- Hylton Castle
Infobox Historic building
name = Hylton Castle
caption = Westfaçade of Hylton Castle, 2008
map_type = Tyne and Wear
latitude = 54.92253
longitude = -1.44318
location_town =Sunderland
location_country =United Kingdom
architect =
client = Sir William Hylton
engineer =
construction_start_date = c.1390 (from wood to stone)
structural_system =
owner =English Heritage
style =Medieval , Gothic
size =Hylton Castle (pronEng|ˈhɪltn "hil-tn") is a ruined stone
castle in theNorth Hylton area ofSunderland ,Tyne and Wear ,England . Originally built from wood by the Hilton (later Hylton) family shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066, it was later rebuilt in stone in the late 14th to early 15th century.Whittaker, p.83] The castle underwent major changes to its interior and exterior in the 18th century and it remained the principal seat of the Hylton family until the death of the last "baron" in 1746.Fry, p.246] It was then Gothicised but neglected until 1812, when it was revitalised by a new owner. Standing empty again until the 1840s, it was briefly used as a school until it was purchased again in 1862. The site passed to a local coal company in the early 20th century and was taken over by thestate in 1950.One of the castle's main features, is the heraldic devices found mainly on the west
façade , which have been retained from the castle's original construction. They depict the coats of arms belonging to local gentry and peers of the late 14th to early 15th centuries and provide an approximate date of the castle's reconstruction from wood to stone.Today, the castle is owned by
English Heritage , aNon-Departmental Public Body which manages the historical environment of England. The surrounding parkland is maintained by a community organisation.cite web|url=http://www.hyltoncastle.com/ |title=History |publisher=Friends of Hylton Dene |accessdate=2008-05-25] The castle and its chapel are protected as a Grade Ilisted building and aScheduled Ancient Monument . As of 2008, a survey is being carried out to determine the future of the site.cite web|url=http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Hylton-Castle39s-future--you.4000449.jp |title=Hylton Castle's future - you decide |publisher=Sunderland Echo |date=2008-04-21 |accessdate=2008-05-28]History
Early history
The Hylton family had been settled in England since the reign of King Athelstan (c.895–939). [Sykes, p.9] Timbs & Gunn, p.283] At this time, Adam de Hylton gave to the monastery of Hartlepool a
pyx orcrucifix , weighing convert|25|oz|g|lk=on insilver and emblazoned with hiscoat of arms –argent , two barsazure . [Sykes, p.9] On the arrival of William the Conqueror, Lancelot de Hilton and his two sons, Robert and Henry, joined the Conqueror's forces, but Lancelot was killed atFaversham during William's advance toLondon . In gratitude, the king granted the eldest son, Henry, a large tract of land on the banks of theRiver Wear .The first castle on the site, built by Henry de Hilton in about 1072, was likely to have been built of wood. It was subsequently re-built in stone by Sir William Hylton (1376–1435) as a four storey,
gatehouse -style, fortifiedmanor house , similar in design to Lumley and Raby.Billings, p.47] Although called a gatehouse, it belongs to a type of small, late 14th century castle, similar to Old Wardour, Bywell and Nunney castles.Pevsner, p.471] The castle was first mentioned in a household inventory taken in 1448, as "a gatehouse constructed of stone" and although no construction details survive, it is believed the stone castle was built sometime between 1390 and the early 1400s, due to the coat of arms featured above the west entrance (see Heraldry below).Pevsner, p.470] cite web|url=http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/libraries/Leaflets/Hyltoncastle.pdf |title=Hylton Castle & Dene |publisher=Sunderland Public Libraries Service |accessdate=2008-05-25|format=PDF] It has been suggested that Sir William intended to erect a larger castle in addition to the gatehouse, but abandoned his plan.Pettifer, p.30]The household inventory taken on Sir William's death in 1435 mentions, in addition to the castle, a hall, four chambers, two barns, a kitchen, and the chapel, indicating the existence of other buildings on the site at that time.cite web|url=http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/libraries/Leaflets/Hyltoncastle.pdf |title=Hylton Castle & Dene |publisher=Sunderland Public Libraries Service |accessdate=2008-05-25|format=PDF] Apart from the castle and chapel, the other buildings were probably all of timber. In 1559, the gatehouse featured in another household inventory as the "Tower", when floors and galleries were inserted to subdivide the
great hall .The eccentric Henry Hylton, "de jure" 12th Baron Hylton left the castle to the
City of London Corporation on his death in 1641, to be used for charitable purposes for ninety-nine years.cite web|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=M_S10M8ze9MC&pg=RA2-PA234&lpg=RA2-PA234&dq=Hylton+writ+of+summons&source=web&ots=NDJIeh8Zft&sig=3mHBIg4yVo8nThb3n774Sqrz3wE&hl=en#PRA2-PA234,M1 |title=The Gentlemen's Magazine — Review – Surtees's "History of Durham", March 1821, p.234] It was returned to the family after the Restoration, to Henry's nephew, John Hylton, "de jure" 15th Baron Hylton.18th century
