Dalton Castle

Dalton Castle is a 14th-century pele tower in the Market Place of Dalton-in-Furness, built as the manorial courthouse of Furness Abbey. Here the abbot held his courts and administered justice across the lordship of Furness under the abbey's foundation charter of 1127, and the building held a gaol, guardrooms and stores as well as the courtroom. After the abbey was dissolved in 1537 it carried on as a courthouse for over 300 years, passing from the Crown through three ducal families until the 8th Duke of Buccleuch gave it to the National Trust in 1965. The most radical alteration came in 1856, when three upper floors were replaced by a single upper room. Volunteers from the Friends of Dalton Castle Society lead the guided tours, and reviewers warm to the welcoming, well-informed guides, the small spiral staircase and the displays of local history. Only assistance dogs are admitted. Tips from visitors: the tower opens only occasionally, so check before setting out, parking is on the surrounding streets, and the steps throughout do not suit wheelchairs or prams.