Hangthwaite Castle

View towards the remains of the castle

Hangthwaite Castle was an earthwork motte and bailey castle founded by Nigel Fozzard. It stood in the 11th century[1] and is situated just north of Scawthorpe, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. Originally, the site was known as Langthwaite, though it changed over the years to Hangthwaite.[2][3] In the 13th century, a fortified house called Radcliffe Moat (53.5554°N 1.1639°W / 53.5554; -1.1639 (Radcliffe Moat)) replaced Hangthwaite Castle as a local fortification.[4] Nowadays, only the motte and the ditches remain. Encased by the wide wet ditch, the motte defends a bean-shaped eastern bailey and a small north-western mound, which is possibly a barbican.[5]

A settlement was adjacent to the castle, which is now designated as a Deserted Medieval Village (DMV).[6] The site is now a scheduled monument.[1]

It is known locally as Castle Hills,[7] with a school, just a few hundred yards away bearing the name Castle Hills Primary School.[8]

References

1. Historic England. "Castle Hills motte and bailey castle, Langthwaite, Adwick le Street (1013654)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
2. "Adwick le Street :: Survey of English Place-Names". epns.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
3. "Hangthwaite :: Survey of English Place-Names". epns.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
4. Radcliffe Moat
5. Hangthwaite Castle
6. Beresford, Maurice (1953). "The Lost Villages of Yorkshire, Part III". Yorkshire Archaeological Journal. 38. Leeds: Yorkshire Archaeological Society: 239. ISSN 0084-4276.
7. Castle Hills Langthwaite. CastleUK.net
8. "Castle Hills Primary School, Doncaster". Castle Hills Primary School. Archived from the original on 6 July 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.

53.5541°N 1.1691°W / 53.5541; -1.1691