Monument record 104/1/0 - Halton Castle: Medieval Shell Keep Castle on Site of Motte and Bailey

<1> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vol 1, 1882 (Book). SCH1389.

Halton Castle was not mentioned in the Domesday Survey but it was probably built shortly afterwards. Stands on prominent rocky hill overlooking River Mersey. Its origins were probably as a motte and bailey castle built by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, circa 1070, for Nigel, 1st Baron of Halton. It was appointed by Queen Elizabeth (in 1579) to be a prison for detaining 'recusants'. It was beseiged and captured by Sir William Brereton in 1643. Damaged in Civil War and partly dismantled on Cromwell's orders in 1644.

<2> Beaumont W, 1886, The History of the Castle of Halton (Monograph). SCH3155.

Passed to Lacy family, Lords of Pontefract, in thirteenth century, who were created Dukes of Lancaster in 1311. Documentary records indicate building work during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The Gatehouse was built between 1450-7. A survey dating to 1476 mentions the castle contained a greater chamber, withdrawing room, chapel, hall, auditors chamber, kitchen, larder and storehouse.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, OS Field Investigator Comments (Index). SCH2487.

On 08/07/1959 F.D. Colquhoun, an Ordnance Survey Field Investigator, visited Halton Castle, produced an Ancient Monument Survey, and recorded the following comments:-

'Halton Castle is situated 325 feet above sea level in a commanding position and covering a wide prospect in all directions.
It is constructed of red sandstone and erected on living rock, in places the rock forming an integral part of the defences.
Extant remains consist of a shell keep with integral domestic buildings, curtain walling (including two towers) surrounding the bailey, and an inner gateway. All present crenellations are modern and the whole has been restored at various periods - in some instances entire stretches of wall having been rebuilt.
Apart from modern restoration, blocked slit windows and a blocked sally-port - the blocking contemporary with the curtaining - indicate improvements or modifications whilst the castle was still in use as such.
Window tracery within the keep and in one of the former wall towers is of the Decorated period - some Perpendicular work is also visible. At no point could identifiable remains of Norman building be noted.
The standing remains are considerable and generally in a good condition, they vary in height from ground level to a maximum of approximately 8.0m.'

<4> Colvin H.M. (ed), 1963-1982, The History of the King's Works, Vol 2, p.667 (Book). SCH3161.

Summary of documentary history.

<5> Harris J, 1979, The Artist and the Country House: A History of Country House and Garden View Painting in Britain, 1540-1870, p.19 (Book). SCH3049.

Castle continued in use into post medieval times. In 1562, Sir Ambrose Cave reviewed the state of the Duchy of Lancaster's castles, but the drawing of Halton is now lost.

<6> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, Vol 135, 1986, Gomme A H (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

The gatehouse was replaced by a courthouse and prison in 1738, now the Castle Hotel.

<7> Hartwell C, Hyde M, Hubbard E & Pevsner N, 2011, The Buildings of England: Cheshire (2011 revision), p.566 (Book). SCH7059.

Halton Castle, Castle Road. Probably first built circa 1071 by Nigel, Baron of Halton, to whom Halton had been granted by Hugh Lupus. The footprint is of a motte, comprising a low platform created by a shallow (or much infilled) rock-cut ditch and occupied by a shell keep whose form is mirrored by substantial masonry, plus a bailey to its north-east. Together these occupy the high point of the spur, with notable presence over the Mersey lowlands to north, west and east. Building in stone during the third quarter of the twelfth century is postulated, but documentary evidence is absent until the fifteenth century, when a chapel, hall, kitchen and 'resale' (salley?) tower are mentioned. The castle was used as a court and prison. It seems to have started to fall into disrepair during the late sixteenth century probably accelerated after damage in the Civil War. Engravings and drawings suggest that there was a (probably fifteenth century) gatehouse, which remained in use as a court house until rebuilding in the eighteenth century, a number of buildings on the west side, and several towers liked by curtain walls. Excavation identified the position of a possibly thirteenth century tower on the north side. The curtain wall was partly rebuilt, probably in the early nineteenth century. Along the north-west side some medieval masonry survives, including the remains of what was probably a sally-port, a garderobe and barrel-vaulted chambers. A two-light window a little south-west, a projecting late medieval tower with a three-light window, and a piece of wall with internal blank arches and cross-loops at the west tip. The so-called Folly Walls to the left and right of the back of the Castle Hotel are of circa 1800, though built of medieval stone. They belong to a remodelling undertaken to make the castle an eye-catcher from Norton Priory.

