Structure Name: Dilston Castle

Description:
 

Ruined L-plan towerhouse built of squared freestone. The tower ranges between three and five storeys, with turreted southeast corner. The Castle is roofless and in a poor state of repair.
 

Extant: Yes

Legal Status: Listed Building Grade I, Scheduled Ancient Monument

Location: Dilston, NORTHUMBERLAND

Eastings: 397560m (view map)

Northings: 563280m (view map)

Position Accuracy: 50m

Positional Confidence: Absolute Certainty

Structure Types Identified: CASTLE, TOWER HOUSE

Historical Background
 

The tower of Dilston Castle was originally built in the early 15th century by Sir William Claxton, on the site of an earlier castle belonging to the Divelston family. The northern extension to the tower, raised to four storeys, was the first work carried out by the Radcliffe family.

Dilston Castle was fundamentally changed in 1622, when it was incorporated into Francis Radcliffe's Dilston Hall - pulled down less than a century later by his grandson James. James Radcliffe attempted to construct his own hall at Dilston, but his attempt was curtailed by his execution in 1715, for his part in the Jacobite Rebellion. The estate was handed to the Trustees of Greenwich Hospital in 1731, and the unfinished hall was demolished, leaving Dilston Castle standing alone once more.
 

Chronology:

• EARLY 15TH CENTURY   Probable date of construction by Sir William Claxton. At this time Dilston Castle was a three storey towerhouse.
      Entities Involved:
            Sir William Claxton: Commissioned work.
• LATE 15TH CENTURY   Turret added.
• 16TH CENTURY AD   Castle enlarged by the Radcliffe family with less emphasis on fortification. Sir George Radcliffe builds four storey extension at the north end of the tower.
      Entities Involved:
            Sir George Radcliffe: Commissioned work.
• 1622   Construction of Dilston Hall, incorporating Dilston Castle, by Sir Francis Radcliffe.
      Entities Involved:
            Sir Francis Radcliffe: Commissioned work.
• 1710 - 1715   Castle altered during demolition and incomplete rebuild of Dilston Hall by the 3rd Earl of Derwentwater.
      Entities Involved:
            Earl of Derwentwater: Commissioned work.
• 1765   Hall demolished, leaving only the towerhouse standing, by order of the Greenwich Hospital Trustees.
      Entities Involved:
            Greenwich Hospital Trustees: Demolished hall.
• 1881   Foundations of earlier castle removed.

References:

• Images of England
• Keys To The Past
• Northumberland SMR
• Pevsner, N., Richmond, I., Grundy, J., McCombie, G., Ryder, P. and Welfare, H. (2001) The Buildings of England: Northumberland. London, Penguin Books, pp.251-252

The information displayed in this page has been derived from authoritative sources, including any referenced above. Although substantial efforts were made to verify this information, the SINE project cannot guarantee its correctness or completeness.

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