Hornby Castle and St Margaret's Church

Hornby Castle is a commanding structure, dominating the landscape from its lofty position above the River Wenning where the house has a 16thC tower. The present building was re-modelled to designs by Edmund Sharpe and E G Paley in the 1850s and later altered by Paley and Austin towards the end of the 19thC. In the mid 17thC the castle fell to Colonel Ralph Assheton, the leader of the Parliamentary forces in North Lancashire and it was ordered that the castle be destroyed or rendered unusable. The order was not carried out and we have the good fortune to be able to enjoy this Grade I Listed building to this day.

The castle is a private residence and is not open to the public. However, a good viewing point for the castle and the River Wenning is from the bridge on Main Street.

Castle Stede is the best example of a motte and bailey castle in Lancashire and has been suggested as the site of the original Castle of Hornby. Motte and Bailey castles were introduced into Britain by the Normans and, with over 600 such sites ranging across the country, are important for the study of Norman Britain and the development of the feudal system.

Between the 11th and 13th centuries, a line of motte castles and motte and bailey castles was established along the Lune Valley, the others being at Whittington, Arkholme, Melling, Halton and Kirkby Lonsdale.

St Margaret’s Church, Hornby. The tower was built in 1514 for Sir Edward Stanley, the first Lord Monteagle, a title with which he was rewarded after the battle of Flodden Field. The tower is notable in that it is octagonal and that the upper part is askew in relation to the lower part.

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