<8> Whimperley A, 1986, The Barons of Halton, CHER Library (Monograph). SCH3054.

Historical account of the fifteen Barons of Halton, Halton Castle, dating back to the Norman invasion in 1066, starting with Nigel (circa 1070-1080) through to Henry Bolingbroke (1399-1413), later King Henry IV of England. Nigel of Cotentin (Normandy) was appointed to position by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, himself appointed by King William following the invasion. William's aim was to create a number of powerful earldoms across the country and, along the frontier with Wales, these included Chester, Shrewsbury and Hereford. It is not known when Nigel first visited the area but it is likely that one of his first tasks would have been to consolidate the area and create a strategic, defensive centre. Halton rock with only one easily accessible approach and commanding panramic views of the surrounding land and River Mersey would have been an obvious choice. It is probable that the first castle would have been of earth and timber, later rebuilt in stone.

<9> Historic England, 2011, The National Heritage List for England, Halton Castle: Listed Building Entry (Web Site). SCH6528.

Halton Castle, Grade I Listed Building:- Ruinous Castle circa 1070 for Nigel first Norman Baron of Halton. Red sandstone almost eliptical on plan sitting on top of high sandstone and earth mound and dominating the surrounding plain. Roughly squared sandstone inner and outer faces with corework infilling. A few high standing sections of the walls contain the remains of windows with tracery which suggests a late medieval alteration. High standing remains within the walls South East were built C1800 to make the Castle an eyecatcher from Norton Priory. Scheduled Ancient Monument.

<10> Historic England, 2011, The National Heritage List for England, Halton Castle: Scheduled Monument Entry (Web Site). SCH6528.

Halton Castle, Scheduled Monument: a ruined shell keep castle on the site of an earlier motte and bailey. The monument includes the ruined castle remains at Halton together with an area to the east of the castle which will retain buried deposits of midden material and the remains of secular settlement located immediately outside the castle. The castle stands on a prominent hill of red sandstone and overlooks the estuary of the River Mersey to the north and east and the low marshlands at the foot of the hill on the western and eastern sides. It is in a strategic position overlooking the Runcorn Gap. Halton is one of a series of castles built on the sandstone ridges of Cheshire including to the south Beeston Castle. The first castle on the site was a motte and bailey timber castle built by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, in c.1070. This was formed by cutting off the highest part of the promontory on the north western side by a ditch 8m wide and utilising the natural platform on the rest of the hilltop as a bailey. The castle was occupied by Nigel, the first baron of Halton, who also founded the priory at Norton. In the subsequent three centuries the phases of building and rebuilding in stone are obscured since all rebuilding took place after scraping the previous phase off the bedrock and rebuilding on that foundation. Any surviving remains from these demolitions will lie at the bottom of the slope outside the curtain wall on the east, north and west sides. By c.1250 the curtain wall had been built, together with a square tower on the west side, over the ditch (which had been infilled), a round tower at the north end, and stone buildings in a range along the north western side. During this period, from the 11th to the 13th centuries, the ownership passed to the Lacy family, the Lords of Pontefract, who became Dukes of Lancaster in 1311. In the 15th century a gatehouse was constructed and a survey of 1476 mentions a number of buildings including a great chamber, a withdrawing room, a chapel, a hall and a number of lesser domestic buildings on the site. The castle was used as a prison for Roman Catholic recusants in 1579. It was besieged and captured by Sir William Broton in 1643 and partly demolished on Cromwells orders in 1644. The castle was depicted in a view by the Buck brothers in 1727 as a ruin. In 1738 the gatehouse was replaced by a new courthouse and prison and a series of small lock-ups built in the castle interior to the north of this building. Again the previous remains were cleared from the bedrock on the site and the new building erected on the platform. The site was investigated by excavation in 1986-7 and nine trenches were uncovered mainly in the north and west of the site. The standing remains are interpreted here in the light of these excavations. Nothing remains of the early timber phase of the buildings and the ditch of the early motte site was filled in in the 13th century. The curtain wall, which surrounded the castle platform, only survives as foundations with some courses of stone remaining on the north west side and the south side up to the west wall of the courthouse building. The best preserved section is to the west of the square tower remains on the north west wall. The rounded plan of the western end of the site suggest a stone built shell keep. The stone tower dates from the 13th century and measures 12m square at the base with walls up to 2.75m thick. Next to this tower are the foundations of a building which is interpreted as a kitchen range with a serving hatch in its east wall. Little of the buildings survives above ground. In the 18th century the walls of a folly were constructed to the east of the courthouse where they still form a castlellated feature. In the interior of the platform there is now a walled garden dating from the 19th century and the cells of the 18th century lock-ups have been incorporated in the east side of this enclosure. In addition, the eastern half of the enclosure was laid out as a bowling green in the 19th century levelling the interior and obscuring the remains of any earlier buildings. The castle ruins are Listed Grade I. Two concrete platforms for pavilions for the bowling green in the centre of the site are excluded in the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included.

