What is recorded here

Bowes Castle rose inside the old Roman fort of Lavatrae when Henry II replaced timber with stone between 1170 and 1174. Its unusual hall-keep stretched eighty-two feet along the upland pass, facing Scottish threat and rebel loot before decay took it. Roman walls, a river mill and a planned village still surround the ruin, preserving a border place where kings, counts and ordinary workers all left their marks.

The National Heritage List for England records Bowes Castle as a scheduled monument. The saved point comes from the centre supplied by the official record. Listing does not by itself mean that the public may enter the place.

Bowes Castle was built by the de Bowes family in the 12th century and later held by the powerful Percy family in the 14th century. It is important as a well-preserved example of a medieval pele tower and as a site associated with the historical conflicts between northern English families and Scottish raiders.

The historic-place record does not grant public access. Check current conditions and ownership before entering land or a building.