Scaleby Castle

Scaleby Castle stands in the village of Scaleby, Cumbria, in north-west England. Built in the early 14th century, it began as a fortification of two linked buildings surrounded by a wide moat. Robert de Tilliol constructed it after receiving land and permission from Edward I and Edward II. The castle’s defences included a curtain wall and an inner moat, though much of the latter has since disappeared. By the 15th century, the Tilliol family line ended, and the castle passed to the Colville family through marriage. They expanded and remodelled the structure, adding a pele tower and a polygonal barbican. The Musgrave family later took ownership and rebuilt parts of the castle in the late 16th century. During the English Civil War, Sir Edward Musgrave supported the Royalists, and the castle was twice besieged by Parliamentary forces. The second attack in 1648 led to the castle being set alight and left in ruins. After the war, the property was sold to Richard Gilpin, who restored it around 1800. The Gilpins held it until it fell into disrepair, and Rowland Fawcett later restored it again in the 19th century. Today, Scaleby Castle is a Grade I listed building and a scheduled monument. It serves as the seat of Oliver Eden, 8th Baron Henley. The pele tower, with its three floors and thick walls, remains a prominent feature of the castle. Visitors can see the remnants of the moat and the restored sections of the building. The castle’s history reflects the turbulent past of the region, from medieval fortifications to its role in the Civil War. Its current state offers a glimpse into centuries of architectural and historical change.