Drawdykes Castle

Drawdykes Castle
Cumberland
Location
Grid reference:	NY41925856
Location:	54°55’6"N, 2°54’28"W
History
	Built Prob. 14th century
	Farmhouse
Information

Drawdykes Castle is a farmhouse which was originally a fortified tower house, between Linstock and Houghton in the north of Cumberland. It stands on the line of the vallum of Hadrian's Wall, and much of the stone used in its construction appears to have been taken from the wall.

The house is just north of the lower reaches of the River Eden, and to the north-east of Carlisle, beside the B6264 and with the M5 motorway slicing across the landscape almost at its very walls. Milecastle 64 on Hadrian's Wall stood immediately to the north.

The house is today a Grade II* listed building.

History and structure

The original fortified tower onto which today's house it built, was probably built in the 14th century. It converted into house by William Thackery and John Aglionby in 1676, when peace had been restored to the realm.

The tower is built of red and yellow sandtone walls, mostly taken from Hadrian's Wall. The homely appearance, with its Classical revival frontage below a three storey house topped by a gabled slate roof, hides structure of the building, which remains the original tower, to which the classical façade has been added, and the modernisations of later centuries. There is a central coat of arms displatyed, and a carved head, possibly of John Aglionby. An adjoining building was demolished in about 1764 to build the attached farmhouse.

Built inot the rear wall is a Roman altar, and inside the house is a lintel stone reused from elsewhere which is inscribed to Alan de Penitona, who was Mayor of Carlisle in 1287.

The house has one of the earliest Classical Revival façades in the area.

References

• Curwen, J F , Castles and Fortified Towers of Cumberland and Westmorland, (1913), 368