<11> McNeil R (ed), 1987, Halton Castle : A Visual Treasure (Monograph). SCH1332.

Excavation programme undertaken at Halton Castle by Robina McNeil between 1986-7, using people from the Manpower Services Scheme, and supported by the Warrington and Runcorn Corporation and North West Archaeological Trust. A total of nine trenches were excavated, most of which were located at the north and west ends of the castle. One trench was also located immediately south of the castle in the car park area. The trenching, of varying depth and size, revealed a significant array of archaeological deposits, features and structures, providing evidence, in particular, for the early development of the castle. However, due to vandalism, some of the trenches could not be fully excavated. The excavations revealed a history dating the origins of the castle to the twelfth century.

No actual physical evidence for a motte and bailey castle was identified through excavation, although the natural topography of the hill lends itself to a high small inner bailey and large, flat outer. McNeil interpreted the inner bailey as a form of shell keep castle, and associated with this, a substantial rock cut ditch was recorded, separating the inner bailey from the outer bailey. It was up to 4.5m in width and 1.4m deep, with vertical sides and flat bottom; its western extent has been largely removed by the cellars of later, thirteenth century stone buildings. No finds were recovered from the primary silts of the ditch to help with dating, although it was back-filled with sandstone rubble in the thirteenth century (pottery was recovered from the back fill). The trench located south of the castle was excavated to investigate the vulnerable southern approach to the castle, no rock cut ditch was recorded but, here, and all round the inner bailey, the bedrock had been scarped back to produce a near vertical face, which had been also slightly contoured, for defensive purposes. The rock cut ditch, scarping of bedrock and shell keep (although the latter was not identified through excavation) are all considered contemporary, likely dating to the latter half of the twelfth century. No evidence for timber buildings within the inner bailey were identified with exception to a single post-hole. However, the fact that the later stone buildings occur only in the northern half of the inner bailey may indicate that the plan of the original timber buildings was the same, so evidence for these has been removed by the later stone buildings.

The castle appears to have been modified during the thirteenth century. A square tower was built over the in-filled rock-cut ditch in the thirteenth century. It measured approximately 10m by 8m. The foundations remain where they overlie the rock-cut ditch, but those positioned over the bedrock have been robbed out. The tower would have stood to a height of at least 15m and would have comprised two floors and an undercroft. Its initial use was as a defensive structure with commanding views to the north and west, however, the rooms within would also have provided comfortable living accommodation, and a potential chapel, for the Barons. A circular or D-shaped mural tower was added to the north side of the outer bailey. It had an external diameter of 12m and a central spine wall giving stability. However, the spine wall was located over a natural fissure making it inheritantly unstable and requiring later repair; also the spine wall was thought to be earlier than the tower and potentially represented part survival of an earlier curtain wall. This tower was demolished in the seventeeth century. Also added in the thirteenth century was the courtyard buildings within the north half of the inner bailey area. The buildings probably comprised three storeys and were built over a series of rock-cut cellars. The building next to the square tower was potentially a kitchen as there was a serving hatch in its east wall.

In the fifteenth century, a garderobe and a sally porte, were constructed along with a gatehouse comprising twin polygonal gate towers (1450-7). The round tower was demolished and curtain wall re-built.

