Castlefacts³

Lazonby Castlerigg 'moat'

Has been described as a Questionable Fortified Manor House

There are no visible remains

Name	Lazonby Castlerigg 'moat'
Alternative Names	Castle Rigg
Historic Country	Cumberland
Modern Authority	Cumbria
1974 Authority	Cumbria
Civil Parish	Lazonby

NY 50874188. Fort {GT} (Site of). (Ordnance Survey Map 6" Prov. 1956).

The remains of a building surrounded by a moat at a place called Castle Rigg in Lazonby parish, (possibly refers to the published site above) (Hutchinson 1794).

The site is clearly visible as a crop mark in 1947 (Annotated Record Map 1962).

There are no visible remains on the ground and inspection of recent OS APs proved negative. No tradition of a moat in the vicinity of Castlerigg survives although the position occupied by the present farm, NY 50704152, is the most likely one. Certainly the topography is such that the reference cannot apply to the OS published site.(F1 BHP 10-JUN-72).

OS 1/2500 1st edn (1863) Cumberland sheet XXXIX.8 shows, about 400yds NNE of Casterigg farmhouse, a truly circular earthwork with internal ditch, in the position of (1) above. Investigated as a possible signal station, although its size (c. 90m diameter) made this unlikely (RAH Farrar notes, Roman Military North Project). (PastScape)

NY 504 415 Supposed moat.

Hutchinson 'at a place called Castle Rigg the ruins of a building appear, moated round'.

Jackson states 'long since disappeared and there is no tradition... of a moat here'.

Presumably nothing to see. Unlikely to have been a fortified site. (Perriam and Robinson 1998)

Gatehouse Comments

Recorded in the Cumbria HER as Castlerigg Hillfort and as Iron Age or Roman Hill Top Enclosure in PastScape record 1573704Despite the number of varied map references given in the records the location is clear on the OS six map of 1867 (surveyed in 1860). This is a ridge end. The site could not be that of a water filled moat but is entirely typical for a small Iron Age hill slope fort. The site is clearly now ploughed out. An C18 use of 'moated round' probably to mean ditched has been confused it some later investigators minds who seem to have been looking for a water filled moat. What the 'ruins of buildings' were within the earthwork is not known but could just refer to slight building platforms.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

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

12479
1573704

County Historic Environment Record

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

OS Map Grid Reference	NY508418
Latitude	54.7696495056152
Longitude	-2.76521992683411
Eastings	350870
Northings	541880