The Castle Guide – a selection of castles from around the UK

Westerhall

Westerhall, privately occupied and much remodelled C16 tower, extended C18 and 19, remodelled C19&C20 after fires

Westhall

Westhall, privately occupied tower house of the Gordons & Hornes altered & much extended C19

Westhall Farm Tower

Westhall Farm Tower, ruins of ?C16 tower of the Grahams, Hepburns, Douglases & Lockharts on farm

Westnewton Castle

Westnewton Castle was a small defended courtyard with a hall at the west end flanked by two towers. Today it is nothing but overgrown humps in a field, with faint ditches and sections of an internal bank indicative of outer enclosed areas, probably gardens.

Wetherby Castle

Wetherby Castle was founded in the 12th century to guard a crossing point of the River Wharfe. The scope of the castle is unknown as Henry II ordered its demolition but it may have been a small keep and courtyard built on high ground now occupied by housing and the Tennis Club.

Whalton Tower

Whalton Tower was a tower house erected in perhaps the 15th century which has been repeatedly extended and incorporated into a much larger mansion.

Wharton Hall

Wharton Hall is a large hall complex of the 15th century with a walled courtyard and gatehouse. The great hall and gatehouse are in ruins, other parts of the building are occupied, and the old tower was modified when the hall buildings were extended in teh 16th century.

Whistleberry Castle

Whistleberry Castle, ruins of tower and courtyard of fortified promontory site believed to be C16

Whitchurch Motte

Whitchurch Motte, site of barrow reused as motte & ?tower destroyed C20; occupied by housing

White Castle

White Castle, ruins of large C12 royal castle extended by Burghs C13 ruined by C16

Whitefield Castle

Whitefield Castle, ruined C16 tower house of the Spaldings abandoned and partially demolished C19 to build farm

Whitehall Moat, Allhallows

Whitehall moat is a roughly square earhwork consisting of a ditch with a raised internal platform, and external bank. There are hints of an outer ditch to the east showing on LIDAR, suggesting a larger structure than just a hall on the platform.

Whitehall, Allhallows

Whitehall Allhallows probably succeeded the moat to the south, and the oldest part is a tower dated to perhaps the 14th century. It was extended and modified, fell into disrepair and part demolished. Today it is a private home.

Whitekirk

Whitekirk, C16 tower and courtyard of Sinclairs converted to tithe barn C17 with extensions. Available to let

Whiteside Tower

Whiteside Tower, ruins of C16 tower of the Haliburtons or Haitlies on hillside site, ?bastle house

Whithorn Castle

Whithorn Castle or Isle Castle, privately occupied C17 tower of the Houstons on promontory used as very early Christian site

Whitley Thorpe Grange

Whitley Thorpe Grange was a manorial centre of the Knights Templar built upon a rectangular platform surrounded by a moat. Today it is in a low lying field with no public access but visible from the road and there are further linear earthworks in the field which probably represent fishponds. It appears to have become abandoned in the C14 after the suppression of the Templar Order.

Whitslaid Tower

Whitslaid Tower, ruins of C16 tower of the Lauders sold late C17 and still in use c1700

Whittingehame Castle

Whittingehame Castle, privately occupied C15 tower of the Douglases; fell into disuse but was restored by the Balfours

Whittingham Tower

Whittingham Tower is a predominantly 15th century tower house. It perhaps incorporates earlier buildings and was extensively remodelled in the 19th century as alms houses. Topday is it a private home.

Whittington Hall

Whittington Hall is a C19 mansion which is said to contain within it a three storey peel tower that was altered to fit the new building. This is unconfirmed but feasible given the presence of an earlier castle at Whittington. The building is a private residence with no public access.

Whittington Motte

Whittington Motte is actually the remains of a timber castle of two enclosures built upon a prominent hill. The lower enclosure now contains the church of St Michael and the upper is in use as a burial ground. All traces of banks and ditches have been landscaped away.

Whitton Tower

Whitton Tower, ruins of C16 tower of the Riddells restored C17 but probably abandoned C18

Whitton Tower

Whitton Tower is a 14th century tower house that was restored in the 17th century, extended in the 18th and largely rebuilt in the 19th, with wings occupying the old barmkin area.

Whitwood Ferry Hill

Whitwood Ferry Hill (or Fairy Hill) is the mutilated remains of a motte and bailey on the banks of the River Calder. Finds have suggested that the castle dates to the C12 and C13. Public foot[paths run around the base of the castle which was damaged during mining railway construction now removed.