Castles · North West England
Rochdale Castle
In or near Wardle.
Rochdale Castle was a motte-and-bailey castle in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it was built in the period shortly after the Norman Conquest of England. In t
David Dixon — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Rochdale · 0.8 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Rochdale Castle, the nearest railway station is Rochdale, located 0.8 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is OL11 4HA. Entry is free, but please note that accessibility is limited for wheelchair users.
About
Rochdale Castle was a motte-and-bailey castle in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it was built in the period shortly after the Norman Conquest of England. In the 12th century, many charters refer to "the vill of the castle of Rachedal". A charter dated c. 1238 describes the castle as standing on rising ground commanding the valley of the Roche a location still known as Castle Hill. The castle was abandoned in the early 13th century. It was documented again in 1322. In 1626 a Gabriel Tayor had a house on the site, known as Castle Hill, described as being on the "reputed site of a castle standing there, but now clean defaced". Buildings were later erected over the castle bailey and in the 19th century a house was built on the motte. The motte is 100 feet (30 m) at the base; the bailey is rectangular, lies to the south, and measures 120 feet (37 m) by 100 feet (30 m). The defences consisted of an earth rampart and ditch.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2025
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Official information
Touchstones Rochdale is a museum, gallery, and arts centre located in a historic Grade II building in Rochdale town centre. Currently closed for redevelopment, it will feature a performance venue, creative studios, and an evolving display of museum collections upon reopening.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Rochdale Canal SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: South Pennine Moors SSSI
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Rochdale Castle was a motte-and-bailey castle in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it was built in the period shortly after the Norman Conquest of England. In the 12th century, many charters refer to "the vill of the castle of Rachedal". A charter dated c. 1238 describes the castle as standing on rising ground commanding the valley of the Roche a location still known as Castle Hill. The castle was abandoned in the early 13th century. It was documented again in 1322. In 1626 a Gabriel Tayor had a house on the site, known as Castle Hill, described as being on the "reputed site of a castle standing there, but now clean defaced". Buildings were later erected over the castle bailey and in the 19th century a house was built on the motte. The motte is 100 feet (30 m) at the base; the bailey is rectangular, lies to the south, and measures 120 feet (37 m) by 100 feet (30 m). The defences consisted of an earth rampart and ditch.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
- Coordinates
- 53.6120, -2.1644
- District
- Rochdale
- Parish
- Rochdale, unparished area
- Postcode
- OL11 4HA
- Parliamentary constituency
- Rochdale
- Nearest railway station
- Rochdale — 0.8 km
- Official site
- www.yourtrustrochdale.co.uk
Sources
- wikipedia: Rochdale Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Rochdale Castle?
- Rochdale Castle is in North-West England, United Kingdom (postcode OL11 4HA), in the parish of Rochdale, unparished area.
- What is Rochdale Castle?
- Rochdale Castle was a motte-and-bailey castle in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it was built in the period shortly after the Norman Conquest of England. In t
- How do I get to Rochdale Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Rochdale, about 0.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode OL11 4HA.
- Is Rochdale Castle a protected site?
- Yes — Rochdale Castle is part of the Rochdale Canal SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the South Pennine Moors SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Does Rochdale Castle charge admission?
- Rochdale Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Rochdale Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Rochdale, about 0.8 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode OL11 4HA.