Castle Wall Remains - Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, UK - Preserved Architectural Remnants and Ruins on Waymarking.com

"The plan drawn in 1936 shows excavations in the area with the section of wall located at this site marked as"C" gateway walls.

This piece of wall is the surviving masonry of the medieval entranceway into the castle from which Newcastle-under-Lyme takes its name and was discovered during excavations in 1935. It was constructed about 800 years ago, in the late 12th or early 13th century, when the original wooden defences of the castle were rebuilt in stone. The castle was connected by a causeway or bridge to the pool side. The faces of the wall are built of sandstone blocks which surround a rubble core. Some of the blocks were expertly cut and shaped for the purpose whereas others have a rougher appearance. It is possible that some of the rougher blocks might have come from the ruins of the nearby Roman settlement at Holditch.

During the excavations conducted by Thomas Pape few objects were recovered, only the large red sandstone foundations were revealed and some decayed wood.

It is believed that some of the buildings in the town centre were built of castle stone. The finds from the site are now housed at the Borough Museum and Art Gallery at Brampton Park.
Photograph showing some of the things found.

In a report after the 1930s excavations it was decided that the foundation walls "though of great historic interest, were not accessible as there was not a public road to them and the laundry proprietors wanted the land for extension of their premises, therefore the best plan would be to make the walls good b treating with special cement to cover them up and get them scheduled".

However the wall foundation on his site was thought worthy of protecting and can still be seen today.
Photographs showing workmen excavating one of the sections of the castle in 1935, and remains of the walls.

Picture of John of Gaunt
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, son of Edward III and father of Henry IV, became owner of the castle in 1362. He had so many estates he rarely visited Newcastle, spending most of his time in Tutbury, so a local official lived in it. John authorised many repairs and alterations to the castle, maintaining it until his death in 1399. John O'Gaunts Road which was the causeway across the pool to the castle was named after him."

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