Hartly Castle

Hartley Castle was a castle near Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria. The manor was confiscated circa 1315 from Roger de Clifford and granted to Andrew de Harcla (anglicized to Andrew de Harclay or Hartley). The name Harcla is thought to be from the Old English for "hard ground" and may refer to the outcrop of land that the castle is built upon in the Eden valley.

The existing manor house was fortified by de Harcla, some time prior to 1323, when he was ordered by King Edward II to be hanged, drawn and quartered for alleged collusion with Robert the Bruce, and forfeited his earldom and lands. It was granted to Ralph de Nevill who later sold it through three other hands to Thomas de Musgrave who on the 4th of October 1353 was granted a licence to crenellate by King Edward III:

mansum manerii ... Harcla quod prope Marchiam Scociae situatur et per Scotos inimicos nostros saepius ante haec tempora combustum extitit et destructum which roughly speaking says fortification was needed because Harcla is situated near the Scottish Marches and because our enemy the Scots have often burned and destroyed it.

It was improved during the 17th century with the addition in 1615 of a pair of wings but was abandoned circa 1677. Thomas Machel visited the castle in 1677 and described it as

An Elizabethan building consisting of an inner quadrangle surrounded by buildings, and an outer court to the north protected by a thick and high curtain wall. The entrance to it was approached through a gateway at the head of a flight of steps from the road. Directly opposite an archway opened into the inner court; on the left, or east side, was the kitchen and buttery, with the hall beyond, entered by an external stair from the court; the south end was occupied by the chapel and withdrawing rooms; whilst on the western side there was a long gallery lighted by a large oriel window facing the quadrangle

Another sketch from 1692 shows a thick, high curtain wall enclosing a square outer court, with an inner court enclosed by three and four storey buildings. The image above shows what remained by the beginning of the 18th century. It was demolished between 1704 and 1744 for building stone which was used to repair Edenhall. Apart from limited earthworks all that remains now is a few metres of wall and stairs down to a vaulted cellar for the former kitchen. The site currently houses a late 18th century farmhouse and outbuildings.

This site has been described as a Fortified Manor House

A high status fortified residence not capable of withstanding an army but able to resist an armed band. They are generally moated and have a gatehouse with loops and crenellations. They tend to be sited with much less consideration for tactical and strategic defence and with domestic considerations, such as ease of access, to the fore. The difference between a small castles and a fortified manor house is a subjective one and may well be an artificial division in that for contemporary medieval citizens it may not have existed. David King did not use this term and preferred the term Strong House, since not all fortified high status houses were manorial, but use of his term Strong House has not been widely adopted possible because it is widely used as a synonym for bastle. Such buildings did not require a licence to crenellate and having a licence to crenellate does not mean a building was certainly fortified. However, I have recorded all buildings issued a licence to crenellate under this group since they clearly were at least intended to be [re]constructed in a fortified style

Hartly Castle ruins of a medieval fortified house, built as a tower house circa 1353 and extended circa 1600. The house was partly demolished 1704-35 and the present house was built on the site of the outer court incorporating some fragments. Today, only the barrel vaulted cellar of the kitchen and part of a wall, possibly a barmkin, survive. The ruins were being used as a store in 1983. The tower stands at the end of a natural spur which has been scarped to provide a 'mound' for the structures, although this has been mutilated by the present farm buildings and terraced roads. The manor, possibly with a manor house, was confiscated circa 1315 from Roger de Clifford and granted to Andrew de Harcla. Fortified in 1323 it was granted to Ralph de Nevill and later purchased by Thomas de Musgrave who received a licence to crenellate in 1353 because it had frequently in the past been burnt by the Scots. Two wings were added circa 1600 by Richard de Musgrave 'transforming it into a mansion' and it was described in 1671 as a 'stately house' which had received many additions by the present owner. These included a domestic chapel, gallery and hall. It was abandoned circa 1677 and a sketch of 1692 shows a thick, high curtain wall enclosing a square outer court, with an inner court enclosed by three and four storey buildings. By 1773 there was 'scarcely a wreck left of the castle', materials having been removed to repair Eden Hall.

(NY 7827 0823) Hartley Castle (NR) (Site of) (NAT)

Built as a pele in 1353 and added to c1600. It was abandoned in 1677 and by 1773 very little remained.

A mass of rubble masonry enclosing a cellar with a segmental barrel-vault. There is also a length of rubble walling NE of the house and occasional outcrops of rubble core to the N & W. These fragments perhaps belong to a medieval building with an enclosing wall. The present Hartley Castle, close by, is 18th C.

'Hartley Castle' occupies the end of a natural spur, on the 700 ft contour, which has been scarped to provide a 'mound' for the pele and probable barmkin (Commission's medieval building with enclosing wall). Structural remains are no more than previously noted (see photograph), and the mound has been mutilated by the present farm buildings and terraced roads. Surveyed at 1:2500.

Hartley Castle Mid-14th century ruins of former castle to north of the farmhouse consisting of the vaulted cellar of the kitchen and used at time of survey (1983) as a store. Grade 2.