Castles in Northumberland - northofthetyne.co.uk Walks & Castles

northofthetyne.co.uk There are considered to be over 70 castles in Northumberland and while we have many of the finest in England others are ruins and some no longer exist. A few are in private hands and not open to the public so it may be that only with the owners permission will I be able to do them justice. Others are in the care of English Heritage or The National Trust and one way or another I will try to show them here. I offer the pictures in this website as a taste of the rich legacy of the history of our county.

My intention therefore, is to picture Northumberland's Castles, show them as they are now and leave the fine detail to others. Philip Davis' superb website "The Gatehouse" and Mike Salter's book, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Folly Publications 1997), Borderland Castles and Peles by Robert Hugill (1939), Castles of Northumberland by B. Long (1967) and The Castles of Northumberland by Frank Graham (1976) are quoted in the histories shown below. I have picked their brains as to where the castles are, or were, and what one might now expect to find. I do not intend to cover Towers, Forts, Bastles and Keeps of which there are many, the sites in this list are known as Castles. N.M.April 2007

With many thanks to Mr. Philip Davis for permission to use the considerable "Gatehouse" archive.

This is a work in progress.

Interested in Castles? Read the essays Crenellating the Ego :Defining "The Castle"

To see if photographs are available please click the Castle name in this list : --

Alnwick, Aydon,	Bamburgh, Barmoor,Beaufront, Belford, Bellingham, Bellister, Belsay, Berwick upon Tweed, Birtley Blenkinsopp, Bolam, Bothal, Bywell,	Callalay, Cartington, Chillingham, Chipchase, Cornhill,Coupland
Dally, Dilston, Dunstanburgh,	Edlingham, Elsdon, Eshott, Etal,	Featherstone, Fenham, Ford
Gunnerton(Money Hill),	Haggerston, Halton, Haltwhistle, Harbottle, Haughton, Castle Heaton, Hexham, Hirst, Horton(Chatton),	Langley, Lindesfarne, Low Horton(Blyth), Lowick,
Mitford, Morpeth,	Nafferton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Norham,	Ogle, Otterburn,
Ponteland, Prudhoe,	Seaton Deleval, Sewingshields, Shawdon, Simonburn, Swinburne (Great),	Tarset, Thirwall, Titlington, Tweedmouth, Twizell, Tynemouth,
	Warden, Wark on Tweed, Wark on Tyne, Warkworth, Whitley, Widdrington, Willimoteswick, Wooler.	Bill's Castles

