Time Team - Castle Farm, Scargill, Country Durham - Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results

Wessex Archaeology

An evaluation comprising seven trenches, as well as some further exploration of the gatehouse, confirmed two periods of use of the manor house. In the 12th-14th century the residence appears to have had a defensive function, with a large curtain wall and a barmkin (walled enclosure) to the south-east. After an apparent hiatus in occupation the manor appears to have been reoccupied and substantially modified in the 15th-16th century. During this period the gatehouse was built, portions of the curtain wall were demolished and a ground floor hall was constructed. The house seems to have fallen into disuse in the early 18th century. No features earlier than the medieval period were found during this investigation.

This evaluation, although limited in its extent, clarified much of the plan of the fortified house, both confirming what was already known and also revealing additional features, and enabling a clearer understanding of the nature and development of the buildings within the scheduled area at Castle Farm.