Witton Castle is a much-altered 15th-century castle, which is the centrepiece of a holiday and caravan country park at Witton le Wear, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham. It is a Grade II* listed building. Details Sir Ralph Eure obtained a licence to crenellate his manor house in 1410 and created the castle. The castle was held by Royalist Sir William Darcy during the English Civil War. He compounded for the return of his confiscated estate which was sold by his descendant Henry Darcy to William Cuthbert in 1743. The castle later passed to Hopper but was severely damaged in a fire which in 1796 destroyed most of the castle interior. In 1816 William Chaytor of Croft Hall, Yorkshire purchased the castle estate for £78,000 and restored the fabric and rebuilt the interior in modern style. The estate was rich in coal and Witton Park Colliery was sunk in 1825. Sir William Chaytor served as High Sheriff of Durham in 1839. Members of the Chaytor family lived at Witton until the mid 20th century. Located just south of the river Wear in County Durham (grid reference NZ1537230431) the present building is mainly the result of late 18th century and also 19th century alterations and additions following a partial demolition in the late 17th century. It should not be confused with Witton Castle, Netherwitton, in Northumberland. Sir Ralph de Eure built a castle - a three storey tower house with a curtain wall - on the site shortly before 1410 (when he paid a fee for retrospective permission to fortify the building 1). The castle was built on the site of Barmpton Hall, home of the Barmpton or Bermeton family who held Witton manor in the early 14th century. Their lands were acquired by Sir John de Eure some time between 1350 and 1380. The Eure's remained at Witton for over two hundred years. In 1638 the castle passed from the Eures to the Darcy family. "In the civil wars Witton Castle was in the hands of Sir Wm. Darcy, but he being a royalist, it was besieged and taken by the parliamentarians, under Sir Arthur Hazekrigg, governor of Auckand Castle." Sir William Darcy later 'compounded' ( ie paid a fine) for £1000 to retain his estates despite being on the wrong (Royalist) side in the Civil War. In 1689 the original castle was gutted by Lord James Darcy for its roofing lead, timber and chimneys 6 but was rebuilt in the early 1700s. In 1743 Witton Castle was sold by the D'Arcys to a William Cuthbert (died 1747), a barrister and Recorder of Newcastle. The castle passed to John Cuthbert (d1782) and his sister Philiadelphia and then to John's nephew John Thomas Hendry Hopper. https://www.fivenine.co.uk