Latest Castle photos Update of Chipchase castle Pictures June 2008

Castle	Location/Condition/Access/History
Alnwick	NU 188135 /Habitable/Private (Access) For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Aydon	NZ 001663 /Ruin/EH For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Bamburgh	NU 184351/Habitable/Private(Access) For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Barmoor(Lowick)	NT988398/Habitable/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Beaufront	NY 963659/Habitable/No Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Belford	NU103340/Trace/Access For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Bellingham	NY 841833/Traces For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Bellister	NY 701631/ Habitable/NT PastScape report reads " Three storey, castellated house built in 1669 with a ruined tower house attached to the north west. The ruined structure was possibly built as hall house in C13, with a tower added to the west in C14. It was altered circa 1600. C17 house was altered circa 1826 and 1890 and partly rebuilt 1901-5 following a fire. The course of a moat is visible as an earthwork." Jackson writes this is an C15 L-shaped tower house attached to an early C19 castellated house on a large oval motte (61m x 46m at base, 46m x 31m at summit) surrounded by a ditch (1m-2m deep, 6m wide). Motte thought to date from C12. A survey of 1541 writes “At Bellester is a bastell house in thoccupanc'n of one Blenkinsoppe & is in measurable good rep'ac'ons.” Here the term 'bastell house' appears to have attached to a tower house, which does demonstrate, as expressed by Philip Dixon, that originally Bastle house was a term used for high quality buildings. Bellester. Back to List
Belsay	NZ 085786/Ruin/EH For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Berwick upon Tweed	NT 993534/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Birtley	NY877778/Trace/Access For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Blenkinsopp	NY 664645/Ruin/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Bolam	NY 086823/Traces/No Access For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Bothal	NZ 241867/Habitable/No Public Access For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Bywell	NZ 049619/Ruin/Private For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Callaly	NU 052099/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Callaly	NU 061098/Traces/No Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Cartington	NU 038045/Habitable/Private Dwelling No Access Complex building in ruins includes C14 tower, extended to included a great hall, and probably a tower-defended courtyard, by John Cartington in 1441/2 when he was granted a licence to crenellate his home. The site was partly excavated in 1888-9. The remains of the castle are situated upon the end of a north- south ridge of pasture and arable land. the walls of the north east tower are fallen above first floor level except at the south west corner, while those of the north wing are likewise demolished to first floor level except over the buttress and along the south side, where they still stand to third floor level at the east end. There are no associated earthworks. Back to List
Chillingham	NU 062258/Habitable/Access For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Chipchase	NY 882758/Habitable/Limited Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Cornhill	NT855405/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Coupland	NT936312/Habitable/Private Residence Although known as a castle, this is a tower house, probably built sometime after 1584. It has been added to over the years and was restored in C19. The tower has three storeys with an attic on top and a small projecting tower carried up the south wall. The entrance door has a date of 1594 inscribed on one side and leads into a barrel vaulted room, or basement, now divided into two. A newel, or spiral staircase leads to the upper floors. The attic roof seems to be original and is an unusual and interesting structure. The tower is a good example of a tower house and is very much in the Scottish tradition.Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Coupland Millfield; Copeland; Cowpland. In the civil parish of Ewart.Back to List
Dally	NY 774844/Ruin/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Dilston	NY 977633/Ruin/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Dunstanburgh	NU 257218/Ruin/EH For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Edlingham	NU 116092/Ruin/EH For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Elsdon	NY 938934/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Eshott	NZ 201986/Ruin/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Etal	NT 924395/Ruin/EH For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Featherstone	NY 673609/Habitable/Access with permission For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Fenham	NU 084408/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Ford	NT 945375/Habitable/Visible from Paths etc. Sir William Heron was granted licence to crenellate in 1338. Quadrangular type with four corner towers, three of which survive. It was converted into a mansion in 1694, and given Gothick detail in 1761 by George Raffield for Sir John Hussey Deleval. Restored in a C17 style for Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford from 1862. Also:-Ruined medieval tower house, known as Parson's Tower, situated south west of Ford Castle. It was the home of the local parson and as such was always separate from the nearby castle. The remains comprise the basement stage of a tower built of coursed, squared, sandstone blocks, with chamfered set-back or plinth visible on three sides. The tower is almost square in plan, measuring 10.1m by 10.5m externally, stands about 3.65m high and has walls about 2m thick enclosing a single chamber. Internally, the basement is covered by an east-west barrel vault and many bear masons marks. Various sockets and rooflines can be traced in the stonework externally and are associated with later buildings attached to the tower. These buildings no longer survive. Since the medieval period the tower is reported as having been totally demolished in 1663, rebuilt in 1725 and enlarged in 1825. Back to List
Gunnerton Money Hill	NY908757/Trace/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Haggerston	NU 042436/Ruin/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Halton	NY 997679 /Habitable/Private House For the Castle History see the Photographs .Back to List
