Norman Castles of Lunesdale
The castles along the line of the River Lune from Lancaster to Kirkby Lonsdale represents one of the most dense concentrations of mottes outside the welsh marches. These are normally suggested as being built by the Norman’s in the decades after the Conquest at a time when this was a border with Scotland, although William Rufus conquered the lands to the north, now Cumbria, by the end of the 11th century. The close proximity of most of these castles to parish churches, some of which have known saxon origins, may suggests the Norman’s were refortifying Saxon thengal sites. Castle Stede, by far the largest, is not by a church and would seem to be a primary military garrison site although Lancaster castle ultimately became the administrative centre of the area.
