Penwortham Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Penwortham Castle |
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| Penwortham, Lancashire in England | |
The motte
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 Penwortham Castle
Location in the Borough of South Ribble
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| Coordinates | 53°45′22″N 2°43′24″W / 53.7560°N 2.7234°W |
| Type | Castle |
| Site history | |
| Built | Mediaeval |
| In use | Until 1232 |
Penwortham Castle was an old castle built in England, near a town called Penwortham in Lancashire. It stood on the south side of the River Ribble. Today, only a large earth mound remains where the castle once was. This mound is a special protected site called a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Contents
Discovering Penwortham Castle
How Penwortham Castle Was Built
Penwortham Castle was built a long time ago, shortly after the Normans took over England in 1066. A powerful Norman lord named Roger of Poitou built it. It was a type of castle called a motte castle. This meant it had a tall earth mound (the motte) with a wooden tower on top. Below the mound was a walled courtyard (the bailey).
The castle was very important because it guarded the mouth of the River Ribble. It also protected a place where people could cross the river on foot, called a ford.
Life at Penwortham Castle
In 1086, a famous book called the Domesday Book recorded details about the castle. It mentioned that six 'burgesses' lived there. These were important townspeople. There were also three 'radmen', who were like riding messengers. Eight 'villeins' lived there too; these were farmers who worked the land. Finally, four 'neatherds' (cattle keepers) helped look after the animals.
This shows that Penwortham Castle was not just a fort. It was also a small community with different kinds of people living and working around it.
Why Penwortham Castle Lost Importance
Penwortham Castle was very important at first. But its importance started to fade when Roger of Poitou built another, bigger castle. This new castle was Lancaster Castle, which was further north. As Lancaster Castle grew, Penwortham Castle became less needed.
In the early 1200s, a powerful noble named Randolph de Blundeville used Penwortham Castle. He was the Earl of Chester and a baron of Lancaster. He held his courts there, which meant he made important decisions and settled arguments. However, not long after this, the castle began to fall apart. By 1232, it was no longer used and slowly turned into the mound we see today.
