Armathwaite Castle
ARMATHWAITE CASTLE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1145496
- Date first listed:
- 27-Dec-1967
- List Entry Name:
- Armathwaite Castle
- Statutory Address:
- ARMATHWAITE CASTLE
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1145496
- Date first listed:
- 27-Dec-1967
- List Entry Name:
- Armathwaite Castle
- Statutory Address 1:
- ARMATHWAITE CASTLE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- ARMATHWAITE CASTLE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Westmorland and Furness (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Hesket
- National Grid Reference:
- NY 50572 45873
Details
CUMBRIA EDEN
NY 54 SW HESKET ARMATHWAITE
3/140 Armathwaite Castle
27.12.67
II*
Fortified house and extension. Probably mid C15 with late C17 or early C18 alterations; late C18 extension with late C19 alterations. Extremely thick red sandstone block walls, the facade of dressed calciferous sandstone, all with cornice and solid parapet. Double-span hipped graduated greenslate roof within parapet; banded red sandstone chimney stacks. Extension of dressed calciferous sandstone walls under Mansard tile roof with banded calciferous sandstone ashlar chimney stack. 2½ storeys over basement, 5 bays, with 2½-storey, 5-bay, left extension. Broad stone steps to central panelled and glazed door in quoined surround under keyed lintel with plain frieze and cornice. Later coat-of-arms of the Milbourne family over the entrance. Late C19 leaded casement windows in original stone surrounds; smaller attic sash windows with glazing bars in original stone surrounds. Straight joint in right return wall; the original medieval quoin stones with various masons' marks, suggest that the front of the house has been moved forward, but this is not altogether borne out by the thickness of the front basement wall. Windows similar to facade. Extension is of 2 builds, the right 3 bays earlier. Central stone steps to C20 door and overlight in stone surround. Casement windows in stone surrounds, and gabled attic dormer windows. Rear fenestration of 4 periods: blocked small chamfered-surround medieval windows; 2-light stone-mullioned windows with mullions removed; large C18 sash windows with glazing bars, and round-headed staircase windows, all in stone surrounds; some C20 windows in cement surrounds and plain reveals. Left return wall has small chamfered-surround medieval window, beside which is an C18 sash window in stone surround under a medieval relieving arch. Interior: no medieval features visible, apart from the splays of some windows, with masons' marks, and mural recesses thought to be the remains of newel staircases. Late C17 full-height oak staircase with heavy barley-twist balusters and moulded handrail. Some early C18 ceiling beams, moulded plaster cornices and fragments of panelling, otherwise altered after the 1939-45 war into a number of flats and now in the process of conversion back to one dwelling. Originally the land was granted in 1444 to John Skelton and passed to his son in 1461, his father having carried out building at great expense.
Listing NGR: NY5057245873
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 73864
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 10-Jun-2026 at 19:09:00.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.