Castle

The Civil survey (1654-6) describes the walls of an old castle at the Ward, held by Sir James Ware (Simington 1945, 235). This may have been formerly located where Ward House is situated just NE of the medieval parish church (DU011-039----). Austin Cooper's in 1779 describes the remains of an 'old castle. It is nothing more than the lower storey....built of small flat stones and is in a ruinous condition. The door is at one end opposite a window and the left corner as you enter a Gothic door which leads to the Orchard where there are pieces of other stone walls'. There are remains of an orchard to the rear of the present Ward House but no visible remains of a castle. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 09 January 2015

Sir James Ware held the castle at Ward in the mid-17th century, as noted in the Civil Survey of 1654–5. Its significance lies in its possible connection to the medieval parish and the historical presence of the Ware family in the region.