South Cowton Castle
Encyclopedia
South Cowton Castle is a 15th century fortified dwelling house in the Richmondshire
district of North Yorkshire
, England
.
It is situated on the land that was once the medieval village of South Cowton
.
The castle was built by Sir Richard Conyers in 1470 and it is the oldest surviving building in any of the Cowtons. The castle was built at the time of the Wars of the Roses
, which gives an indication of why what is a country gentleman's house is so heavily fortified.
The castle is a Grade I listed building; it situated near the 15th-century St Mary's Church
, and overlooks the field markings
from the abandoned village of South Cowton.
The building is rectangular in plan, with two towers at the south western and north eastern corners. It is three storeyed with four-storey towers. The castle was altered in the 19th century and repaired in 1980.
The castle is now used as a private farmhouse, it can be found just off the B1263 road near Atley Hill
.
Richmondshire
Richmondshire is a local government district of North Yorkshire, England. It covers a large northern area of the Yorkshire Dales including Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, Wensleydale and Coverdale, with the prominent Scots' Dyke and Scotch Corner along the centre. Teesdale lies to the north...
district of North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
It is situated on the land that was once the medieval village of South Cowton
South Cowton
South Cowton is a village and Civil Parish based around an abandoned medieval village in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire in England....
.
The castle was built by Sir Richard Conyers in 1470 and it is the oldest surviving building in any of the Cowtons. The castle was built at the time of the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
, which gives an indication of why what is a country gentleman's house is so heavily fortified.
The castle is a Grade I listed building; it situated near the 15th-century St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church, South Cowton
St Mary's Church, South Cowton, is a redundant Anglican church standing in open countryside in the former village of South Cowton, near Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire, England...
, and overlooks the field markings
Cropmark
Cropmarks or Crop marks are a means through which sub-surface archaeological, natural and recent features may be visible from the air or a vantage point on higher ground or a temporary platform...
from the abandoned village of South Cowton.
The building is rectangular in plan, with two towers at the south western and north eastern corners. It is three storeyed with four-storey towers. The castle was altered in the 19th century and repaired in 1980.
The castle is now used as a private farmhouse, it can be found just off the B1263 road near Atley Hill
Atley Hill
Atley Hill is a hamlet in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the B1263 road between the A167 and the village of Scorton....
.