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Rockcliffe Castle, Rockcliffe
gone
Rockcliffe Castle
locality:-   Rockcliffe
civil parish:-   Rockcliffe (formerly Cumberland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   castle (site) 
coordinates:-   NY35356194 (?) 
1Km square:-   NY3561
10Km square:-   NY36
evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Cmd 16 5) 
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.
"Castle (Site of)"
evidence:-   old map:- Saxton 1579
placename:-  Rowcliff 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
Sax9NY36.jpg
Building with two towers, symbol for a castle.  "Rowcliff cast:"
item:-  private collection : 2
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Burghley 1590 (facsimile) 
placename:-  Rokelif Castel
source data:-   Facsimile map, A Platt of the Opposete Border of Scotland to ye West Marches of England, parts of Cumberland and Scotland including the Debateable Land, from a manuscript drawn for William Cecil, Lord Burghley, about 1590, published by R B Armstrong, 1897.
courtesy of the National Library of Scotland
image
M048NY36.jpg
"Rokelif. cast"
perhaps circle, tower 
item:-  National Library of Scotland : MS6113 f.267
Image © National Library of Scotland
evidence:-   old map:- Speed 1611 (Cmd) 
placename:-  Rowcliff 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
SP11NY36.jpg
"Rowcliff ca."
circle, towers 
item:-  private collection : 16
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   probably old map:- Jansson 1646
placename:-  Rowcliff 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
JAN3NY36.jpg
"Rowcliff Cast."
Buildings and tower with flag. 
item:-  JandMN : 88
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Sanson 1679
placename:-  Rookley Castle
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
"Rookley C."
circle, perhaps towers, flag; castle 
item:-  Dove Cottage : 2007.38.15
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Morden 1695 (Cmd) 
placename:-  Rowcliff 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
MD12NY36.jpg
"Rowcliff Castle"
Circle, building with two towers. 
item:-  JandMN : 90
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Badeslade 1742
placename:-  Rowclif 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
"Row[clif] C"
circle, italic lowercase text; castle 
item:-  JandMN : 115
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old text:- Clarke 1787
placename:-  Rowcliff 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:-  "..."
"9. ROWCLIFF. Adam de Bray."
"..."
evidence:-   old text:- Camden 1789
placename:-  Rowcliff 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 CAM2P175, button  goto source
Page 175:-  "..."
"Crossing the Eden now one sees Rowcliff near the bank, a little castle, built by the lords Dacres not long since for the defence of their property. ..."
evidence:-   old text:- Camden 1789 (Gough Additions) 
placename:-  Rockclif 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 CAM2P195, button  goto source
Page 195:-  "..."
""Rockclif, a pretty pile or castle of the lord Daker's over Edon on the farther ripe, about three miles from Caerluell," It was sold by the duke of Norfolk 1682, and now belongs to Mr. Strong of Peterborough."
evidence:-   text:- Jackson 1990
placename:-  Rocliffe castle
placename:-  Rokele castle
source data:-  
notes:-  
 The castle was built early 16th century, and could garrison 200 men. By 1683 it was a ruin, and now there is no trace.
notes:-  
 tower and courtyard, demolished; a mansion built on the site

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