Gazetteer of
British Place Names

Dacre Castle is a moated tower house in Dacre, Cumberland. The present three-story pele tower was built around the mid-14th century, replacing an earlier structure that was destroyed by Scottish raids in 1317. The tower house is 66 feet tall, built out of local sandstone, topped by crenellations, with four turrets protruding from a central block, and includes an ornate lavabo in the main hall. It was the home of the powerful Dacre family for centuries. In 1634, upon the death of Randal Dacre, it passed briefly to the Crown. In 1675 the castle was granted to Thomas Lennard, the 15th Baron Dacre and 1st Earl of Sussex, who did much of the restoration of the current structure. In 1715 the castle was sold to Edward Hassell, and whilst it remained in the Hassell family for many years, no significant upkeep or repairs were made. It was later used as a farmhouse and fell into disrepair. However, the castle was extensively restored in the 1960s to make it habitable again, and for several decades it was a rental property. It is now in private ownership. It is within the council area of Westmorland and Furness.
Historic England Grade I Listed 1221000.

Place Type: Mediæval Castle
Historic County: Cumberland
Lat, Long: 54.630622,-2.8374265
Grid Reference: NY 4603 2648
Civil Parish: Dacre CP
Council Area: Westmorland and Furness CA
Police Area: Cumbria PA

GBPN ID: 319727
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Dacre_Castle,_Cumberland_319727

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