User:Richard Nevell (WMUK)/sandbox1

Buckton Castle is a medieval enclosure castle near Carrbrook, Stalybridge, England. It was surrounded by a 2.8 m wide stone curtain wall and a ditch 10 m wide and 6 m deep. Buckton is one of the earliest stone castles in North West England.

The castle was probably constructed in the 12th century but fell out of use soon after. It is first mentioned in 1360 and by then it was lying derelict. The small number of finds retrieved during archaeological investigation of the site indicates that Buckton Castle may not have been completed.

In the 16th century, the site was used as a beacon for the Pilgrimage of Grace. During the 18th century, the castle was of interest to treasure hunters following rumours that gold and silver had been discovered at Buckton. The site was used as an anti-aircraft decoy site in the Second World War.

Between 1996 and 2010 Buckton Castle was investigated by archaeologists, first the University of Manchester Archaeological Unit then the University of Salford's Centre for Applied Archaeology as part of the Tameside Archaeology Survey. More than 60 volunteers were involved in the project. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and close to the Buckton Vale Quarry. The castle is overgrown with heather and peat, and there are no above-ground ruins.