Westgate 'Castle' [6 photos] in NY90673824 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland

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Westgate 'Castle'

Weardale's 'Lost Castle' in Westgate was one of the most important buildings in the North Pennines from the mid C13th through until the early C17th century. It provided the 'west gate' into the Bishop of Durham's great deer park (which originally extended as far as Stanhope, but later contracted to Eastgate), and was probably used as a defensive tower house, administrative centre and hunting lodge. When ruined, most of its masonry was reused in adjacent buildings especially the adjacent school building (now an abattoir) which
dates from c1820, leaving nothing visible above ground. The site was well known to local people and with foresight of the current owner of the land, preserved from further development.

A recent geophysical survey revealed the likely location of buried walls and a preliminary community archaeology project was undertaken for a week in May 2011 to open a few trial trenches. Following public tours of the excavations on the afternoon of Saturday 14th May the site is due to be reburied awaiting funds and a proposal for a future full archaeology project.

The excavation was undertaken by the North Pennines AONB Partnership's 'Altogether Archaeology' project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage directed by Durham University Archaeological Services.

North Pennines AONB Link

by Andrew Curtis

Created: Sat, 14 May 2011, Updated: Tue, 13 Mar 2012

6 images use this description:

NY9038 : Archaeological excavation at Westgate 'Castle' by Andrew Curtis

NY9038 : Notice Board, Westgate by Andrew Curtis

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