Castles in the Lune Valley
Melling Motte
Approximately level with Arkholme, but on the southern side of the Lune, Melling motte is central in the village, which is on the edge of the first terrace above the Lune floodplain and some distance from the present course of the river ( see map ). It is noticeable that the course of the Lune here has varied considerably in historical times, and that former channels can still be detected on the Melling side of the flood plain. Links have been looked for between Melling and Arkholme but this is not necessarily the case. The only clear survival at Melling is the mound of the motte, which sits some 6m high within the vicarage garden and has been damaged by landscaping activities. There may be indications of a bailey in the raised ground of the church and churchyard to the west of the mound, which would make comparisons with Arkholme more obvious but allowances have to be made for the general rise in ground level caused by continuous use of a graveyard. If the siting of the bailey were correct, then it would again appear that the parish church originated as a manorial chapel.