There was some evidence for occupation during the Civil War but generally the seventeenth century was a period of abandonment and neglect. In 1727 a courthouse and gaol were constructed along the southern section of the outer bailey curtain wall replacing the former gatehouse and using stone from its demolition. Six semi-circular bays positioned across the outer bailey are thought to represent the gaol lock-ups. The upper-most stratigraphy in many of the trenches revealed archaeological deposits and features dating to the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. One trench indicates that the follies were erected around 1800, at which time the sunken gardens were made, along with modifications to the lock-ups, as well as consolidation of the curtain wall and potential levelling of the inner and outer baileys.

The excavations recovered a substantial amount and range of pottery, although only a small amount was from well stratified contexts. The earliest pottery, dating from the twelfth to fifteenth century, was predominantly green glaze jugs, cooking pots and jars. Later wares, dating between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, included coarse and fine Cistercian wares and Midland Purple wares. Later still the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are represented by Mildand Blackware and Mildand Yellow Ware, Slipware and Chocolate Diped ware. A good range of clay tobacco pipe fragments were also recovered dating to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

One find of particular note was a horse burial in a rectangular cut within the looser fill of the rock-cut ditch, located next to the outer wall of the rectangular tower. Over 70 per cent of the horse skeleton was present. It appears to have died of natural causes and possibly was a Welsh Cob. Several sherds of a Cistercian ware beaker were also recovered from the pit dating it to the sixteenth century.

<12> Gwynedd Archaeological Trust, 1994, Halton Castle, Halton. Drawn Archaeological Record Prior to Consolidation Work, R2194 (Client Report). SCH3815.

Drawn elevations of sections of the nineteenth century south curtain wall of the lower bailey were made in 1994 prior to the start of consolidation work (1994-7). A record was also made for the north window, in the north curtain wall.

<13> Gwynedd Archaeological Trust, 1995, Halton Castle, Consolidation Works. Archaeological Watching Briefs to feb 28 1995, R2195 (Client Report). SCH3812.

Following on from the drawn elevations recorded in 1994 (see ECH3698), archaeological monitoring occurred during consolidation works to the nineteenth century curtain wall at Halton Castle - three test pits and the rebuilding and consolidation of a section of the curtain wall (section 15) were monitored and recorded.

The test pits were excavated in November 1994 to a maximum depth of 0.8m. Test pits 1 and 2 were located within the lower bailey and measured approximately 1m square. Test pit 3 was located at the base of the external face of the curtain wall and was approximately 0.5m square. The deposits encountered in trial pits 1 and 2 comprised a layer of dark brown garden soil, 0.5m deep, and containing occasional post medieval and modern pottery sherds. This layer sealed a deposit of red sandstone rubble of unknown depth; this also contained several dressed sandstone blocks. Trial pit 3 was excavated to a depth of 0.4m and contained a mixed dark brown soil overlying a horizon of sandstone rubble at a depth of 0.3m, again this contained some large, possibly dressed sandstone blocks. These appear to be the result of dumping and possibly represent the makeup and hardcore for the present path around the castle.

The rebuilding and consolidation of section 15 of the curtain wall on the south side of the lower bailey required the excavation of internal deposits extending 5m from the wall and to a maximum depth of 2.5m. This work was undertaken in February 1995. The south face of a section of walling running at right angles to the curtain wall was revealed. It extended for over 2.2m into interior of the lower bailey and was 1.8m high, comprising three ashlar courses of large, sandstone blocks, dressed with diagonal tooling, and sitting on a foundation plinth of roughly dressed sandstone. Five blocks bore a mason's mark consisting of a cross with an extended line from one arm, these indicate a medieval date. A similar mason mark appears on the eastern internal splay of the north window which can be dated to the late fourteenth of fifteenth centuries. The curtain wall did not abut the eastern end of the ashlar wall and the fact that the wall had been neatly and squarely dressed implies that it originally ended at this point. The wall may indicate the existance of internal buildings/towers within lower bailey during the medieval period.

<14> Gwynedd Archaeological Trust, 1995, Halton Castle, Runcorn, Cheshire: Archaeological Watching Brief - Consolidation Works to the Curtain Wall, Stage 3 (G1358), R2196 (Client Report). SCH4029.

