We're now in the Yorkshire Dales. The trip from Scotland took a full day and the only break was a visit to the family castle at Mitford. While we have no reliable evidence it would be nice to be able to claim a link back to Sir Roger Bertram, one of William the Conc's Norman knights who built a castle here. The castle was a earth and wood fort in the 10 century and the existing stone work probably dates from the mid 11th century. In any case it was entirely destroyed before 1325. Unfortunately the Bertram family chose the wrong side in a dispute and consequently had the lands seized by the king around 1315.
We had a few hassles finding the place and eventually pulled into the side of a narrow country lane to Gillian's "Why are we stopping here? OH MY GOD THAT'S THE CASTLE" with a view up to a couple of derelict pieces of stonework. We found a narrow muddy path leading up the hill and found the remains were more impressive than appeared from the road. The bailey (flat area with living accommodation) was extensive and the motte (formed defended hill) rose some 15m above the bailey. There had been a substantial wall around the bailey, another around the top of the motte and inside the motte wall there is the base of an unusual pentagonal shaped keep. All that remains now are portions of each wall and the base and cellar of the crypt. Apparently a lot of the stone had been reused to build a nearby manor house in the 1300's. This may or may not be the source of my branch of the Bertrams, but it is nice to think of having a castle in the family.
Gillian sitting in a window(?) in the wall of "her castle"
The remnants of the keep, now protected by stinging nettles
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