Peveril Castle, Castleton, Derbyshire
An aerial view of Peveril Castle and Castleton from the west. The castle stands on a clifftop above Castleton. It is nameed after William Peveril. He was granted the title of Bailiff of the Royal Manors of the Peak after 1066. Peveril is thought to have been the illegitimate son of William the Conqueror. He created Castleton and in 1080 he fortified the site of the present castle and contructed a wooden keep. It was one of the first castles to be built after the Norman conquest. However Peveril's son, also called William, became too independent for Henry II and in 1155, the King confiscated the Peveril estates. Later the original wooden buildings were converted into stone. Henry II had a stone keep built in 1176. The castle fell into disuse after Tudor times and by the 17th century only the keep was in use as a courthouse. When this was abandoned the castle gradually became ruined. This site is now in the care of English Heritage (2010). Read detailed archaeological description.