Watching brief undertaken in July 1995 during the re-erection and consolidation of a section (section 14) of the nineteenth century south curtain wall of the lower bailey at Halton Castle. This involved the excavation of internal deposits 5m from the wall by machine to a maximum depth of 2.5m. The remnants of three walls were recorded suggesting that the outer bailey had a series of structures, of different dates, arranged within the curtain wall. It is possible that some stretches of the present curtain wall incorporate the walling of some of these structures. As some of the walls running east-west continued beyond the line of the present curtain wall it is possible that the 19th century wall replaces an earlier curtain wall which may have collapsed down the steep slopes surrounding the castle. Masons' marks on walls 1 and 3 suggest a medieval date.

<15> Gwynedd Archaeological Trust, 1995, Halton Castle, Runcorn, Cheshire: Archaeological Watching Brief During Consolidation Works to the Curtain Wall (G1364), R2192 (Client Report). SCH4032.

Following on from earlier watching briefs undertaken in 1994 and 1995, a further watching brief was undertaken in October 1995 during the continuing consolidation works of the curtain wall at Halton Castle. This involved the excavation of a trench 11m long, 5m wide and just over 2m deep along the inner face of section 13 of the curtain wall.

Two sections of medieval masonry were exposed. A length of the internal face of the curtain wall, approximately 10m long and 2m high, was found to be constructed of squared blocks of ashlar masonry which were not tied into the outer, nineteenth century face of the wall. The wall was not straight but incorporated an angle of some 30 degrees. Several of the ashlar blocks bore masons' marks comprising a small cross or a larger cross; the presence of these marks on the inner face would suggest the wall was originally plastered of lime-washed. The excavations did not continue down to the base of the walls and a layer of rubble was observed but not excavated. The lower levels of this section of walling were not of the same dressed stone as the three upper layers, or laid with the same care.

Also part of a square, stepped, masonry block, constructed from squared ashlar blocks, was partly visible in the southern section of the trench. The block was aligned at right angles to the curtain wall and measured 1.4m high and 2.1m north-west/south-east. The base was not excavated and the relationship to the curtain wall was unclear.

<16> Gwynedd Archaeological Trust, 1997, Halton Castle, Runcorn, Cheshire: Archaeological Watching Brief During Consolidation Works to the Curtain Wall (G1380), R2193 (Client Report). SCH4031.

A final watching brief was undertaken in May 1997 as part of the programme of consolidation works of the curtain wall at Halton Castle, 1994-7. The re-erection and consolidation of a further two sections of the nineteenth century curtain wall were monitored: section 5, located to the south-west of the tower on the northern side of the upper bailey, and section 12, situated at the north-east side of the lower bailey. This involved the excavation of the foundation courses inside and against the curtain wall.

On excavation of the ground on the internal face of section 12 of the wall, medieval masonry was exposed, consisting of squared blocks of ashlar masonry, 0.75m in height. One of the blocks to the south of this section bore a mason's mark consisting of a small cross. The excavation of the interior and dismantling of section 5 of the wall in the upper bailey was not monitored, but the mason's reported that the makeup of the wall was entirely of soil and rubble with no medieval remains apparent.

<17> Donald Insall Associates, 2006, Halton Castle: Conservation Management Plan (Volumes 1-3), R4077 (Client Report). SCH8335.

Conservation Management Plan produced for Halton Castle in 2006. It is a Grade I listed building, a Scheduled Monument and the surrounding village has been designated as a Conservation Area. The plan provides a comprehensive review of understanding for the site and presents a set of policies to underpin the future management of the site and its preservation for future generations. To inform the management plan a photographic survey, condition survey, fabric analysis and topographic survey were undertaken.

<18> Cheshire County Council Environmental Planning Service, 2006, Halton Castle, Runcorn, Cheshire: A Report on a Programme of Archaeological Observation Carried out during the Installation of New Fencing at Halton Castle, Runcorn, Cheshire, R2647, p.10 (Report). SCH7012.

Archaeological watching brief undertaken in July 2006 during the installation of a new fence at Halton Castle, within the Scheduled area. Most of the post holes excavated for the fence proved to be cut into very recent backfill associated with the reconsolidation of the castle wall in the 1990s. The only exceptions to this were at the northern end of the new fence where, in post hole 28, mortar-bonded rubble foundations were seen set directly onto bed rock, these are thought to represent the original medieval foundation. Also, at the southern end of the fence line, in the pit for post 43, ashlar sandstone blocks were exposed and probably represent the foundations of a nineteenth century folly.

