Dunham Castle is an early medieval castle in Dunham Massey

Dunham Massey

Dunham Massey is a civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. The parish includes the villages of Sinderland Green, Dunham Woodhouse and Dunham Town, along with Dunham Massey Park, formerly the home of the last Earl of Stamford and owned by the National Trust...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 . The castle is first referred to in 1173, in a document stating Hamo de Masci held the castles of Dunham and Ullerwood

Ullerwood Castle

Ullerwood Castle is an early medieval castle, possibly a shell keep, in Ringway, England . The castle is first referred to in 1173, in a document stating Hamo de Masci held the castles of Ullerwood and Dunham. There is no other contemporary documented reference to the castle...

. Documentary evidence suggests the castle at Dunham was still standing in 1323. The castle fell into disuse between 1323 and 1362. The castle probably existed on a mound, or motte

Motte-and-bailey

A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...

, near the site of where Dunham Massey Hall is today. The motte is 24 metres (78.7 ft) in diameter and survives 2 metres (6.6 ft) in height. The site was surrounded by a moat which was later turned into an ornamental lake. Dunham Castle has been confused with Watch Hill Castle

Watch Hill Castle

Watch Hill Castle is an early medieval motte-and-bailey on the border of Bowdon and Dunham Massey, England. It is the only Scheduled Ancient Monument in Trafford, and so is arguably the most important archaeological site in the borough...

 in nearby Bowdon

Bowdon, Greater Manchester

Bowdon is a suburban village and electoral ward in the Altrincham area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England.-History:...

, but the two were separate castles, though both probably owned by de Masci. Dunham Castle was a Scheduled Ancient Monument

Scheduled Ancient Monument

In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...

, but was delisted.