Old Cumbria Gazetteer
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| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| locality:- | Mallerstang | |
| parish |
Mallerstang parish, once in
Westmorland
| |
| county:- | Cumbria | |
| castle | ||
| coordinates:- |
NY78180263 | |
| 10Km square:- |
NY70
| |
| 1Km square | NY7802 | |
![]() Pendragon Castle -- Mallerstang -- Mallerstang -- Cumbria / -- 24.7.2005 | ||
![]() Pendragon Castle -- Mallerstang -- Mallerstang -- Cumbria / -- 24.7.2005 | ||
| old map:- |
OS County Series (Wmd 30
11)
| |
| County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948. | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| castle | ||
| date:- | 1890=1899 | |
| period:- | 19th century, late; 1890s | |
| old text:- |
Camden 1789
| |
| Britannia, or A Chorographical Description of the Flourishing Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by William Camden, 1586, translated from the 1607 Latin edition by Richard Gough, published London, 1789. | ||
| Page 147:- | ||
| ... Pendragon castle, to which time has left nothing but a name and heap of stones; ... | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| date:- | 1789 | |
| period:- | 18th century, late; 1780s | |
| old text:- |
Camden 1789 (Gough
Additions)
| |
| Britannia, or A Chorographical Description of the Flourishing Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by William Camden, 1586, translated from the 1607 Latin edition by Richard Gough, published London, 1789. | ||
| Page 156:- | ||
| ... | ||
| Pendragon castle belonged to the Cliffords from the beginning of Edward II. and now again reduced to bare walls, four yards thick and embattled, was rebuilt 1660 by Ann Clifford countess dowager of Pembroke, Dorset, and Montgomery, with three other antient seats of her ancestors in this county; in which she kept up the antient hospitality by removing from one to the other, and diffused her charity all over the county. Over the entrance of the castle is this inscription: | ||
| "This Pendragon castle was repaired by the lady Anne Clifford, countesse dowager of Pembroke, Dorsett, and Montgomerie, baronesse Clifford, Westmerland, and Vescie, high sheriffesse by inheritance of the county of Westmerland, and lady of the honour of Skepton in Craven in the year 1660; so as she came to lye in it herself for a little while in October 1661, after it had layen ruinus without timber or any covering, ever since the year 1541. Isiah, chap.lviii. ver.12." | ||
| ... The castle was demolished by Thomas earl of Thanet about 1685. It is washed on the east by the Eden, and on the other side are great trenches, as if its founder meant to draw the water round it. But tradition says the attempt failed; and, according to the old provincial rhyme, | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| person:- | : Clifford Family | |
| person:- | : Pembroke, Anne, Lady | |
| person:- | : Thanet, Earl of | |
| date:- | 1789 | |
| period:- | 18th century, late; 1780s | |
| old map:- |
Bowen and Kitchin 1760
| |
| New Map of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, Emanuel Bowen and Thomas Kitchin, published by T Bowles, John Bowles and Son, Robert Sayer, and John Tinney, 1760; published 1760-87. | ||
| ||
| Pendragon Castle | ||
| circle, tower | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| date:- | 1760 | |
| period:- | 18th century, late; 1760s | |
| descriptive text:- |
Bickham 1753
| |
| Noblemen's Seats are Pendragon-Castle, the Earl of Thanet's; ... | ||
| person:- | : Thanet, Earl of | |
| date:- | 1753 | |
| period:- | 18th century, late; 1750s | |
| old map:- |
Simpson 1746 map (Wmd)
| |
| goto source. | |
| ||
| Pendragon Cast. | ||
| Building. | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| county:- | Westmorland | |
| date:- | 1746 | |
| period:- | 18th century, early; 1740s | |
| descriptive text:- |
Simpson 1746
| |
| The three volumes of maps and descriptive text published as 'The Agreeable Historian, or the Compleat English Traveller ...', by Samuel Simpson, 1746. | ||
|
goto source. | |
| Page 1026:- | ||
| ... | ||
| Pendragon Castle, twelve Miles from Appleby, the Seat of the Earl of Thanet, Hereditary Sheriff of the County. | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| person:- | : Thanet, Earl of | |
| date:- | 1746 | |
| period:- | 18th century, early; 1740s | |
| descriptive text:- |
Defoe 1724-26
| |
| Travel book, Tour through England and Wales, by Daniel Defoe, published in parts, London, 1724-26. | ||
| This lady [Lady Anne Clifford] was one of the family of Clifford; she had no less than four castles in this county, of which Pendragon Castle was the chief, which is a fine building to this day. | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| person:- | : Clifford, Anne, Lady; Pembroke, Countess of | |
| date:- | 1724=1726 | |
| period:- | 18th century, early; 1720s | |
| old map:- |
Morden 1695 (Wmd)
| |
| Maps, Westmorland, scale about 2.5 miles to 1 inch, and Cumberland, scale about 3 miles to 1 inch, by Robert Morden, 1695. | ||
| goto source. | |
| ||
| Pendragon Castle | ||
| Circle, tower with a flag. | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| county:- | Westmorland | |
| date:- | 1695 | |
| period:- | 17th century, late; 1690s | |
| old map:- |
Jansson 1646
| |
| Map, Cumbria et Westmoria, or Cumberland and Westmorland, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, by John Jansson, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1646; published 1646-1724. | ||
| ||
| Pendragon Castle | ||
