Castlefacts³

Kirk Smeaton Castle Hill

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Other/Unknown)

There are no visible remains

Name	Kirk Smeaton Castle Hill
Alternative Names
Historic Country	Yorkshire
Modern Authority	North Yorkshire
1974 Authority	North Yorkshire
Civil Parish	Kirk Smeaton

Clark, in his list of moated mounds or burhs, records 'Kirk Smeaton.–Castle hill.'

Gatehouse Comments

This site may be;1. SE513183. Castle Hill placename about a mile north of Kirk Smeaton church, in the CP of Stapleton. This was the site of late medieval quarries of fine quality Magnesian limestone (used at Windsor Castle, Westminster Hall and numerous other high status sites across the county) (PastScape 1467009). Despite the Hill part of the name there does not seem to be any identifiable mound, although the site is generally elevated. Nearby by is Castle Farm, a mid C18 building, built partly as an eyecatcher for Stapleton Hall. (North Yorkshire HER NY9762). Is the Castle Hill name a C18 origin? The site has never been in Kirk Smeaton parish.2. A supposed Roman Encampment, south of the River Went, mentioned, without detail, in some C19 topographic gazetteers. This is not shown on C19 OS maps and no mention of such a site is made by Hunter, the early C19 Yorkshire antiquarian.As with a number of sites in Clark's list it may be this was a contribution made by a correspondent to Clark who did not really appreciate what Clark meant by a 'moated mound' and Clark was not really in a position to actually check all such suggestions.Given map reference is for Kirk Smeaton parish church.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record

www.northyorks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3080

OS Map Grid Reference	SE520166
Latitude	53.643669128418
Longitude	-1.2148300409317
Eastings	452000
Northings	416600