medieval near england listed scheduled ancient monument proximity quarry castle oval stone curtain wall metres wide surrounded ditch metres wide metres deep probably constructed late 12th century lying derelict small number finds retrieved archaeological investigation site indicates completed 16th century site beacon 18th century castle interest treasure hunters following rumours presence buried treasure anti aircraft site second world war castle heather ground ruins involved excavations maintain site reveal information origins purpose location lies metres sea level steep sandstone ridge grid reference south valley brook west valley close east castle kilometres south east site castle positioning allow garrison guard castle valley medieval manor manor division land administered lord manor representative case larger history probably built late 12th century lord possible constructed chester given late 12th century date contemporary castles manchester common castles built timber rebuilt stone stone structure start likely centre castle boundaries artefacts site suggests construction completed earliest documented evidence dating castle estate survey recorded ruined castle called value time property edward black prince castle lay derelict castle fallen use period consistent use castles area 13th century apart castle indication activity castles 16th century site beacon castle subject antiquarian studies 18th century originally thought location hill fort interior castle damaged random trenches treasure hunters early 18th century nearby quarry threatened site led castle protection scheduled ancient monument july oldest ruined building second world war castle anti aircraft felt longer necessary excavations site undertaken behalf work partly funded grant initial excavations repair holes treasure hunters included test pits unit began extensive work investigate site determine use date construction final season excavation completed trenches revealed castle stone wall gateway tower internal buildings discovered dating evidence found underneath collapsed gateway consisted animal bones locally produced pottery 12th 13th centuries today site heather layout castle roughly circular area enclosed defences ditch similar bailey bailey castle castle oval measuring metres minor axis metres major surrounded metre wide metre deep ditch dug sandstone entrance northwest site near entrance possible remains stone tower south facing site remains stone curtain wall metres thick excavations shown thought bailey fact recent origin probably anti aircraft date medieval period north west gateway protected stone tower metres metre thick walls wall thickness suggests tower probably storeys high interior castle artificially raised metres ground level uncommon form fortification medieval england majority castles demonstrated fact historic counties lancashire local soil thin build according survey property hall chapel 18th century antiquarian recorded castle walls buildings inside castle standing height metres features longer obvious wrote castle discovered archaeological excavations
Buckton Castle