<19> Salford Archaeology, 2016, Halton Castle, Runcorn - Community Excavation, R3964 (Client Report). SCH8174.

In July 2015 Salford Archaeology (SA) was commissioned by Norton Priory Museum and Gardens to undertake a community archaeological excavation on the site of Halton Castle. This work formed part of the Heritage Lottery Funded Halton Castle Project to further assess the archaeological potential for remains associated with the occupation of the outer bailey of the castle not identified within previous excavations conducted by Robina McNeil in 1985/6. The work was carried out by local volunteers and school children under the supervision of SA staff. Excavation areas were located to investigate the nature and extent of the remains associated with structures in the outer bailey of the castle. Trenches were opened to investigate anomalies seen on the preceding geophysical survey (see ECH6313) and further investigate features identified during the 1980s excavations.

Two trenches were excavated each measuring 15m by 5m. Trench 1, orientated north-south, was located at the eastern side of the outer bailey and was intended to locate remains associated with a building observed on the Randall Holmes sketch plan of 1645, possibly a stable block. Although a number of pottery sherds were found throughout the trench dating from the medieval period onwards, no features were identified other than a large deposit of sandstone rubble which was found to lie in excess of 1.70m below the current ground level.

Trench 2 was orientated east-west and was located in the north-east quadrant of the outer bailey. It was sited to investigate features identified on both the Randall Holmes sketch plan and the geophysical survey. This trench was able to uncover features and artefacts from the medieval period onwards, including part of a tower first identified during the 1980s. In addition, two burials were found within the trench and subsequently radio carbon dated to the 15th and 16th/17th century respectively. The results suggest that these burials were interred on different occasions and it is significant that the isotopic results between the two individuals are quite different. This could be due to a change in diet through the ages. Many of the features in this trench were cut directly into the bedrock and may indicate earlier occupation phases pre-dating the construction of the castle.

<20> Higham N J, 1984-9, Professor Nick Higham's Aerial Photographs, 1989/2/9-12, 1986/1/4-6, J87/2/25-24 (Aerial Photograph). SCH7659.

<21> University of Salford (Centre for Applied Archaeology), 2018, Community Archaeological Excavation: Halton Castle, Runcorn, R4625 (Report). SCH9279.

A second community archaeological excavation was undertaken in 2017 by Salford Archaeology at Halton Castle to expand on the results of the 2015 excavation. The aims of the work were to investigate the possibility of structures in the outer bailey, to assess the potential for further burials and contextualise those uncovered in the previous excavation. Trench 3 measured 25.00m x 20.00m area and was located within the north-east quadrant of the outer bailey area, targeting the area surrounding and to the east of two burials found in Trench 2 in 2015, also the northern side of the outer bailey courtyard and structures associated with a possible northern tower identified in both 1986/7 and 2015.

Within Area 1 at the south-western end of the trench, the remains of the stone D-shaped tower wall and base found by McNeill were re-excavated along with another substantial wall found in 2015. To the south of these features lay a levelled bedrock platform created by a linear cut to the north and east which had been built on to the west by a 1940s brick Nissan Hut. On the western side of the trench in Area 2, a series of three rectangular pits cut into the bedrock were identified; one of these cut an earlier linear feature also cut into the bedrock. Sealed contexts discovered within the rectangular pits date to the 14th century. A large circular posthole, found close to the pits, closely resembled others found during the 2015 excavation. Many of the remains uncovered were interpreted as relating to successive phases of occupation between the 13th and 16th centuries and are thought to relate to working buildings, possibly for the preparation or manufacture of pottery which occupied the main part of the outer bailey. No further burials were uncovered during the excavation, despite investigation to the north-east of those found in 2015.

The excavation was able to paint a picture of the Halton Castle as a busy medieval centre with local government, manufacture and, possibly, trade all being carried out within its walls. It illustrates that castles whose primary function was no longer defensive, were able to continue to play an important role in the surrounding community rather than simply becoming another residential status symbol in their Lords estate.

<22> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description) (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<23> Landscape Design Associates, 1988, Halton Castle: Enhancement Study, R4689 (Client Report). SCH9420.

Study undertaken in 1988 to explore options for the enhancement of Halton Castle and its environs.