Pendragon Castle by munki-boy
Pendragon Castle
Pendragon Castle is in The Yorkshire Dales National Park in England.
A small castle in a somewhat fragile state, but very interesting all the same. The castle is a roughly square shape with a tower in one corner that has been added at a later date. There is also evidence of some modification around what was presumably the entrance. There is much loose stone and uneven flooring so care must be taken. The interior of Pendragon Castle is filled with debris and soil covered with grass, it is much higher than the ground level of the surrounding landscape.
Apparently there are local rumours of a secret tunnel at Pendragon Castle, this may be possible but I expect it would be difficult to locate due to the quantity of soil and rubble filling the interior ground floor area of the castle. The thick tower walls still contain several well preserved vaulted chambers. It is possible that these chambers were at one time buried beneath the soil level and became lost. Alternatively there could be some real hidden tunnel, dungeon, cellar or well that is now buried. There are many small chambers below Pendragon Castle, either small rooms or for access to arrow loops. Most are reasonably intact but one chamber has a modern metal reinforcement inside.
The crumbling tower was apparently a later addition to Pendragon Castle and was in fact a garderobe or toilet. A chute like a chimney was used to transport waste out through a hole in the bottom. There is one room remaining partially intact in the upper part of the castle, the room has one small window or arrow loop and an arched ceiling, similar to the chambers on the lower level. Moat-like earthwork ditches surround the castle.
Created: 27 November 2016 Edited: 29 November 2023
Pendragon Castle
Pendragon Castle LiDAR Map
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
Local History around Pendragon Castle
There are some historic monuments around including:
Round barrow 200yds (180m) NE of Hell Gill HoweRound barrow 1/4 mile (400m) N of Wharton HallThree round cairns 190m south of White Brackens HouseWaitby Castle enclosed Romano-British settlement and part of a medieval dykeIntake Bottom settlement enclosure and hut circle, 500m WSW of Croglam CastlePendragon CastleRound barrow 1/4 mile (400m) N of Lammerside CastleWhitber Romano-British farmstead 660m south west of Highmore HillRomano-British farmstead 650m south east of WhingillRookby Scarth medieval settlementRound cairn on the summit of Rasett HillSettlement N of Hartley QuarriesRomano-British farmstead 670m ESE of WhingillLynchets WNW of Wharton HallWharton Hall, gatehouse, banqueting hall and kitchenCroglam Castle defended Iron Age settlementRomano-British farmstead 700m east of WhingillGiants' Graves, four pillow mounds 300m south east of White Brackens HouseLammerside Castle medieval tower houseTwo Romano-British enclosed settlements and an associated regular aggregate field system at Waitby IntakeHartley Castle and associated earthworksWaitby medieval village, part of associated open field system, and site of an associated chapel.
