Stockton Castle

Stockton-on-Tees began as an Anglo-Saxon settlement on high ground close to the northern bank of the River Tees. In later times this area became the site of a Norman castle belonging to the Prince-Bishops of Durham. Dating from at least the 12th century this castle was originally a hall belonging to Hugh Pudsey a famous Bishop of Durham. At what date the hall was fortified we do not know although it is first referred to as a castle in 1376. During the Civil War Stockton castle was a Royalist stronghold and in 1640 when a treaty was signed making the Tees a boundary between the forces of Scotland and the King, this castle stayed in Royalist hands.

The Scottish forces finally captured Stockton castle in 1644 and it was garrisoned by them until 1646. Some say that at the end of the Civil War the castle was destroyed on the orders of Oliver Cromwell and only the castle barn was left standing but there is evidence that according to the parliament commissioners, it was never knocked down by Cromwell ,
it was in a ruined state by then.
Sadly this barn was demolished in the nineteenth century and today nothing remains of the old castle of Stockton on Tees;

"Old Noll in his day out of pious concern.
The castle demolished sold all but the barn."

The site of Stockton castle was occupied by a prominent hotel (the Swallow, closed in 2009) its former presence indicated by Tower Street and the Castle Gate Shopping centre. Some of the stonework from the old castle is rumoured to be incorporated into Stockton's Green Dragon Yard , Finkle Street and Silver St which is just off the High Street.

Archaeological excavations in the 1960s in advance of construction of the Swallow Hotel and multi-storey car park recovered evidence of high status Norman stonework dating from 1150-1170AD. Two 12th century drains were discovered in 1965 excavations.
These would have been part of a high status hall. King John stayed here in 1200AD, 1210AD and 1212AD. The Bishop's Hall was rebuilt in 1316AD and a moat was dug around it. The site is described as a castle from this period onward.
In the summer of 1597 Bishop Matthew lay here to avoid the plague which was raging at Durham and in that year part of the castle was accidentally burned

The plan shows the relative location of the original agricultural village, the borough or town with its wide High Street and the Bishop's residence or castle.

hight street castle theatre photo stockton

Removing of the cobbles in Stockton High Street in the 1950s. However, this also gives us a fine view of that part of the High Street, which was demolished in 1969 so that the Castle Shopping Centre which is now called the Castlegate Centre could be built. The Castle Theatre is in the background

A postcard with a depiction of the Castle . No definitive descriptions though exist of Stockton Castle

Stockton's oldest inn was the Blue Post Hotel. The building was situated on the west side of the High Street and gained its name from a pair of Frosterley marble pillars (said to from Stockton Castle) which were built into the structure by Rowland Burdon in the late 18th Century.

1828 map

Blue Post Yard today , 2014

Opened in1908 . Castle theatre situated on the site of the old castle. Demolished in 1969

The theatre was originally built on the site of Stockton Castle and was named the Castle Theatre although this name changed as early as 1911 to the Empire. It soon became to be used principally as a music hall rather than staging plays before becoming a 'palace of varieties'. However, most people will remember the building as the Empire cinema and children at the time believed because it was built on an old castle that there might be a secret tunnel through which they could enter for free. However the old cinema closed down in around 1961 and even in the 1950s it was showing old James Cagney movies so clearly its days as a cinema were numbered, especially when the Odeon was just across the road.
...more Stockton Theatre History Here [...]

The closed Swallow hotel (2009) on the site of the Castle Theatre

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Stockton Castle

Stockton Collection 1
Stockton Collection 2
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Stockton Collections 4-8
Stockton Collections 9-13
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Amazing Teesside landmarks photographed at Dusk and Dawn

Relics, Remains or ruins of Stockton Castle ?

"The only reputed relic of the old Castle is a wrought stone, about three feet in length , on which are the figures of two couchant lions . This was formerly built up in the wall of a cow-byer in Hartburn , but was afterwards placed in the grounds of the late Colonel Sleigh at Elton "
Source : An Historical, Topographical, and Descriptive View of the County ..., Volume 2 By Eneas Mackenzie, Marvin Ross 1834