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Askerton Castle, Askerton
Askerton Castle
civil parish:-   Askerton (formerly Cumberland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   castle
locality type:-   pele tower (?) 
coordinates:-   NY55036927
1Km square:-   NY5569
10Km square:-   NY56

photograph
BSE25.jpg (taken 19.2.2010)  
photograph
BSE28.jpg (taken 19.2.2010)  
evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Cmd 12 2) 
placename:-  Askerton Castle
source data:-   Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948.
evidence:-   old map:- Saxton 1579
placename:-  Askerton Castle
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Westmorlandiae et Cumberlandiae Comitatus ie Westmorland and Cumberland, scale about 5 miles to 1 inch, by Christopher Saxton, London, engraved by Augustinus Ryther, 1576, published 1579-1645.
image
Sax9NY56.jpg
Building with two towers, symbol for a castle.  "Askerton cast:"
item:-  private collection : 2
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Mercator 1595 (edn?) 
placename:-  Askerton Castle
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Northumbria, Cumberlandia, et Dunelmensis Episcopatus, ie Northumberland, Cumberland and Durham etc, scale about 6.5 miles to 1 inch, by Gerard Mercator, Duisberg, Germany, about 1595.
image
MER8CumA.jpg
"Askerton Ca."
circle, building and tower 
item:-  JandMN : 169
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Speed 1611 (Cum/EW) 
placename:-  Castle Askerton
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Kingdome of Great Britaine and Ireland, scale about 36 miles to 1 inch, by John Speed, about 1610-11, published by Thomas Bassett, Fleet Street and Richard Chiswell, St Paul's Churchyard, London, 1676?
image  click to enlarge
SPD6Cm.jpg
"Ca. Askerton"
dot, circle, and tower 
item:-  private collection : 85
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Speed 1611 (Cmd) 
placename:-  Askerton Castle
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Cumberland and the Ancient Citie Carlile Described, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by John Speed, 1610, published by J Sudbury and George Humble, Popes Head Alley, London, 1611-12.
image
SP11NY57.jpg
"Askerton cast"
circle, buildings, tower 
item:-  private collection : 16
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   perhaps old map:- Jenner 1643
placename:-  Askerton
source data:-   Tables of distances with a maps, Westmerland, scale about 16 miles to 1 inch, and Cumberland, scale about 21 miles to 1 inch, published by Thomas Jenner, London, 1643; published 1643-80.
image
JEN4Sq.jpg
"Askerton"
circle 
evidence:-   old map:- Jansson 1646
placename:-  Askerton Castle
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Cumbria and Westmoria, ie Cumberland and Westmorland, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, by John Jansson, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1646.
image
JAN3NY57.jpg
"Askerton Cast."
Buildings and tower with flag. 
item:-  JandMN : 88
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Sanson 1679
placename:-  Askerton
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Ancien Royaume de Northumberland aujourdhuy Provinces de Nort, ie the Ancient Kingdom of Northumberland or the Northern Provinces, scale about 9.5 miles to 1 inch, by Nicholas Sanson, Paris, France, 1679.
image  click to enlarge
SAN2Cm.jpg
"Askerton"
circle, building and tower, flag; town? 
item:-  Dove Cottage : 2007.38.15
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Morden 1695 (Cmd) 
placename:-  Askerton Castle
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Cumberland, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Robert Morden, 1695, published by Abel Swale, the Unicorn, St Paul's Churchyard, Awnsham, and John Churchill, the Black Swan, Paternoster Row, London, 1695-1715.
image
MD12NY56.jpg
"Askerton Castle"
Circle, building with two towers. 
item:-  JandMN : 90
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Badeslade 1742
placename:-  Askerton Castle
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, A Map of Cumberland North from London, scale about 11 miles to 1 inch, with descriptive text, by Thomas Badeslade, London, engraved and published by William Henry Toms, Union Court, Holborn, London, 1742.
image  click to enlarge
BD10.jpg
"Askerton Cast"
circle, italic lowercase text; castle 
item:-  JandMN : 115
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Bowen and Kitchin 1760
placename:-  Askerton Castle
