Rose Castle
ROSE CASTLE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1087473
- Date first listed:
- 01-Apr-1957
- List Entry Name:
- Rose Castle
- Statutory Address:
- ROSE CASTLE
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2007-07-25
- Reference:
- IOE01/15946/10
- Rights:
- © Mr Rod C. Saunders. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1087473
- Date first listed:
- 01-Apr-1957
- List Entry Name:
- Rose Castle
- Statutory Address 1:
- ROSE 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:
- ROSE CASTLE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Cumberland (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Dalston
- National Grid Reference:
- NY 37110 46176
Details
NY 34 NE
10/100
DALSTON
Rose Castle
1/4/57
GV
I
Castle, residence of the Bishop of Carlisle. Built on the site of an earlier castle: probably late C13 with licences to crenellate 1336 and 1355: Strickland Tower c1400-1419: 1488 tower for Bishop Bell: 1522-4 tower for Bishop Kite: partly destroyed during the Civil War and repaired by William Heveningham as a private house 1653-5: alterations of 1673-5 for Bishop Rainbow by William Thackery: alterations for Bishop Smith by Thomas Machell: alterations for Bishop Lyttelton 1762-9: extensive alterations and additions for Bishop Percy by Thomas Rickman 1828-31: alterations dated 1955. Chapel: 1489 for Bishop Bell, altered 1660-63 for Bishop Sterne, altered 1673-5 for Bishop Rainbow by William Thackery and further alterations for Bishop Percy, as above. Large blocks of red sandstone on chamfered plinths; string courses and battlemented parapets; slate and lead roofs; tall C19 candlestick chimney stacks. Four 3-storey towers, hall and chapel in L-shape, forming 2 sides of an originally quadrangular shaped castle. Entrance facade: 3-storey entrance tower of 2-bays has pointed entrance and 2-light Gothic windows. Similar lower 2 bays to right are also by Rickman. Remains of C14 inner curtain wall to left now forms rear wall of chapel. Bell's Tower to left, Strickland's Tower to extreme left attached by lowered inner curtain wall. Garden facade in L-shape: right is the chapel, with 2-light windows, larger on upper floor, 3-light east window. Broad buttress projecting from east wall supports C19 open Gothic bellcote. Strickland's Tower to extreme right has external stone steps to first floor entrance. Projecting circular stair turret from first floor continues above parapet. To left: hall with stone mullioned Gothic windows. End wall to left was altered in 1955 with 2-light stone mullioned windows in keeping with the building, dated over entrance. Rear facade: 3-storey Kite's Tower has blocked ground floor entrance and 2-light stone-mullioned windows. Percy's Tower and similar extension to left are by Rickman.
See J. Wilson, Rose Castle, 1912; J.F. Curwen, Castles & Towers of Cumberland & Westmorland, 1913, pp227-234; Transactions Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society, old series, ii, pp156-165 and new series, lvi, pp132-141; Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society, new series, 27, pp61-76. All other associated buildings are listed separately. Outbuildings are of little interest.
Listing NGR: NY3709546175
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 78285
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Wilson, J, Rose Castle, (1912)
Curwen, J F, Castles and Fortified Towers of Cumberland and Westmorland, (1913), 227-234
Transactions Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society in Transactions Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, (), 132-141
Transactions Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society in Transactions Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, (), 156-165
Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society in New Series, Vol. 27, (), 61-76
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 15:54:24.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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