Early in the 18th century, John Hylton (died 1712), the second son of Henry Hylton, "de jure" 16th Baron Hylton, gutted the interior to form a three-storeyed block (one room on each floor). He also inserted large, alternating,
pediment edsash windows in the Italianate style and added a three-storeyed north wing to the castle (as seen in Bucks' engraving of 1728). A doorway to the new wing was added and approached by a semi-circular staircase. Above the doorway was a coat of arms, believed to be the one created to commemorate the marriage between John Hylton and his wife, Dorothy Musgrave. It is now located above the doorway to "The Golden Lion Inn" atSouth Hylton , on the opposite side of the River Wear.Meadows & Waterson, p.42] [cite web |url=http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/Pages/ListedBuildings/lbbuildingdetails.asp?Id=920-1/3/281&keyword=golden%20lion&Ownership=&Address3=&Grade= |title=Listed Buildings - Number:920-1/3/281 |publisher=Sunderland City Council |accessdate=2008-05-31] [cite web|url=http://www.englandspastforeveryone.org.uk/Counties/Durham/Projects/OriginsOfSunderland/Items/The_Hilton_family/assetdetails/1100?Session/@id=D_5EUYTvIIknwwNyDeX8K6 |title=Doorway of the Golden Lion, South Hylton |publisher=England's Past for Everyone |accessdate=2008-05-31]After 1728, Hylton's second son, John Hylton, "de jure" 18th Baron Hylton added a complementary south wing (its foundation wall still extant),
crenellation s to both wings and removed the door on the north wing. He also changed the circularbartizan on the north end of the west front, to anoctagon alturret and removed theportcullis from the west entrance.When the 18th and last "baron" died without male
heir s in 1746, the castle passed to his nephew, Sir Richard Musgrave, Bt, who took the name of Hylton. It was sold by anAct of Parliament in 1755. The new owner was to be a Mr. Wogan who returned from theEast Indies to buy the castle for £30,550 (£3.7 million in 2007), but the sale never went through.Sykes, p.220] [cite web|title=Purchasing Power of British Pounds from 1264 to 2007|url=http://www.measuringworth.com/ppoweruk/?redirurl=calculators/ppoweruk/|accessdate=2008-07-12] It was instead bought by Lady Bowes, the widow of Sir George Bowes of Streatlam andGibside inCounty Durham . No record of her, or any of her family, ever taking up residence exists and the castle later passed to her grandson,John Bowes, 10th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne . [cite web |title=Mary Eleanor Bowes |url=http://www.sunnisidelocalhistorysociety.co.uk/eleanor.html |publisher=Sunniside Local History Society |accessdate=2008-05-26] At this time, astucco decoration (long since disappeared) to the wine anddrawing room s was added by Pietro La Francini, who worked forDaniel Garrett (who had worked for Lady Bowes onGibside Banqueting House ).William Howitt 's "Visits to Remarkable Places" (1842) notes the rooms had "stuccoed ceilings, with figures, busts on the walls, and one large scene which seemed to be Venus and Cupid, Apollo fiddling to the gods, Minerva in her helmet, and an old king".Meadows & Waterson, p.43] Garrett probably designed the Gothicporch installed in the west entrance and the Gothic screen and single-storey, bow-fronted rooms installed to close off the east entrance.19th century
After a long period of remaining empty, the castle slowly began to decay, until in 1812, when Simon Temple, a local businessman, leased the castle from the Strathmores and made it habitable. He re-roofed the chapel (allowing it to be used for public worship again), added
battlement s to the wings and cultivated the gardens. However, his failed business ventures prevented him from completing his work, and in 1819 the castle was bought and lived in by a Mr. Thomas Wade.By 1834, the castle was unoccupied again. In 1840, an advert was placed in the "Newcastle Courant" by Revd. John Wood for "Hylton Castle Boarding School" and the 1841 census shows Wood, his family, pupils and staff as living on the estate. [1841 England Census: Class: HO107; Piece 299; Book: 2; Civil Parish: Monkwearmouth; County: Durham; Enumeration District: 12; Folio: 17; Page: 2; Line: 1; GSU roll: 241347.] The school does not seem to have existed for long as Howitt commented in 1842, that it was "a scene of great desolation ... the windows for the most part, all along the front, are boarded up ... the whole of this large old house is now empty ... and in the most desolate state". However, he does go on to say the kitchen was occupied a poor family. By 1844, the chapel was used as a carpenter's workshop, and according to the "Durham Chronicle" in January 1856, the castle set on fire while in the occupation of a farmer, Mr. Maclaren.Billings, p.48]
In 1862, the castle was put up for sale by the Strathmores and purchased by William Briggs, a local timber merchant and ship builder. [cite web|url=http://www.englandspastforeveryone.org.uk/resources/conversions/Hylton%20estate%20sale%201862.pdf |title=Hylton Castle Estate Sale 1862 |publisher=England's Past for Everyone |accessdate=2008-05-27|format=PDF] Meadows & Waterson, p.44] Briggs set about to change the appearance of the castle to what he believed to be more "authentic [ally] medieval". He demolished the north and south wings, gutted the interior and added one, two and three-light cusp-headed windows. He also replaced the Gothic porch with a more "severe" Gothic doorway (three-bayed with
