Grade I listed · County Durham

Bowes Castle

Bowes Castle is a Grade I listed building in County Durham, first listed on 17 June 1986. It is one of 102 Grade I entries among 3,091 listed buildings in County Durham; 43% of County Durham’s current entries were listed before it.

List entry
Field	Value
Name	Bowes Castle
Grade	Grade I — exceptional interest
List entry number	1121039
Date first listed	17 June 1986
Local planning authority	County Durham
Location	54.51684, -2.01335 (map)
Official record	Historic England list entry 1121039

Planning works on this listed building?

Planium checks which consents County Durham will require for your works on Bowes Castle, lists what the heritage statement must cover and drafts the application text.

Ask Planium what consent you need

What the grade means for works

Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest — only about 2.5% of listed buildings in England. Any application for listed building consent is notified to Historic England, and alterations are scrutinised closely.

The protection covers the whole building, inside and out, plus fixtures and attached structures. Typical works that need consent: replacing windows or doors, removing walls or historic fabric, changing roof coverings, installing solar panels or external insulation, and adding extensions.

Listed buildings near Bowes Castle

Name	Grade	Distance
Castle Terrace	II	29 m
Chest Tomb to William Thompson, 8 Metres West of Church of St Giles	II	36 m
Table Tomb to Henry Bincks, 4 1/2 Metres West of Church of St Giles	II	42 m
Headstone to Thomas Hanby, 1 Metre South of Church of St Giles	II	49 m
Base and Cross Shaft Fragment in the Garden of Cross House	II	56 m
Church of St Giles	II	58 m
Cross House and Church View	II	66 m
Annums Farmhouse	II	68 m
Headstone to William Shaw, 3 Metres North of Church of St Giles	II	69 m
Prospect House and Archway to Right	II	90 m

Frequently asked questions

Is Bowes Castle listed?

Yes. Bowes Castle is on the National Heritage List for England as a Grade I listed building, list entry number 1121039, first listed on 17 June 1986. The full list entry with its description and map is on Historic England’s website.

Do I need consent for works to Bowes Castle?

Works that affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest — inside or out — need listed building consent from County Durham, in addition to any planning permission or building regulations approval. Like-for-like repairs often do not, but confirm with the council’s conservation officer before you start.

Source: National Heritage List for England, © Historic England 2026, via planning.data.gov.uk. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Retrieved 12 October 2026. Local authority assigned from the list entry point. This page is a summary — the legal record is the official list entry.