Lammerside Castle

Lammerside Castle stands in Wharton, Cumbria, as a medieval tower house with surviving ruins. Built in the 12th or 13th century by the Warcop family, it was later converted into a pele tower in the 14th century. The Warcop family owned it by 1404, and John de Lambyrsete may have acquired it after 1403. The Wharton family enclosed the area as a deer park by 1576 and abandoned the castle when they moved to Wharton Hall. The north and south wings were demolished after it was abandoned, leaving only partial ruins. The surviving ruins include a two-storey tower with a newel staircase connecting the floors. The lower floor has barrel-vaulted ceilings and was divided into three apartments by a cross wall. A corridor ran north to south, and the upper floor had a single room with a fireplace, likely the lord’s quarters. Earthworks mark the positions of the demolished wings and a barmkin wall, while a building platform remains nearby. Visitors find the tower’s stone walls and surviving sections of the north and south wings. The earthworks outline where the castle once stood, including the yard and adjoining buildings. The stump of a demolished wall on the north side shows where another structure once connected to the tower. The site offers a quiet glimpse into medieval life, with clear signs of its past layout and use.