castle castle known castle situated south eastern point coast peninsula north west england built century abbot neighbouring intended trade local harbour protect scottish raids castle built stones local beach featured large surrounding inner outer base fallen ruin passed hands crown sea erosion began cause significant damage castle early 19th century 1870s castle owner duke carried extensive restoration work erected protect damage sea castle given town care english_heritage history castle built overlooking deep water port harbour outside called earlier 12th century fortification island possibly built local monks reign uncertain castle built abbot gave abbey licence site comprising inner outer bailey castle intended oversee trade harbour provide defence abbey faced raids scotland architectural historian argues castle built phases starting central believes intended largely summer residence abbot increased threat scotland granting licence suggests inner bailey wall constructed better defend followed outer bailey wall final phase work abbot john decided cost maintaining castle excessive attempted pull defences prevented followed period rebuilding castle smuggling abbey leading complaints merchants english controlled illegally trafficking wool period legally sold french port landed sought help potential local supporters held court castle advancing inland ultimately defeated castle fallen ruin described report sore decayed dissolution abbey property crown given duke late 18th century island base maritime pilots castle passed possession poet visited area wrote poem entitled castle describing site sea caused significant erosion period collapsed early 19th century duke purchased rest island carried extensive expensive restoration castle destroying traces medieval occupation site process restoration involved constructing prevent sea erosion replacing damage stone features castle protecting tops stone walls decided sell island castle local mayor intervened following year duke instead agreed castle island local authorities memorial lost life world war castle passed care central government controlled english_heritage operate site tourist attraction archaeological survey commissioned english_heritage carried findings survey led program restoration work completed protected law grade listed building architecture castle built concentric design south eastern corner protected inner outer bailey stone curtain walls extending north west castle built stones local beach liquid mortar finer stonework windows red sandstone imported mainland surrounding island eroded sea castle lost fallen stone fragments visible beach storey stands low mound clay similar making base rest castle foot high feet feet reinforced protruding buttresses tower south eastern corner original entrance ground level gatehouse feet feet built north raising floor carved female figure seen entrance arch representation large windows second floors lower level later blocked unusually divided sections creating central hallway level eastern collapsed consequence land erosion argues term inappropriate building seen residential tower house similar castle inner outer bailey walls damaged sea erosion originally formed concentric squares protected ditches outer bailey wall foot thick places longer substantial built weak protected moat metres wide metres deep protected towers outer bailey towers foot wide inner bailey wall foot thick protected foot wide moat towers later addition original design gatehouse inner bailey wall built shortly construction castle fortifications slightly old fashioned period outer bailey holds stone building called chapel feet feet size original use unknown appears built late castle history possibly local legends exist tunnel castle allegedly monks escape route mainland exists
Piel Castle