Piel Castle

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Piel Castle also known as Fouldry (or Fouldrey) Castle, is situated on the south-eastern point of Piel Island, 1 km off the southern tip of the Furness Peninsula, protecting the deep water harbour of Barrow-in-Furness (grid reference SD233636).

A wooden tower was built on the island in 1212, when King John allowed the monks of Furness Abbey to store provisions there. The abbey engaged in much trade through Piel Harbour and further fortified the site soon after the Scottish invasions of 1316 and 1322. In 1327 Edward III gave Furness Abbey a license to crenellate the tower and a motte and bailey castle was built. It was dismantled in 1403 but then partly rebuilt some years later. However it was in ruins by the 16th century. Some renovations took place in the mid-19th century.

The castle was a concentric fortification with a keep and three towers surrounded by a ditch. A well preserved keep and two baileys remain today. It is managed by English Heritage.

Piel Castle is sometimes confused with Peel Castle, located on the Isle of Man, some thirty miles to the west. This often occurs in reference to the William Wordsworth poem that describes Piel, but is based upon a spelling of the Castle as 'Peele' ^[1]

[edit] References

Piel Castle 1
Piel Castle 2
Piel Castle 3
Fry, Plantagenet Somerset, The David & Charles Book of Castles, David & Charles, 1980. ISBN 0-7153-7976-3

^ William Wordsworth - Itinerary Poems of 1833 Isle-of-man.com; accessed April 2007; "Note also the Wordsworth's lines on Peele Castle, though sometimes ascribed to Peel Castle, IoM, do in fact refer to the Peele at Foudrey near Barrow...The confusion with Peel Castle on the Island is an all too common mistake by those who merely quote the line - including it must be said the contributor to the literature section in Volume 5 of the New History of the Isle of Man!"