Hayton Castle

Hayton Castle is a fortified house situated to the North-East of the village of Hayton in Cumbria.

The castle is a 14th or 15th century tower house; extended in the 16th and 17th centuries and converted into a house. Hayton Castle is a simple rectangular house, with windows from three periods - 15th Century, Elizabethan and Georgian. There are very thick walls, and there's a barrel vault in the basement - indicating a fortified house. During the 17th century it was occupied by a branch of the Musgrave family. It was officially listed as a Grade I building on 11 April 1967.

Hayton Castle is the centre of a small manor within the baroncy of Allerdale, whose families have featured prominently in the history of Cumberland. The manor of Hayton was originally granted by Alan, second Lord of Allerdale, to his huntsman Seliff, whose descendents in consequence assumed the name De Hayton.

From the Hayton’s, this manor passed by a succession of female heirs to Robert de Mulcaster, through his marriage to a heiress of the powerful Lucy family. William de Mulcaster, son of Robert, was High Sherriff of Cumberland for two periods between 1298 and 1306, and various members of that family appear to have been Knights of the shire of Cumberland during the 14th century. This line possessed the manor for five generations, but through the failure of the male issue it passed to Piers Jeffrey Tilliol, by his marriage to the heiress. Piers had two daughters Isabella and Margaret. Isabella, who received Hayton, married John Colville of Torpenhow. Colville died in 1438 and his line came to an end in 1479, once more with two daughters, who both married younger sons of Sir Thomas Musgrave (1417-1469) of Hartley Castle.

It was from this marriage of Margaret Colville and Nicholas Musgrave (1450-1506), fourth son of Sir Thomas that sprang the line through which the manor was handed down for fourteen generations, lasting about 300 years. He was succeeded by Thomas Musgrave, Marshal of Berwick (1483-1542). His son William Musgrave, MP, of Hayton (1518-1597) inherited the estate. He was succeeded by Sir Edward Musgrave, MP (1561-1641). His son William (1596-1634) was the next to inherit the estate, followed by his son Edward. Sir Edward Musgrave, 1st Baronet of Hayton Castle (1621-1676) was made a baronet of Nova Scotia in 1638. He was succeeded by his son Sir Richard Musgrave, 2nd Baronet (1650-1710). Upon his death the estate fell to his son and heir, Sir Richard Musgrave, 3rd Baronet (1675-1711). He was a Member of Parliament for the Cumberland constituency in 1701 and 1702-1708. After his death the estate passed to Sir Richard Musgrave 4th Baronet (170-1739). Sir Richard Musgrave 5th Baronet (1724-1755), took the name of Hylton, pursuant to the will of his uncle, John Hylton of Hilton Castle, and dying without issue, the title went to his brother, Sir William Musgrave 6th Baronet (1735-1800), a commissioner of the customs. After William’s death the title went to his younger brother Sir Thomas Musgrave 7th Baronet(1737-1812), a general in the British Army. Thomas was succeeded by a distant cousin, Sir James Musgrave, 8th Baronet of Barnsley Park, Gloucestershire. Sir James Musgrave died in 1814, and was succeeded by his son, Sir James Musgrave, 9th Baronet (1785-1858). The manor of Hayton did not accompany the title, and shortly afterwards it became the property of Mrs. Jolliffe (relative of William Jolliffe, Esq. M. P. for Petersfield, who died in 1802), the younger daughter, and eventually sole heiress of Sir Richard Musgrave Bart. The Joliffe family did not live at the castle preferring to lease it as a tenant farm. Among past tenant farmers since that time we find, the Reverend Isaac Robinson, 1916; John Blackburn and his son 1828; John Blackstock, Nancy his widow 1882; Thomas Biglands, a well-known sportsman, tenant until 1903, when the property was purchased by David Mitchell, whose family retain the property today. Mitchell came from Scotland, having recently returned from South Africa, where he had served in the British Army for three years during the Anglo Boer War.

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