Healaugh Hall Garth

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Questionable Masonry Castle, and also as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

NameHealaugh Hall Garth
Alternative NamesHele
Historic CountryYorkshire
Modern AuthorityNorth Yorkshire
1974 AuthorityNorth Yorkshire
Civil ParishHealaugh

Building foundations documented in 1902 as lying to the NE of Healaugh Church, alleged to be those noted by Leland circa 1538 as the ruins of a manor house. No surface trace survives. Other earthworks in the vicinity may be part of this manorial complex. (PastScape)

Immediately behind the churchyard are the foundations of what in mediaeval days was a very strong castle–the one referred to by Leland: "There I saw great ruins of an ancient manor place of stone with a fair wooded park, that 'longed to the Earl of Northumberland." The area enclosed within the moat has been very large, and doubtless included the church and old village green. The foundations are still very distinct, and the position of the two outer Bailey towers can be defined. The position chosen is one of the best in the district, occupying the high tongue of land with all the surroundings well in view. It is supposed to have originally belonged to the Bruces, ancestors of the kings of Scotland, and afterwards to the Percys. (Bogg, 1902)

Gatehouse Comments

King writes possible castle site, Jackson writes alleged to be motte it is in fact the site of a manor house. Quite where Jackson gets the suggestion for a motte is unclear. Clearly was a manor house of some size and importance and almost certainly dressed with martial features although it is an open question as to whether this amounted to a 'castle'.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSE498479
Latitude53.9253883361816
Longitude-1.24281001091003
Eastings449820
Northings447960
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Jackson, M.J., 2001, Castles of North Yorkshire (Carlisle) p. 93
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 531 (possible)
  • Bogg, E., 1902, The old kingdom of Elmet: York and the Ainsty district a descriptive sketch of the history, antiquities, legendary lore, picturesque feature, and rare architecture. p. 385-6 online copy
  • Whellan, T., 1857, History and topography of the city of York and the North Riding of Yorkshire (T Whellan and Co) Vol. 2 p. 495 online copy

Antiquarian

  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England  (Sutton Publishing) p. 532
  • Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (London: Bell and Sons) Vol. 5 p. 50 online copy

Other

  • Creighton, O.H., 1998, Castles and Landscapes: An Archaeological Survey of Yorkshire and the East Midlands (PhD Thesis University of Leicester) p. 147, 151 596 online copy