Howden Motte is a large medieval earthwork flat-topped motte, possibly founded by the Haldanes. An oval rocky knoll, which protrudes from the back of a ridge was encased by a wide rock-cut ditch and its slopes were scarped to give defence. The original entrance is at the west end, where the rock has been left uncut to form a causeway across the ditch but the gap in the defences at the east end may be later. The ditch is now filled up and appears only as a terrace on the north and south sides, while the heavily mutilated encasing rampart of earth and stones maybe a later feature. With no known history, excavation in 1957 revealed a stone floor and the post-holes of a timber palisade around the edge of the mound. 2 miles north-east is Selkirk Castle and 4 miles north-west is Newark Castle.