Hayes Castle is a Grade II listed building in the Cumberland local planning authority area, England. First listed on 9 March 1967. Castle.

Hayes Castle

WRENN ID
young-pediment-moss
Grade
II
Local Planning Authority
Cumberland
Constituency
Whitehaven and Workington MP: Josh MacAlister (Lab)
Country
England
Date first listed
9 March 1967
Type
Castle
Address
Hayes Castle, Hayes Castle Road, Distington
OS grid reference
NY 001 225
Coordinates
54.58855, -3.54708
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

Hayes Castle is a castle located in Distington, with its present name likely derived from a corruption of Aykhurst. A licence to crenellate was granted in 1322 to Robert de Leyburn, indicating that the castle was probably established before this date. Originally, it consisted of a tower house on a motte, surrounded by a curtain wall and a moat, though it is now in ruins. The moat still exists on the north and west sides, but only the north wall of the square-plan tower house remains on the motte. The structure features sandstone block facings with a rubble core, measuring approximately 4 feet thick and 20 feet high. Other stones from the castle have been re-used in nearby buildings. Hayes Castle is also designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Local climate

Hayes Castle sits in one of the wettest parts of the UK, with an average of 1,540 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 99% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 99% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 21 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 78% of listed buildings. Of these, 9 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

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Nearby listed buildings

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  2. Milestone to North of Boot Bridge Grade II 510 m
  3. Distington War Memorial Grade II 547 m
  4. Church of the Holy Spirit Grade II 1.1 km
  5. Chancel Arch from Medieval Church to North West of Present Church Grade II 1.1 km
  6. Lowca War Memorial Grade II 2.0 km
  7. Milestone East of Distington Secondary School Grade II 2.0 km
  8. Cross House Grade II 2.3 km
  9. Farm Outbuilding Immediately North of Moresrby Hall (And Farmhouse) Grade II 2.4 km
  10. Moresby Hall Grade I 2.4 km