Melling Castle Mount

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Melling Castle Mount, Lancashire

Melling Castle Mount

Where is it – England, North West England

Who looks after it –  Private - not open to the public 

What is it –  Castle or Fort 

When is it from – Norman

There is really very little to see of Melling’s late 11th century motte and bailey castle.  It was one of several fortifications established along the Lune Valley by the conquering Normans, possibly to impose authority and control the valley.  (See Castle Stede Arkholme, Whittington, Burton in Lonsdale, Halton).  A history of Melling Church states categorically that it and the parish was owned by Roger de Poitou by 1094, when he granted it to the monastery of Sees in Normandy.  The remains of Melling Castle Mount can be clearly seen, in the garden of the former vicarage, by looking over the east wall of the churchyard.  It has been partly landscaped and a set of steps added.  The castle was abandoned in the late 12th/early 13th centuries and the bailey has been partly covered by the 12th century church of St Wilfred.  Despite that, Historic England maintains that “the lack of subsequent occupation on the site means buried structural remains and environmental evidence are likely to survive well.”

The motte and bailey at Arkholme, on the opposite side of the river (which was closer to Melling in the past), suggests both sides of this stretch of the river were worthy of being guarded.

Melling was Mellinge at the time of the Domesday survey of 1086 and its lord in 1066 is recorded as Ulf.

 


Address
Main Street, Melling, Lancashire LA6 2RA 

More detail from ABAB
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