Motte and bailey castle on Haw Hill

Motte and bailey castle on Haw Hill in Morpeth, Northumberland, is a grassy mound in Carlisle Park that carried the town's first castle. Locals call it Ha' Hill. No walls remain, only earthworks and a ditch, but the hill is a scheduled monument and makes an easy, quiet stop on a walk through the park.

What is Haw Hill?

It is a medieval earthwork castle of the motte-and-bailey type: an artificial mound (the motte) topped by a fortified timber tower, with an adjoining enclosure (the bailey) for everyday use. Historic England records that the mound was shaped by scarping the north-eastern tip of a narrow ridge. It is roughly oval, with steep sides to the north, east and west, while a ditch up to 3.5 m deep cuts it off from the bailey on the south. The site was added to the heritage list (entry 1017376) in 2000.

What is its history?

Local sources link the first fortress at Morpeth with the de Merlay family and the year 1095, when the castle was seized, according to accounts, by King William II. It is mentioned again in 1138. According to the Keys to the Past record, a stone castle on a stronger site to the south replaced it in the 12th century. That successor survives today as Morpeth Castle on the neighbouring hill, a separate monument that should not be confused with this one. Sources disagree on whether King John's attack in 1216 hit Haw Hill or the later castle.

What has been found here?

The hill has seen little investigation. In 1830 William Woodman dug at the summit and recovered carved stones, including scalloped capitals and wedge-shaped arch stones. He also uncovered the foundations of a long, narrow building. A topographic survey and historical research took place in 1999, before landscaping work in the park, and a later survey picked out an artificial platform on top of the mound.

How do you visit?

Haw Hill lies inside Carlisle Park, beside the River Wansbeck in the centre of Morpeth. You can walk up to it freely, with no ticket and no guide. There are no rebuilt walls or displays, so expect to see the shape of the mound, its slopes and the line of the ditch, plus a view back over the park. It pairs well with a stroll around Carlisle Park and a look at Morpeth Castle on the next hill. Allow 15 to 30 minutes for the mound itself.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to pay to visit?

No. The hill stands in a public park and you can look at it and climb it free of charge.

Are any castle walls still standing?

No. Only the earthworks survive: the mound, its slopes and the ditch. The timber buildings are gone, and the finds from the 19th century are a handful of carved stones.

Is Haw Hill the same as Morpeth Castle?

No. Haw Hill marks the site of the first castle. Morpeth Castle, its successor, stands on the adjacent hill and is a separate monument.

Why is it also called Ha' Hill?

It is a local, shortened form of Haw Hill that appears in historical accounts and heritage records.