Norton Tower

Type: Building

Era: Tudor

Location: SD 976 570

Norton Tower is the ruin of what was likely to be a hunting lodge, built by Richard Norton in around 1540. A maze of rabbit warrens (with somewhat tame rabbits) criss-cross the land around the tower, with the area also popular at the time for deer hunting.

Indeed, it is speculated that the tower was built to project power over disputed hunting territory, with both the Nortons and rival Cliffords jostling over the land, and the tower commanded a strong position over Rylstone and the surrounding area,

Along with signs of fortification, the tower contained a fireplace, spiral staircase and an entrance to the south.

The tower’s fate was sealed in 1569. The Catholic Norton family joined the Rising of the North - an unsuccessful attempt by Catholic nobles to depose Queen Elizabeth, and replace her with the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots. Richard Norton and his nine sons and extended family became outlaws. Richard along with four of his sons fled abroad, where he died several years later. Two sons were pardoned, another apostatized, and at least one was executed along with Richard’s brother.

Richard’s lands were seized by the crown and eventually handed to the loyalist Clifford family, who took great delight in slighting the overbearing Norton Tower.

The tower is not on access land, nor is there a public right of way leading to it, however there is (as of 2021) permissive access granted to the tower by the land’s owner, Bolton Abbey Estates.

An area of ancient Pillow Mounds also exist a few metres to the south.

The remains of a machine inside the tower, likely not period, and left over from previous restoration work