Bury Castle was an early

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

moated

manor house A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were held the lord's manorial courts, communal meals w ...

in Bury, Lancashire (). Its remains are listed as a

Scheduled Ancient Monument In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage and d ...

. The manor house was built by Sir Thomas Pilkington – lord of the manors of Bury and Pilkington, and an influential member of

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...

's gentry – in 1469. Retrieved on 4 April 2008. He was given permission by Edward IV to: It is situated on the top of a slope overlooking the River Irwell in a strong defensive position. Excavations have revealed there were six main construction phases on the site. The first phase was between 1359 and 1400 and produced a house platform surrounded by a moat. The building was razed to the ground (

slighted Slighting is the deliberate damage of high-status buildings to reduce their value as military, administrative or social structures. This destruction of property sometimes extended to the contents of buildings and the surrounding landscape. It is ...

) on the orders of Henry VII after Sir Thomas Pilkington supported the House of York in the

Wars of the Roses The Wars of the Roses (1455–1487), known at the time and for more than a century after as the Civil Wars, were a series of civil wars fought over control of the English throne in the mid-to-late fifteenth century. These wars were fought bet ...

, particularly the

Battle of Bosworth The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York that extended across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 Au ...

in 1485. On top of this, all of Sir Thomas' lands were confiscated. In 1540, antiquary John Leland described Bury Castle as "a ruin of a castle by the Parish Church in the town". In 1753, Thomas Percival drew plans of the visible foundations of the walls of Bury Castle, measuring by . The ruins were looted to provide building material for the town of Bury. In 1865, further foundations were discovered, this time of a keep or defensive tower by with walls thick. The remains of Bury Castle drew public attention in 1973 when amateur archaeologists uncovered stonework that had previously lain underneath a car park. The site, which is owned by Bury council and has undergone "restoration and enhancement work", has been open to the public since 2000. Retrieved on 27 May 2008. Bury Castle is about north of

Radcliffe Tower Radcliffe Tower is the only surviving part of a manor house in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester ( historically in Lancashire). It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Monument. The house was rebuilt in 1403 by James de Radcliffe, who was ...

, an early 15th-century moated manor house.

References

{{Reflist, 33em Buildings and structures completed in 1469 Castles in Lancashire Buildings and structures in Bury, Greater Manchester Scheduled monuments in Greater Manchester Ruins in Greater Manchester Ruined castles in England 1469 establishments in England

See also

References