cinquefoil arches) and an overhead balcony. To carry out these changes to the west front, he moved the stone-carved Hylton banner from above the west entrance to the front, left-flanking tower. The interior walls of the four-vaulted ground floor rooms were demolished, the whole floor was raised three-and-a-half feet and tworeception room s were formed.Hugill, p.62] At the east end of the former central passage, dog-leg stairs were constructed leading to the first floor, requiring removal of theoratory and rendering the main staircase inaccessible from the ground floor. The side walls of the great hall were removed to create a largesalon and a largebay window was added to the south façade, where the entrance to the south wing would have been. The rooms above were kept untouched, except that a new entrance to the family/chaplain's room had to be formed via the main staircase.Alongside the medieval masonry, Briggs' alterations can still be seen today (albeit in ruins). Briggs' son, Colonel Charles James Briggs (father of Sir Charles James Briggs) inherited the castle in 1871 and built the nearby St Margaret's church. [cite web |title=Castle Owner's Church Faces Demolition |url=http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1172409/castle_owners_church_faces_demolition/index.html?source=r_technology |publisher=redOrbit |date=2007-12-06 |accessdate=2008-05-26]
20th century
After Colonel Brigg's death in 1900, the castle passed into the hands of the Wearmouth Coal Company about 1908, and from there to the
National Coal Board . [cite web |title=Hylton Colliery |url=http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/h013.htm?source=r_technology |publisher=Durham Mining Museum |accessdate=2008-07-29] Due to the expansion of Sunderland in the 1940s, the castle became surrounded by housing estates including that of Castletown. The castle was vandalised and had the lead from its roof stolen. In 1950, due to local pressure and the threat of demolition, the castle and chapel were taken into the care of theMinistry of Works . Due to the advanced decay of the 19th century alterations, the ministry removed all internal partitions and consolidated the shell to reveal the remainingmedieval masonry.Emery, p.107] The ministry also appointed a full time custodian and replaced the missing lead roof withroofing felt to make the site waterproof.In 1994,
Channel 4 's "Time Team " undertook excavations on the 'Eastern Terrace'. Their investigations revealed evidence of a medieval hall to the east of the castle; it has been suggested that the hall was used as a dining area. [cite web |title=Hylton Castle, investigation history |url=http://www.pastscape.org.uk/events.aspx?a=0&hob_id=26206 |publisher=Pastscape.org.uk |accessdate=2008-07-03]Chapel
A chapel dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria is known to have existed on the site since 1157, when the Prior of
Durham agreed to allow Romanus de Hilton to appoint his ownchaplain for the chapel, subject to the prior's approval.Huggill, p.58] In return, de Hilton was to provide an annual contribution of 24 sheaves of oats for every draught ox he owned, to the nearbymonastery atMonkwearmouth , and was required to attend themother church of St Peters for the feasts of the Nativity, Easter,Whitsuntide and Saints Peter and Paul. In 1322, there was achantry dedicated to the Virgin Mary and there were three chantry priests in 1370. [cite web |title=Scheduled Monuments. Hylton Castle: a medieval fortified house, chapel, 17th and 18th century |url=http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/Public/Editable/Themes/Environment/scheduled-monuments/hyltoncastle-chapel.asp |publisher=Sunderland City Council |accessdate=2008-05-25]The chapel, which is on a small hill to the north east of the castle, was rebuilt in stone in the early 15th century. It was modified from the late 15th to late 16th century, when a Perpendicular Gothic, five-light east window and
transept s were added. Bucks' engraving of 1728, shows a shortnave and a large six-light west window, and that the chapel was disused by this time, as it had no roof.Pevsner, p.473] The west façade of the chapel was later demolished and thechancel arch was built up to form a new one with aGibbs surround . A bell-turret was added c. 1805. On the north and south sides of the chapel are twotransept al, semi-octagonal bays.Although repairs to the chapel were carried out by the last Baron Hylton and the successive owners in the 19th century, it fell into disrepair until, like the castle, it was taken over by the
state in 1950.Modern
The castle and chapel have been Grade I listed buildings since 1949 and form a Scheduled Ancient Monument under the care of
