the waterworks-tower". (Speight)

No traces of a former building occur at this site. The large mound referred to above, is natural. (PastScape ref. Field Investigators Comments F1 RL 07-MAY-63)

Gatehouse Comments

Marked 'Castle (site of)' on 1891 OS map. The location at one end of a village with the church at the other is not untypical for a manorial centre with Thorparch Hall being a later replacement away from the village within the demense land and park. The use of a natural mound as a foci for a manorial centre is not unknown (cf. Y Gaer, Manor Pound, Maenclochog), however if there was a manor house near the mound it did not leave visible features. The castle name may have come from this being the site of a manorial centre or from years as a centre of children playing 'king of the castle'. The small size of the manor, the lack of artificial remains and the lack of medieval documentary evidence suggest it is most unlikely this was the location of a castle.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

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

54850

County Historic Environment Record

www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=6874&resourceID=105

OS Map Grid Reference	SE431460
Latitude	53.9083709716797
Longitude	-1.34433996677399
Eastings	443170
Northings	446000