British Listed Buildings

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Listing Text

NY 34 NE DALSTON

10/100 Rose Castle

1/4/57
G.V. I

Castle, residence of the Bishop of Carlise. Built on the site of an earlier
castle: probably late C13 with licences to crenellate 1336 and 1355:
Strickland Tower c1400-1419: 1488 tower for Bishop Bell: 1522-4 tower for
Bishop Kite: partly destroyed during the Civil War and repaired by William
Heveningham as a private house 1653-5: alterations of 1673-5 for Bishop Rainbow
by William Thackery: alterations for Bishop Smith by Thomas Machell:
alterations for Bishop Lyttelton 1762-9: extensive alterations and additions
for Bishop Percy by Thomas Rickman 1828-31: alterations dated 1955. Chapel:
1489 for Bishop Bell, altered 1660-63 for Bishop Sterne, altered 1673-5 for
Bishop Rainbow by William Thackery and further alterations for Bishop Percy, as
above. Large blocks of red sandstone on chamfered plinths; string courses and
battlemented parapets; slate and lead roofs; tall C19 candlestick chimney
stacks. Four 3-storey towers, hall and chapel in L-shape, forming 2 sides of an
originally quadrangular shaped castle. Entrance facade: 3-storey entrance
tower of 2-bays has pointed entrance and 2-light Gothic windows. Similar lower
2 bays to right are also by Rickman. Remains of C14 inner curtain wall to left
now forms rear wall of chapel. Bell's Tower to left, Strickland's Tower to
extreme left attached by lowered inner curtain wall. Garden facade in L-shape:
right is the chapel, with 2-light windows, larger on upper floor, 3-light east
window. Broad buttress projecting from east wall supports C19 open Gothic
bellcote. Strickland's Tower to extreme right has external stone steps to first
floor entrance. Projecting circular stair turret from first floor continues
above parapet. To left: hall with stone mullioned Gothic windows. End wall to
left was altered in 1955 with 2-light stone mullioned windows in keeping with
the building, dated over entrance. Rear facade: 3-storey Kite's Tower has
blocked ground floor entrance and 2-light stone-mullioned windows. Percy's
Tower and similar extension to left are by Rickman. See J. Wilson, Rose Castle,
1912; J.F. Curwen, Castles & Towers of Cumberland & Westmorland, 1913,
pp227-234; Transactions Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological
Society, old series, ii, pp156-165 and new series, lvi, pp132-141; Transactions
of the Ancient Monuments Society, new series, 27, pp61-76. All other associated
buildings are listed separately. Outbuildings are of little interest.


Listing NGR: NY3709546175

Source: English Heritage

Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence: PSI Click-use licence number C2008002006.