Haltwhistle	NY 712641/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Harbottle	NT 932048/Ruin/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Haughton	NY 919729/Habitable/Private House For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Castle Heaton	NT 901419/Traces/Private House For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Hexham	NY 936641/Traces/Access The Archbishops of York had an estate centred on Hexham from the 1070's. There are two towers in Hexham today that were at one time joined by a curtain wall to form a castle. The Moot hall is a late C14/earlyC15 structure on the site of an earlier (pre-1355) Moot Hall. It was intended as a gateway,a hall of justice and a dwelling for the Bailiff. This also housed a chapel, gaol and until 1838 a court (It is a Grade 2 listed building). The stone for the Moot Hall was taken from the bed of the Tyne. The Old Goal, or The Manor Office, is an oblong tower of built circa 1330 by order of Archbishop Melton of York, nineteen months later John de Cawode, a barber, was appointed the gaoler at a salary of two pence a day. It served as a gaol until the mid C19. In 1552 Both towers at Hexham are said to be "muche in decaye, because there is no yerly reparacons allowed to be doone upon them" Built partly of Roman masonry. Traditionally the courtyard between was enclosed by a strong wall to make a castle. Palace of the Archbishop of York. Back to List
Hirst	NZ 281878/No trace For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Horton (Chatton)	NU 027308/Traces/Private House, Access on request For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Langley	NY 835625/Hotel/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Lindisfarne	NU 136417/Habitable/Access For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Low Horton (Blyth)	NZ 282797/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Lowick	NU 033395/Trace/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Mitford	NZ 170855/Ruin/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Morpeth	NZ 199856/Habitable/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs See also The Ha' NZ 200854 Back to List
Nafferton	NZ 073658/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs.Back to List
Newcastle upon Tyne	NZ 250638/Museum/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Norham	NU 116324/Ruin/EH For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Ogle	NZ 141791/ Habitable/ Private House Ogle Castle moated site situated on the left bank of the Ogle Burn. At the eastern end of the north row of the deserted medieval village of Ogle are the remains of a large enclosure bounded by an earthen bank standing to a height of 1m. Within the enclosure are the partially infilled remains of a double moated site. Part of the inner moat on the northern side and all of its western arm survive well where they are on average 2m deep. At the north west corner the inner moat stands up to 4m deep. Part of the southern arm of the outer moat also survives as a slight earthwork 0.4m deep. Sir Robert Ogle was granted a licence to crenellate in 1341. Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Oggle; Ogill Back to List
Otterburn	NY 887931/No Trace/ For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Ponteland	NZ 165729/Trace/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Prudhoe	NZ 092634/Ruin/EH For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Seaton Delaval	NZ 321765/No Trace For the Castle History see the PhotographsBack to List
Sewingshields	NY 817706/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Shawdon	NU 092143/No trace For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Simonburn	NY 862738/Trace/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Swinburne (Great)	NY934753/Traces/Access? Above the Dry Burn, Roger Widdrington in 1346 had been granted a licence to crenellate his house at West Swinburne.This was noted in 1415 as a fortalice. Described as in decay by 1541 and as a large but roofless tower. In 1596 Sir Robert Kerr broke into the castle and released James Young, who had been imprisoned as part of a feud. The hall which replaced this tower is now itself gone having been built around 1600. This was later recorded as "an ancient pile" in 1715. The remains comprise two tunnel vaulted basements east of the present house. The present mansion was built out of the ruins of the old Castle by Thomas Riddell about 1760. This new building said to be a striking cream colour (FG 1976), is a Grade 2* listed building Back to List
Tarset	NY 788854/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Thirwall	NY 659662/Ruin/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Titlington	NU 099151/ No Trace For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Tweedmouth	NU 992531/No trace For the Castle History see the Photographs Another suggested location is Knowe Head at NT976517 ( Tiefort Castle )Mentioned once in 1216, site but thought to be in Northumberland. Possibly another name for a known castle. Jackson writes Styford, Tweedmouth and Tynemouth have been suggested. Back to List
Twizell	NT 884436/Ruin/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Tynemouth	NZ 371693/Ruin/EH For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Warden	NY911665/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Wark on Tweed	NT 822388/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Wark on Tyne	NY 861768/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Warkworth	NU 247058/Ruin/EH For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Whitley	NZ357714/No Trace For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Widdrington	NZ 255958/Traces/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Willimoteswick	NY 770636/Ruin/Access by appointment For the Castle History see the Photographs Back to List
Wooler	NT 992280/Trace/Access For the Castle History see the Photographs Also Possibly a Motte & Bailey castle at NT 981278 Photos of both sites.Back to List
Bill's Castles	For Grandpa's Birthday Back to List
	Disclaimer - Please note that the information in this list has been compiled from a number of different sources. And I can accept no responsibility for any inaccuracy contained therein. If you wish to use/copy any of the images, please ensure that you read the Copyright information provided in any of the websites that the northofthetyne website links to. NM
	Many of these Historic sites are "Listed Buildings" and should be treated with due respect on any visit.

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