Peveril Castle is an example of a Norman Castle in the Peak District Village of Castleton in Derbyshire. It stands high above the Village on a Hillside and can be seen from many miles around. It occupies a position, flanked by the steep slopes of Cavedale, which, geographically speaking, is a natural defensive position.
Any visitor to this beautiful part of the Peak District National Park cannot fail to see the ruins of this Castle, as it dominates both the Village itself and the surrounding Valley. Today this Castle is mainly just ruins, but there is a sufficient amount of it left to give a good idea of how the Castle would have looked in its prime.
The name of the Castle is derived from William Peveril, who was effectively the Agent of William the Conquerer. He was given this role following the Norman Conquest of 1066 and Peveril Castle was just one of the many perks that was granted to him. It is thought that William Peveril was probably the illegitimate son of William the first.
Construction of Peveril Castle was completed by the year 1080, although it had probably taken around a decade to build. Parts of the original building were originally made of wood, but these were quickly replaced with stone.
By the time the Tudor Period was over in 1558 the Castle had began to fall into a state of neglect and by 1650 only the Keep remained in use, as a Courthouse. After this time the Castle gradually became ruined until it was eventually restored in the early 1900’s.
Today, anyone visiting the Castle has to climb up a very steep hill from the Village, which takes you through the Castle’s Visitor Centre where there is an admission fee to pay. This approach however was not the access route when the Castle was in use. Instead a footpath zig-zagged up the hillside and along Cavedale ridge, where there is a steep gulley. This gulley had a wooden bridge across it which is now gone and has not been replaced.
The modern approach to Peveril castle takes you through the remains of a 12th century Gatehouse and into the main Courtyard of the Castle where there are some Roman tiles. These tiles are believed to have originated from the Roman Fort of Navio at nearby Brough on Noe.
The most prominent feature of the castle today is its Keep, which is still remarkably well preserved. This Keep was built in 1176 and was originally over 60 feet high.
Standing inside the Courtyard it is possible to trace the outline of many of the former areas including the Kitchen and the Great Hall.
Peveril Castle is now under the management of English Heritage and it is free to visit if you are an English Heritage member. For non members there is a charge of £3.50 for Adults, £1.80 for Children or £2.60 for Concessions. It is also possible to purchase a Family ticket (2 Adults + 2 Children ) for £8.80. Due to the steep approach to the Castle the journey is not really suitable for wheelchair users or the infirm.
The Visitor Centre located at the foot of the Castle is free to enter and this is a great place to learn about the history of the Castle. There are Gifts and Souvenirs on sale and Guide Books, plus various free leaflets that can obtained from the main reception desk. Dogs are allowed inside the Visitor Centre and beyond into the grounds of the Castle, providing that they are kept on a lead. There are also Toilets located within the Visitor Centre, including ones with disabled access and baby changing facilities.
The Castle can be visited during the following opening times:
April 1st - April 30th: Daily between 10am and 5pm May 1st - Aug 31st: Daily between 10am and 6pm Sept 1st - Oct 31st: Daily between 10am and 5pm Nov 1st - Mar 31: Thursday to Monday between 10am and 4pm. It is closed Dec 25th, 26th and Jan 1st.
A visit to Peveril Castle is highly recommended if you are in the area. It is a great day out and the views from the Castle are worthy of the entrance fee alone.
Reminds me of a rather lovely geography field trip 5 years ago in the pouring rain and rolling fog. At least it was better than the gale force winds up Mam Tor :) Good review
denella 19.05.2007 07:27
I remember seeing it about forty years ago - don't know if my knees would make the steep climb any more!
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