English Heritage , who took over the site in 1984, although Sunderland City Council own the land. In 1999, the "Friends of Hylton Dene" group was formed by residents of the estates aroundNorth Hylton "with the aim of co-operating with Sunderland City Council,Durham Wildlife Trust and other agencies to actively involve the local community in the development and upkeep of Hylton Dene and Castle". In December 2007, the group was awarded £50,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund to carry out a survey for the future for the site. Once restored, the castle could be opened. John Coulthard, the chairman of the Castle in the Community described the castle – which is Sunderland's second oldest building – as "an asset in the city – it is a lovely setting and we would love to see it bring in some income". [cite web |title=Derelict castle could be reopened |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/7302110.stm |publisher=BBC Online |date=2008-03-18 |accessdate=2008-07-03]There have been four organised International Reunion(s) of Hylton Families over the past few years; most notably on
4 July 2004 , when around fifty American decendents of the Hylton family visited the castle to present a flag featuring featuring the Hyltonblazon .cite web|url=http://www.lhi.org.uk/projects_directory/projects_by_region/north_east/sunderland/hylton_castle/ |title=Hylton Castle |publisher=Local Heritage Initiative |accessdate=2008-05-25] The flag now flies from the recently installed flagpole, provided by English Heritage.Exterior
The west façade of the castle has square towers flanking the central bay, with others at the south west and north west, all topped with octagonal, machicolated turrets. The north and south façades are relatively simple. The east façade has a central projection in the centre rising a storey above the parapet, to form a tower.Pevsner, p.472] The tower's south angle is splayed to accommodate the main staircase and only the corbels of its parapet survive. The screen closing off the east entrance has a three-bay cusped arcade on the ground floor and three
ogee arches on the shafts above.The roof was originally covered with sheet lead and adorning the roof are stone warriors and other figures, similar to those of Raby, Alnwick and the gates of
York .Huggill, p.60] Originally there were four figures on each corner turret and bartizan; only five have survived. Between the central towers once stood a sculpture of aknight in combat with a serpent (of which only fragments survive), believed to pertain to the tale of theLambton Worm . Theparapet is also machicolated (except on the north façade) and continued between the central towers by a carved-foliage arch (originally with cusping which fell in 1882), instead ofcorbels . Another feature of the roof were shallow stonetrough s on the battlements which fed scalding oil or water into the machiocaltions as a means of defence. In a small chamber in each turret orbastion , abrazier was kept burning to bring the liquids to a suitable temperature.Interior layout
Before the changes made by John Hylton (died 1712), the castle's layout plan was as follows:
The ground floor, accessed directly from the outside
courtyard , led into aportcullis -protected, vaulted passage, eleven feet wide and extending the depth of the building. On either side of the passage were two vaulted rooms. The room nearest the entrance on the right was aguard room or theporter 's room, which housed a well; the back-right room, with agarderobe located in the south west turret (accessed via a passage running along the south wall), was for an official.Emery, p.108] The other two rooms to the left were used to house staff or storage.The first was floor was accessed via the main staircase, situated in the east tower. The first room encountered was the great hall, which rose three floors. To the viewer's immediate left was a kitchen (with
clerestory lighting), and further on to the left was a butlery andpantry with a garderobe. To the viewer's back right was a small passage containing a private staircase and the entrance to the oratory (its roof vaulted with an east window) in the east tower.Huggill, p.59] The oratory was entered via a five-and-a-half high pointed-arch doorway and contained an altar andpiscina , of which only an ornamental niche remains. There was a fireplace on the north wall of the great hall and behind the north wall was thegreat chamber containing a fireplace, garderobe and a window seat on the east wall. To the west of the hall was the head of the west window. The portcullis is believed to have been raised into the hall in front of this window.The kitchen, oratory and great chamber rose two floors, therefore only the
minstrels' gallery was accessed via the main staircase on the second floor. However, the butlery and pantry was single-storeyed, but held the butler's chamber (with a garderobe) above it, accessed either via a staircase in that room or via the gallery.The rooms on the north and east sides of the third floor were accessed via the private staircase. The rooms were two family rooms, one above the oratory and a larger one above the great chamber. The larger one had a fireplace and a garderobe, and was likely the baron's bedroom; the smaller room was either the chaplain's quarters or a family room. Both were connected via a
lobby at the top of the private staircase.The room on the south side (separated by the other rooms due to the hall's height) was accessed via the main staircase. This room also had a fireplace and a garderobe, and was probably used by guests.
