Ayton Castle

A fortified manor house or castle existed on the site from the 12th century. In the 13th century the occupiers were the de Aton family, who gained their name from the village of West Ayton, which is listed in the Domesday book as "Atune". The pele castle was built by Ralph Eure of Witton in the late 14th century, after inheriting the lands through marriage to the co-heiress Katherine de Aton, daughter of William de Aton, 2nd Baron Aton. The castle became known as the "Defender of the Dales" The castle was abandoned in the late 17th century and became ruinous. Most of the structure below ground has remained intact, including a twin-tunnel vault. The ruined site was Grade I listed on 18…

The castle is around 21 m by 13.5 m. It originally had three stories, each one offset with a chamfered string course. The ruin includes the remains of a peel tower constructed of sandstone.