Stockport Castle

The first mention of Stockport Castle comes from 1173, when Geoffrey de Costentyn held it against Henry II during the barons' rebellion of 1173–1174. Dent suggests that the castle began to decline in the 14th century when the Warren family became Lords of the Manor of Stockport; Stockport was not the only manor the family owned, and they favoured Poynton over Stockport. The castle's abandonment mirrors a wider trend among the castles of the Greater Manchester area; by the 13th century, apart from Dunham Castle, there was no indication of continued activity at any of them. According to the antiquarian John Leland, the castle lay in ruins by 1535. At this time, the gaol was still present and…

A motte-and-bailey castle was a common type of fortification in medieval England. It consisted of an artificial mound, usually surmounted by a tower or keep, with a large defended enclosed area next to the mound that was typically used for storage and barracks. Stockport Castle's motte occupied the site of what is now Castle Yard, previously known as Castle Hill, which influenced the name of the surrounding area. The bailey was situated south-east of the motte. The castle was probably similar in size and shape to sites such as Launceston in Cornwall and Pontefract in West Yorkshire. The keep surmounting the motte was irregularly shaped and, according to plans drawn in 1775 by the Reverend…