Above the small family/chaplain's room on the third floor, was the servant's room with a corner fireplace and two windows on the
mezzanine floor, accessed via the main staircase. Above, on the roof level, was the Warder's Chamber containing a stone-hooded fireplace, beamed ceiling, two small windows in the east wall and a garderobe.Emery, p.109] There were also four closet-chambers in the turrets on the roof, used by staff.Heraldry
The castle and chapel are adorned with heraldic devices and shields of arms, providing information as to when the castle was constructed.
West façade
Above the main entrance on the western façade of the castle, there are twenty shields of arms. They are believed to show the political alliances of the early Hyltons, as the banner of the king, and the arms of nobles and knights of
Northumberland and theCounty Palatine of Durham are shown. In relation to the photograph, the shields are: [cite web|url=http://www.hyltoncastle.com/ |title=Heraldry |publisher=Friends of Hylton Dene |accessdate=2008-05-25]#England and France quarterly - The banner of
Henry IV of England
#Quarterly 1 and 4: Or aLion rampant Azure (Percy); 2 and 3:Gules , three luces haurientArgent (Lucy) -Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland
#Percy (unquartered) - Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy (son of the above)
#ALion rampant debruised by a bend - Sir Peter Tilliol
#Within abordure two Lions passant - Felton of Edlington
#Azure , threeheron s Argent - Sir William Heron
#A Lion rampant - believed to be theRoyal coat of arms of Scotland
#Quarterly,Argent , two barsAzure and Or six annuletsGules (Hylton quartering Hylton of Swine) - TheWestmoreland branch of the Hyltons.
#Argent, afess Gules inter threepopinjay sVert - Sir Ralph Lumley (laterBaron Lumley )
#A Lion within abordure engrailed - Sir Thomas Grey (or his son)
#Or andGules quarterly, over all on a bend threescallop s - Sir Ralph Evers (Eure)
#Azure , a chief dancette Or - FitzRanulph of Middleham
#Argent , two bars, and three mullets in chief - Sir William Washington (ancestor ofGeorge Washington )
#Argent , afess inter threecrescent sGules - Sir Robert Ogle
#William de Ros, 7th Baron de Ros
#Ermine, on a canton Gules an orle Or - Sir Thomas Surtees
#Ermine, threebow s Gules - Sir Robert Bowes (ancestor ofElizabeth Bowes-Lyon )
#Thomas Weston, chancellor to Bishop Skirlaw
#Walter Skirlaw (Bishop of Durham 1388-1406)
#Argent , two barsAzure - Sir William Hylton
Although it was necessary for Briggs to move the Hylton banner to make way for a new entrance, it can be seen from a colour version of Bucks' engraving that the shields were previously placed not as they are today (particularly Weston and Skirlaw's). [cite web|url=http://www.panteek.com/BucksViews/pages/cs10-211.htm |title=West View of Hylton Castle, in the Bishoprick of Durham |publisher=Panteek |accessdate=2008-05-25] Briggs is believed to have re-arranged the shields, disrupting their original hierarchical arrangement. Nevertheless, the arms give a date for the construction and completion of the castle as between 1390 and the early 1400s, due to the following reasons:
*The Earl of Northumberland quartered his own arms with those of his second wife, Maud Lucy, after their marriage in c.1384.
*Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy did not quarter his own arms with those of Lucy, until he inherited the Honour of
*The arms shown of Henry IV are those he adopted c. 1400, after simplifying the French quarters (see
East façade
The east façade of the castle features a slanted shield containing the Hylton arms ( Chapel Above the south window: Hylton quartering Vipont and Stapleton. Hauntings Hylton Castle is said to be haunted by the spirit of Roger Skelton, known as the Cauld (a pronunciation of "cold" in References Bibliography *Billings, Robert William, "Architectural Antiquities of the County of Durham", 1844 p.47–48 Further reading *Salter, Mike, "The Castles and Tower Houses of County Durham" (Malvern), 2002 ISBN 1871731569 External links * [http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.13441 Hylton Castle information at English Heritage]
Wikimedia Foundation.
2010.
*Emery, Anthony, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=D8vhhaR3JxsC&pg=PA107&lpg=PA107&dq=Buck+%22Hylton+Castle%22&source=web&ots=QLYXybuxlk&sig=117ilOS-uQkHivbW4XjMXDS2yuk&hl=en "Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales, 1300–1500" (Cambridge), volume 11, 1996, p.107–9] ISBN 052149723X
*Fry, Plantagenet Somerset, "Castles of the British Isles" (David & Charles), 1980, p.246, ISBN 0715379763
*Hugill, Robert, "The Castles and Towers of the County of Durham" (Newcastle; Frank Graham), 1979, p.58–65, ISBN 0859831066
*Pettifer, Adrian, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=47iheRUGKIEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=english+castles+a+guide+by+counties&ei=HvE-SOqXGYSKjAGd3tTpDg&sig=rrdE-te5DrdayWoD5zkEJLkioDo#PPA30,M1 "English Castles, A guide by counties" (Woodbridge), 1995, p29–30] ISBN 0851157823
*Pevsner, Nikolaus, (revised by Williamson, Elizabeth), "The Buildings of England: Durham" (London, Penguin), 1983 (revised edition), p.470–3 ISBN 0300095996
*Sykes, John, "Local Records of Northumberland and Durham", 1866, volume 1, p.220
*Timbs, John & Gunn, Alexander, "Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales", 1872, volume 3 (London) p282–97
*Waterson, Edward & Meadows, Peter, "Lost Houses of County Durham", 1993, p.42, ISBN 0951649418
*Whittaker, Neville, "Old Halls and Manor Houses of Durham" (Frank Graham), 1975, p.83–84, ISBN 0859830470
*"The Time Team Reports" (Series 2), 1995, p.29–33
*Jackson, Michael, "Castles of Northumbria: Gazetteer of the Medieval Castles of Northumberland and Tyne and Wear (Medieval Castles of England)" (Carlise), 1992, p.143–4 ISBN 0951970801
*Corfe, Tom (ed), "'The Visible Middle Ages' in An Historical Atlas of County Durham", 1992, p.28–9 ISBN 0902958143
*King, David James Cathcart, "Castellarium Anglicanum: An Index and Bibliography of the Castles in England, Wales, and the Islands" (London: Kraus), 1983, volume 1, p.136 ISBN 0527501107
*Harvey, Alfred, "Castles and Walled Towns of England" (Methuen and Co), 1911
*Mackenzie, Bt., Sir James Dixon, "Castles of England" (Heinemann), 1897, volume 12, p.343–6
*Boyle, John Roberts, "Comprehensive Guide to the County of Durham: its Castles, Churches, and Manor-Houses" (London), 1892, p.546–52
*Turner, Thomas Hudson & Parker, John Henry, "Some account of Domestic Architecture in England" (Oxford), 1859, volume 13, part 2, p.206
*Billings, Robert William, "Illustrations of the County of Durham: ecclesiastical, castellated, and domestic" (London), 1846 p.42–44
*Brayley, Edward Wedlake and Britton, John, "Beauties of England and Wales; Durham", 1803, volume 5, p.150–2
*Hutchinson, William, "The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham", 1785–94, volume 2, p.638–40
*Surtees, Robert, "History and Antiquities of Durham" (London), 1816–40, p.20–4 and plate, ISBN 0854098143 (1972 reprint)
* [http://www.hyltoncastle.com/ The Friends of Hylton Dene]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wear/content/image_galleries/hylton_castle_gallery.shtml BBC Wear - Inside Hylton Castle pictures]