Bowes Castle
BOWES CASTLE, THE STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1121039
- Date first listed:
- 17-Jun-1986
- List Entry Name:
- Bowes Castle
- Statutory Address:
- BOWES CASTLE, THE STREET
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2000-07-15
- Reference:
- IOE01/01077/19
- Rights:
- © Mr Bob Manekshaw. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1121039
- Date first listed:
- 17-Jun-1986
- List Entry Name:
- Bowes Castle
- Statutory Address 1:
- BOWES CASTLE, THE STREET
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:
- BOWES CASTLE, THE STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- County Durham (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Bowes
- National Grid Reference:
- NY 99234 13504
Details
BOWES THE STREET NY 9913 (South side, off) 33/33 Bowes Castle I Keep with foundations of forebuilding to east. Circa 1171-87 by Richard the engineer for King Henry II. Sandstone rubble core faced with ashlar and incorporating some Roman masonry. Square plan.
2 storeys standing and ruinous third storey. Double-chamfered plinth. Each face has projecting corners and a broad flat central buttress with set-back wall panels between. Fragmentary roll-moulded band above first floor.
East front: remains of forebuilding with triple-chamfered plinth to north; first-floor round-arched north doorway has set-back voussoirs and is flanked by small round-arched openings. South-east corner has slits and contains partly- reconstructed spiral stair.
South front: first-floor round-arched hall window of 2 orders (inner order chamfered)to east; several round-headed loops to west.
Badly-damaged west front: exposed mural passages and a first-floor garderobe chute to south; projecting section at foot of chute has 2 round-arched openings; fragmentary large windows to north.
North front: large round-headed first-floor window with set-back rounded jambs.
Interior: ground-floor has several springers for destroyed rib vaults; north- east corner contained first-floor kitchen with fireplace and a simple flue leading out through north wall.
Scheduled Ancient Monument. (The Victoria History of the Counties of England, ed. William Page F.S.A, A History of the County of York North Riding,1925.)
Listing NGR: NY9923413504
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 111195
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Page, W, The Victoria History of the County of York: North Riding, (1914)
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 09-Jun-2026 at 20:08:00.
Download a full scale map (PDF)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.