Edlingham Castle is a small

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

ruin, having scheduled monument and Grade I listed building status, in the care of English Heritage. It is located in a valley to the west of

Alnwick Alnwick ( ) is a market town in Northumberland, England, of which it is the traditional county town. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116. The town is on the south bank of the River Aln, south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish bor ...

, Northumberland, England. It has been described as "...one of the most interesting in the county", by Nikolaus Pevsner, the architectural historian.

Edlingham Edlingham is a small village and civil parish in Northumberland in the north of England. At the 2001 census it had a population of 196, which had reduced slightly to 191 at the 2011 Census. The road to Alnwick passes close by the village and ...

itself is little more than a hamlet with a church alongside the castle. The ruins are mostly laid low, though much of the

solar Solar may refer to: Astronomy * Of or relating to the Sun ** Solar telescope, a special purpose telescope used to observe the Sun ** A device that utilizes solar energy (e.g. "solar panels") ** Solar calendar, a calendar whose dates indicate t ...

towerRobert Liddiard (Editor) still stands despite an impressive crack running several stories down to ground level. The foundations and part of the walls of the

hall house The hall house is a type of vernacular house traditional in many parts of England, Wales, Ireland and lowland Scotland, as well as northern Europe, during the Middle Ages, centring on a hall. Usually timber-framed, some high status examples wer ...

, gatehouse,

barbican A barbican (from fro, barbacane) is a fortified outpost or fortified gateway, such as at an outer fortifications, defense perimeter of a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes. Europe ...

and other courtyard buildings are still visible, most dating from the 16th century. The castle – more properly a fortified manor house typical of many medieval houses in the

North of England Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North Country, or simply the North, is the northern area of England. It broadly corresponds to the former borders of Angle Northumbria, the Anglo-Scandinavian Kingdom of Jorvik, and the ...

– guards one of the few approaches to

through the hills to its west. Its fortifications were increased in response to the border warfare which raged between England and Scotland in the period from about 1300 to 1600.

History

By 1174, a John of Edlingham owned a manor house at this location. In 1294, a descendant, Walter of Edlingham, sold it to William de Felton. He strengthened it by building strong ramparts and a gatehouse, fortifying the main hall, and adding other buildings inside a courtyard. In 1396 Elizabeth de Felton inherited it, marrying Sir Edmund Hastings, who added a strong solar tower. Their descendants occupied the castle and estate until 1514. It was purchased by George Swinburne, a constable of Prudhoe, whose family held it until the 18th century. During this time it gradually fell into disrepair, with most of the buildings dismantled in the 1660s to build nearby farmhouses, but leaving the solar tower intact. In 1978 the Department for the Environment acquired the site and conducted extensive

archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

excavations, prior to which rubble filled the solar tower to a height of three metres. The site is now in the care of English Heritage and is easily accessible from the nearby church of

St John the Baptist, Edlingham St John the Baptist is a mediaeval (11th century) church in Edlingham in the English county of Northumberland. The church is mostly Norman, from two periods, the late 11thearly 12th century and late 12th century.Pevsner N, ''The Buildings of Eng ...

. William de Felton is buried there. An interpretation board is on-site, while more detailed leaflets are available from the church for a small donation.

References

External links

Images of Edlingham castle
North of the Tyne website
Photos of Edlingham Castle and surrounding area
Geograph website
Edlingham Castle: Visitor information
English Heritage {{Locations of Bastle houses in the United Kingdom Castles in Northumberland English Heritage sites in Northumberland History of Northumberland Grade I listed castles Grade I listed buildings in Northumberland Scheduled monuments in Northumberland Ruins in Northumberland Ruined castles in England Grade I listed ruins

History

References

Further reading

External links