England · Partial ruin
Watch Hill Castle
Watch Hill Castle (also called Yarwood Castle or Bowdon Watch) is a medieval motte-and-bailey earthwork on the boundary of Bowdon and Dunham Massey in Greater Manchester. Only the artificial motte, surrounding ditch and traces of the bailey rampart survive as earthworks; it is a scheduled monument. The timber castle was probably built in the 12th century and had fallen out of use by the 13th century.
Its prime
1175
Today
Partial ruin
As it stood in 1175
What Watch Hill Castle looked like in its prime.
A timber motte-and-bailey sited north of the River Bollin and south of a steep natural ravine: a circular artificial motte about 6 m high, 40 m across at the base and 17 m across on top, encircled by a ditch roughly 5 m wide and 3 m deep. To the east lies a triangular bailey of c.2,400 m2 bounded by an earthen rampart that would have carried a wooden palisade; the north side is defended by the steep slope and the south by the river.
Its story
The story of Watch Hill Castle.
Watch Hill Castle, also known as Yarwood Castle, Castle Hill and Bowdon Watch, is a medieval motte-and-bailey on the boundary of Bowdon and Dunham Massey, north of the River Bollin in Greater Manchester, historically part of Cheshire. The timber castle was probably built in the 12th century and had fallen out of use by the 13th.
The earthworks survive legibly: a motte 6 metres tall and 40 metres across at the base, ringed by a ditch 5 metres wide and 3 metres deep, and a triangular bailey of some 2,400 square metres to the east, enclosed by a rampart once topped by a palisade. A steep ravine doubly protected the north side and the river the south. The site is a scheduled monument.
Step inside
6 places to explore in 1175.
The record describes 6 distinct spots at Watch Hill Castle, including the full exterior approach. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.
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