Ravensworth Castle And Park Wall

Ravensworth Castle and Park Wall are the remains of a late 14th-century castle, originally built for Henry, Lord Fitzhugh. The castle and associated park wall are designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The castle is constructed of sandstone rubble, largely faced with square-cut ashlar. A three-storey tower is attached to the main gateway in the north-east corner, while the foundations of a curtain wall are visible, along with fragments of two towers to the south-west and south-east. Also visible is part of a belfry tower, and a rectangular range, likely formerly stables.

The gateway has a continuously-moulded, two-order, depressed two-centred arch, the outer order chamfered and the inner order convex, with a hood mould featuring small head stops. Inside the gateway is a portcullis slot. The attached north-east tower has offset plinths and a double buttress; loop holes are visible on the north-west side on each floor, and a single-light window on the north-eastern side. An incomplete garderobe tower is in the eastern corner. The south-eastern side has shouldered doorways with a convex chamfer on the ground floor to the left and the first floor to the right, the latter formerly having an external staircase. A trefoiled single-light window is situated near a straight-flight mural staircase leading to the second floor, which has a window of two trefoiled lights under a monolithic lintel. A turret stands above the staircase, leading up to a roof walk. Parts of the belfry tower remain, including two walls standing almost to their full height, displaying a Latin inscription below the second-floor string course and a tall, chamfered segmental-pointed arched doorway to the north. The stable block retains a complete two-storey gable to the north-west, with a central doorway.

The park wall, built around the medieval hunting park by licence in 1391, is largely intact, with some sections rebuilt while retaining clear evidence of its medieval origins. It is constructed of roughly-squared stones, approximately 2 metres high, and has a tapering profile.

Inside the gate tower, remains of a fireplace are visible on the ground floor, a chamfered, shouldered fireplace on the first floor's north-western side, and a fireplace on the second floor’s north-western corner, with the corbelled lintel framing a coat of arms. Beam slots for the first and second floors run in opposite directions. A rebate for a door is visible on the first-floor doorway, leading from the external staircase. The park wall and castle earthworks are designated as an Ancient Monument.