Chapel Hill Motte, Arkholme

Reasons for Designation

Motte and bailey castles are medieval fortifications introduced into Britain by the Normans. They comprised a large conical mound of earth or rubble, the motte, surmounted by a palisade and a stone or timber tower. In a majority of examples an embanked enclosure containing additional buildings, the bailey, adjoined the motte. Motte castles and motte-and-bailey castles acted as garrison forts during offensive military operations, as strongholds, and, in many cases, as aristocratic residences and as centres of local or royal administration. Built in towns, villages and open countryside, motte and bailey castles generally occupied strategic positions dominating their immediate locality and, as a result, are the most visually impressive monuments of the early post-Conquest period surviving in the modern landscape. Over 600 motte castles or motte-and-bailey castles are recorded nationally, with examples known from most regions. As one of a restricted range of recognised early post-Conquest monuments, they are particularly important for the study of Norman Britain and the development of the feudal system. Although many were occupied for only a short period of time, motte castles continued to be built and occupied from the 11th to the 13th centuries, after which they were superseded by other types of castle.

The motte at Arkholme is of particular importance as being one of the group of early post-conquest (late 11th century) mottes established along the Lune valley. These sites were all of strategic importance allowing control of movement along the river valley. More importantly, however, was their role in imposing and demonstrating the new post-conquest feudal order on the area. Of the wider Lune valley group this is one of the best preserved examples. A lengthy period of occupation of the site has been indicated by excavation which revealed evidence of two periods of construction, and use of the motte.

Details

The monument at Arkholme comprises a truncated cone, the remnants of a medieval motte castle, situated on a commanding position dominating a slight bend in the River Lune overlooking an old river crossing. The motte lies in Arkholme churchyard immediately NE of the church, the vestry of which overlies the monument slightly on its SW. The bailey, which was originally attached to the motte, is now very indistinct as it has been considerably disturbed by burials and activities both within and beyond the churchyard. Because of the damaged state of this bailey it is not included in this Scheduling. The churchyard wall runs around the motte on the NW, N and E sides and acts as a retaining wall. This wall is excluded from the scheduling as is the corner of the vestry where it overlies the monument. The ground beneath the churchyard wall and the corner of the vestry, however, is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

13411

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
White, A J, Excavations at Arkholme 1973-4, (1975)
Farrer, W, Brownbill, J, The Victoria History of the County of Lancashire, (1914)

Other
SMR Lancs. PRN 629,
Leech, P, AM 107 (Re Arkholme motte & bailey), (1983)
Leach, P.E., MPP Single Monument Class Descriptions - Motte & Bailey Castles, (1988)

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.

Print the official list entry