South Cowton Castle is a 15th-century fortified dwelling house in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the land that was once the medieval village of South Cowton. [1]
The castle was built by Sir Richard Conyers in 1470 and it is the oldest surviving building in any of the Cowtons. [2] The castle was built at the time of the Wars of the Roses, which gives an indication of why what is a country gentleman's house is so heavily fortified. [3]
The castle is a grade I listed building; it is situated near the 15th century St Mary's Church, and overlooks the field markings from the abandoned village of South Cowton. [4]
The building is rectangular in plan, with two towers at the south western and north eastern corners. It is three storeyed with four-storey towers. The castle was altered in the 19th century and, after a roof-fall in 1979, repaired between 1980 and 1982. [3] [5]
The castle is now used as a private farmhouse, it can be found just off the B1263 road near Atley Hill. [6] [7]