| Buildings and tower with flag. | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| county:- | Westmorland | |
| date:- | 1646 | |
| period:- | 17th century, early; 1640s | |
| old map:- |
Speed 1611 (Wmd)
| |
| Maps, The Countie Westmorland and Kendale the Cheif Towne, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, and Cumberland and the Ancient Citie Carlile, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by John Speed, London, 1611; published 1611-1770. | ||
| ||
| Pendragon castle | ||
| circle, towers | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| date:- | 1611 | |
| period:- | 17th century, early; 1610s | |
| old map:- |
Saxton 1576
| |
| Map, Westmorlandiae et Cumberlandiae Comitatus ie Westmorland and Cumberland, scale about 5 miles to 1 inch, by Christopher Saxton, London, engraved by Augustinus Ryther, 1576; published 1579-1645. | ||
| goto source. | |
| ||
| Building with two towers, symbol for a castle. | ||
| Pendragon cast: | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| county:- | Westmorelandia | |
| castle | ||
| date:- | 1576 | |
| period:- | 16th century, late; 1570s | |
| old map:- |
Gough 1350s-60s
| |
| Reproduction of the Gough Map of Great Britain, reduced size, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, 1875; and a full size line reproduction, with added transcriptions of placenames, 1935. | ||
| ||
| ||
| placename:- | Pen-dragon | |
| county:- | Cumbria | |
| old print:- |
Pennant 1773 (edn 1801)
| |
| ||
| Print, engraving, Pendragon Castle, Mallerstang, Westmorland, drawn by Moses Griffith, engraved by S Sparrow, published by Edward Harding, 98 Pall Mall, London, 1801. | ||
| Tipped in opposite p.131 of A Tour from Downing to Alston Moor, 1773, by Thomas Pennant. | ||
| printed at bottom left, right, centre:- | ||
| Moses Griffith. Del / S Sparrow. Sc / PENDRAGON CASTLE / Pub June 1 1801 by Edw Harding 98 Pall Mall. | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| date:- | 1801 | |
| period:- | 18th century, late | |
| old print:- |
Braithwaite 1922
| |
| ||
| Print, halftone photograph, Pendragon Castle, Mallerstang, Westmorland, published by J W Braithwaite and Sons, Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland, 1922. | ||
| Tipped in opposite p.16 of a guide book, Kirkby Stephen, 4th edn 1922. | ||
| printed at bottom:- | ||
| PENDRAGON CASTLE, 3 MILES FROM KIRKBY STEPHEN. | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| date:- | 1922 | |
| period:- | 1920s | |
| text:- |
Jackson 1990
| |
| Jackson, M J | ||
| other name:- | Melvestang castle | |
| other name:- | Castle of Mallerstang | |
| other name:- | Mallerstang, Castle of | |
| database:- |
Listed Buildings 2010
Listed Buildings 2010 | |
| courtesy of English Heritage | ||
| PENDRAGON CASTLE / / B6259 (NORTH OF OUTHGILL) / MALLERSTANG / EDEN / CUMBRIA / I / 73359 / NY7817002626 | ||
| courtesy of English Heritage | ||
| Fortified tower-house dating from C12 with later additions and alterations; extensively restored 1660 for Lady Anne Clifford. Dismantled c1685. See descrip- tion and plan in R.C.H.M. pp 163-164; since its publication some of the fallen masonry has been cleared away, uncovering north entrance with spiral stair to either side of passage which was closed by portcullis (slot visible in masonry). Scheduled Ancient Monument. | ||
| placename:- | Pendragon Castle | |
| district:- | Eden | |
| listed building | ||
| coordinates:- |
NY78170262 | |
| date:- | 2010 | |
| period:- | 2010s | |
| photographs | ||
| Pendragon Castle -- Mallerstang -- Mallerstang -- Cumbria / -- 24.7.2005 | |
| Pendragon Castle -- Mallerstang -- Mallerstang -- Cumbria / -- 24.7.2005 | |
| hearsay |
The castle is said to have been built by Sir Hugh de
Morville in the time of Henry II. Sir Hugh was one of the
four murderers of Thomas a Becket, 1170, though tradition
says he only held back the crowd at sword point while the
cleric was killed. After the murder he was exiled to France.
Ownership of the castle eventually went to a nephew.
John gave Mallerstang, including the castle, to Robert de Vetripont, 1202. The Vipont Family held the castle for 700 years, till it went to the Clifford Family and descendants. It was one of the favourite seats of Lady Anne Clifford. She repaired the castle in the mid 17th century, recording that she:- came to lie in it herselfe for a little while in October 1661, after it had layen ruinous without timber or any covering since the year 1541. | |
| hearsay |
It is said that Uther Pendragon lived here, the father of
King Arthur. He built the original castle on an existing
mound, roman of course, in the late 5th century. Uther was a
giant warrior, and a canibal, and fought the Saxons from
Dumfries to Cornwall. Merlin, the magician, is supposed to
have helped Uther take the form of King Gorlois so tha he
could sleep with the queen, Igerna, at Tintagel Castle. Thus
was Arthur conceived.
Uther tried to divert the River Eden to flow around the maot at Pendragon castle, and failed. Awkward stuff, water. The moat is dry. The Saxons could not defeat Uther on the battlefield, but in a siege they poisonned the water supply. In 515 Uther and a hundred supporters died from the poisonned water from the castle well. Then tere was anarchy, till Arthur grew old enough to create a kiingdom. | |
| references |
Robertson, Dawn & Koronka, Peter: 1992: Secrets and
Legends of Old Westmorland: Pagan Press (Kirkby Stephen,
Cumbria) & Cumbria CC (library service)
| |
| Old Cumbria Gazetteer - JandMN: 2008 | ||
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