Where is Clitheroe Castle?

Clitheroe Castle is in Lancashire, North-West England, United Kingdom (postcode BB7 1BB), in the parish of Clitheroe.

How do I get to Clitheroe Castle?

The nearest railway station is Clitheroe, about 0.3 km away. Drivers can use postcode BB7 1BB.

Who owns Clitheroe Castle?

Clitheroe Castle is owned by | designation1 = Scheduled Monument.

Is Clitheroe Castle a listed building?

Clitheroe Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.

Is Clitheroe Castle a protected site?

Yes — Clitheroe Castle is part of the Forest Of Bowland National Landscape (AONB).

Does Clitheroe Castle charge admission?

Clitheroe Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.

Castles · North West England

Clitheroe Castle

In or near Chatburn.

Norman & medievalPaid admission♿ Wheelchair: limited★ 4.5 · 196 Google reviews£

Clitheroe Castle — castle in Lancashire, England, UK.

Clitheroe Castle, castles in Lancashire — Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit: 1.5 h–3 h
Nearest railway station: Clitheroe · 0.3 km

Paid entry
Family-friendly
Limited wheelchair access

Getting there & planning your visit

Clitheroe Castle is located in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, with the postcode BB7 1BB. The nearest railway station is Clitheroe, which is 0.3 km away. Entry is paid, and wheelchair accessibility is limited.

Directions on Google Maps →

Clitheroe Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1200. It covers approximately 8 km². Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Wikidata describes it as: "castle in Lancashire, England, UK". Coordinates: 53.8709°, -2.3931°.

Photo gallery

Heritage listing

Clitheroe Castle is a ruined early medieval castle in Clitheroe in the Borough of Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England. It was the caput of the Honour of Clitheroe, a vast estate stretching along the western side of the Pennines. Its earliest history is debated but it is thought to be of Norman origin, probably built in the twelfth century. Property of the de Lacy family, the honour later merged with the earldom and then Duchy of Lancaster. Given to George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle in 1660, the castle site remained in private ownership until 1920, when it was sold to the people of Clitheroe to create a war memorial. Today the buildings on the site are the home of Clitheroe Castle Museum. The keep is the second smallest surviving stone-built keep in England.

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.

Summary from the official site

Clitheroe Castle Museum is situated within the historic grounds of Clitheroe Castle, which has been a prominent landmark for over 800 years. The museum offers a journey through 350 million years of local history, featuring exhibits that highlight the area's unique wildlife, folklore, and significant historical events.

Read more on the official property page.

Protected designations

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Forest Of Bowland

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

After the Norman Conquest in 1066, the Anglo-Saxon hundred of Blackburnshire was part of a fief given to Roger de Poitou, and the Domesday Book of 1086 shows he had given it to Roger de Busli and Albert de Gresle. Clitheroe is not mentioned by name, and it is assumed that Blackburn had previously been the administrative centre. However some time during the reign of William Rufus, Poitou gave Blackburnshire and the Bowland area, north of the River Ribble (under Craven in the Domesday Book) to the Baron of Pontefract, Robert de Lacy. When de Poitou lost his English holdings in 1102, Henry I not only allowed de Lacy to keep these lands, but added to them with the vills of Chipping, Aighton and…

Architecture

The Historic England scheduled monument record classifies Clitheroe as an enclosure castle, the principal defence being the wall surrounding the site. It was essentially a motte-and-bailey layout, with a natural outcrop utilised as the motte. The keep is the second smallest surviving stone-built keep in England. It is thought that, as the keep was so small, other essential buildings such as the great hall may have been located on the site where the education suite now stands. A 1602 survey mentions Mr Auditor's chamber, the hall and buttery, and there would likely also have been stables and lodgings for any stationed soldiers. The southwest corner of the site next to the Steward's house was…

Description

The first-floor arrow loop on the southeast side has today widened, most likely the result of natural decay. There is an ancient local legend that the Devil once gathered rocks in an apron, and threw a boulder aimed at the castle, from a place on Pendle Hill called Apronful. However the apron broke, dropping a pile of stones and causing the shot to land near the church in Pendleton. The guidebook to the castle relates this local tale, "they always said that the hole in the side of the keep was made by Cromwell in the Civil War. It's only a story but they say that he attacked the castle and fired at it with a cannon from the top of Pendle Hill – it must have been a good cannon for the time…

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates: 53.8709, -2.3931
County: Lancashire
District: Ribble Valley
Parish: Clitheroe
Postcode: BB7 1BB
Parliamentary constituency: Pendle and Clitheroe
Established: 1200
Nearest railway station: Clitheroe — 0.3 km
Opening: Monday to Sunday 11am–4pm
Official site: www.lancashire.gov.uk

Sources

wikidata: Q5134437 (CC0)
wikipedia: Clitheroe Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
commons: Clitheroe Castle.JPG (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Other places nearby

🐕↗ lancashire.gov.uk

Where to eat & stay near Clitheroe Castle

Places to stay

📷 5

Restaurants · North West England

The Cellar

The Cellar — a restaurant in england north west.

👶

Frequently asked questions

Where is Clitheroe Castle?: Clitheroe Castle is in Lancashire, North-West England, United Kingdom (postcode BB7 1BB), in the parish of Clitheroe.
What is Clitheroe Castle?: Clitheroe Castle — castle in Lancashire, England, UK.
How do I get to Clitheroe Castle?: The nearest railway station is Clitheroe, about 0.3 km away. Drivers can use postcode BB7 1BB.
When was Clitheroe Castle built?: Built or established in 1200.
Who owns Clitheroe Castle?: Clitheroe Castle is owned by | designation1 = Scheduled Monument.
Is Clitheroe Castle a listed building?: Clitheroe Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
Is Clitheroe Castle a protected site?: Yes — Clitheroe Castle is part of the Forest Of Bowland National Landscape (AONB).
Does Clitheroe Castle charge admission?: Clitheroe Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.