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, A New Map of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland Divided into their Respective Wards, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Emanuel Bowen and Thomas Kitchin et al, published by T Bowles, Robert Sayer, and John Bowles, London, 1760.
image
BO18NY66.jpg
"Askerton Cas."
circle and line; there is also a circle and line for  "Askerton"
which hardly exists as a separate settlement? unless this indicates the parish. 
item:-  Armitt Library : 2008.14.10
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old text:- Pennant 1773
source data:-   Book, A Tour from Downing to Alston Moor, 1773, by Thomas Pennant, published by Edward Harding, 98 Pall Mall, London, 1801.
image PEN6p180, button  goto source
Pennant's Tour 1773, page 180  "I crossed a very barren unfrequented country northward, hilly, and covered with coarse grass; passed by Askerton-hall, an old house with two towers built by one of the Lord Dacres, who placed here a garrison, under the command of the Governor of Gillesland, who had the title of Land Serjeant."
evidence:-   old map:- Donald 1774 (Cmd) 
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, 3x2 sheets, The County of Cumberland, scale about 1 inch to 1 mile, by Thomas Donald, engraved and published by Joseph Hodskinson, 29 Arundel Street, Strand, London, 1774.
image
D4NY56NE.jpg
"Castle / Askerton"
large building; a castle 
item:-  Carlisle Library : Map 2
Image © Carlisle Library
evidence:-   old text:- Clarke 1787
placename:-  Askerton Castle
source data:-   Guide book, A Survey of the Lakes of Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire, written and published by James Clarke, Penrith, Cumberland, and in London etc, 1787; published 1787-93.
image CL13P105, button  goto source
Page 105:-  "..."
"I do not find any ancient authors mention a castle here [Castlerigg], Speed, who speaks of twenty-five in Cumberland, hath found out every one I ever heard or knew of, except Kirkoswald; how that has escaped him I cannot tell. I shall here put down their names, and, as well as I can, their most ancient owners, and supposed founders."
"..."
image CL13P106, button  goto source
Page 106:-  "..."
"2. ASKERTON. Founded by one of that name in Edward I's. time."
"..."
evidence:-   old text:- Camden 1789
placename:-  Askerton Castle
source data:-   Book, Britannia, or A Chorographical Description of the Flourishing Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by William Camden, 1586, translated from the 1607 Latin edition by Richard Gough, published London, 1789.
image CAM2P176, button  goto source
Page 176:-  "... the little river Cambec ... on whose banks the barons Dacre built the little castle of Askerton, where the warden or land-sergeant of Gillesland has a garrison. ..."
evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
placename:-  Askerton Castle
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"ASKERTON CASTLE / / / ASKERTON / CARLISLE / CUMBRIA / I / 78109 / NY5500869208"
evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"BYRES TO SOUTH EAST OF ASKERTON CASTLE / / / ASKERTON / CARLISLE / CUMBRIA / II / 78113 / NY5506469256"
evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"BARN AND BYRES TO SOUTH WEST OF ASKERTON CASTLE / / / ASKERTON / CARLISLE / CUMBRIA / II / 78110 / NY5504269225"
evidence:-   old painting:- 
placename:-  Askerton Castle
source data:-   Painting, watercolour, Askerton Castle, Cumberland, by William James Blacklock, 1844.
image  click to enlarge
PR0945.jpg
In foreground two cows are led by a farm worker across rough grassland; beyond stands Askerton Castle and beside it a low thatched cottage with female figure standing between the two. 
signed at bottom left:-  "W J Blacklock 1844"
inscribed reverse at top centre:-  "Askerton Castle Cumberland"
inscribed reverse at top right:-  "Mr Wilkinson Scotby"
item:-  Tullie House Museum : 1946.67.13
Image © Tullie House Museum

photograph
BSE26.jpg (taken 19.2.2010)  
photograph
BSE27.jpg  Gates, with coats of arms ?Howard and ?Dacre families?
(taken 19.2.2010)  
photograph
BSE30.jpg  Weathervane.
(taken 19.2.2010)  
hearsay:-  
 The hall is of a fortified manor house, 15th century, and still has its original roof. The towers at each end were added in the 16th century; and there are recent alterations. Closed to visits.
Belted Will lived here when he was Warden of the Marches.
notes:-  
 towers, hall, gateway

Perriam, D R &Robinson, J: 1998: Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria: CWAAS:: ISBN 1 873124 23 6; plan and illustration
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