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  1. Home
  2. Medieval Places
  3. Bamburgh Castle
Castle
Castle
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Bamburgh Castle

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 County

Northumberland (15 castles) 

 Categories

Stone

 Remains

Excellent remains

 Access

Only open at certain times

 Location55.609281,-1.710582 (Google Maps) DirectionsDirections via Google Maps
 County

Northumberland (15 castles) 

 Categories

Stone

 Remains

Excellent remains

 Access

Only open at certain times

 Location
55.609281,-1.710582
 Directions
Directions via Google Maps
amburgh Castle is located on an outcrop of basalt rock on the Northumbrian coast of northern England. The outcrop of rock forms a long ridge and stands over a hundred feet above the surrounding land overlooking a natural harbour. This location has been chosen as a site that could be defended long before the medieval period. Bamburgh was chosen as the capital of Northumbria, or Bernicia as it was known, one of the seven kingdoms that existed in Saxon times. In Saxon times the castle was called Bebbanburgh after Bedda the wife of Aethelfrith of Bernicia. When Aethelfrith's son Oswald returned from exile on Iona and became King, Christianity arrived in Northumbria and a chapel was built within the confines of the castle. Aidan, a bishop from Iona, was invited to Bamburgh and was given land on the nearby island of Lindisfarne to build a monastery to be seen from the castle.

The following centuries saw destruction and reconstruction at the castle due to internal conflicts in Northumbria but also from the Vikings who attacked the north east coast stealing from the vunerable monasteries and murdering the monks. After the Norman invasion Bamburgh played an important part in protecting England from the Scots and major rebuilding work took place to improve the defences of the castle. In 1164 during the reign of Henry II a large square Norman keep known as the 'Great Tower' was built at the castle at the cost of four pounds and over the next few centuries the castle was visited by all the English kings.

The War of the Roses saw the end of Bamburgh Castle's power when a siege was ended with the use of cannons, the first English castle to fall in this way. The following centuries saw the decline of the castle's fabric as repair costs grew too much for the private owners to afford. This state of disrepair lasted until 1894 when the castle was bought by Lord Armstrong who began restoration work to convert the remains into a private mansion. The results of his and successors work is what you see today when you visit Bamburgh castle.

Location

See Also

People

  • Margaret (of Anjou)
  • Neville, Richard (Earl of Warwick, 'The Kingmaker')
  • Edward (IV, Earl of March and King of England 1461-1470, 1471-1483)
  • A .. Z List of Medieval People

Related Information

  • Why build and live in castles
  • Castle development timeline
  • Keep and bailey castles
  • Castles of William the Conqueror
  • Motte and bailey castles
  • Shell-Keeps
  • Square keeps
  • Polygonal Keeps
  • Castles of Edward I
  • Parts of a castle
  • Location of lots of castles
  • Castle construction timeline

Related Maps

  • Map of Castles

Related Episodes

Edward II and Piers Gaveston (click here)

Edward II and Piers Gaveston (click here)

Wars of the Roses Phase Three (click here)

Wars of the Roses Phase Three (click here)

Timeline

1164

...

Construction of the Great Tower at Bamburgh

A large Norman square keep was built as Bamburgh castle as the cost of four pounds.

1311

July

Edward returns to England

Edward II left Scotland and returned to England to attend a session of Parliament. Gaveston was left behind at Bamburgh Castle where he was relatively safe from the Lords Ordainers. ¹

1462

October 25

Queen Margaret invades

Queen Margaret landed near Bamburgh Castle on the Northumbrian coast with a small army. The main castles in the area, Alnwick, Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh surrendered to the Queen. ¹

1462

December

Yorkists take back control of Northumbrian castles

The Earl of Warwick was put in charge of capturing the castles from the Lancastrian garrisons. Edward had to stay at Durham to recover from a bout of the measles. The castles were not attacked but cut off from supplies to starve the soldiers out. Just before the new year the Lancastrian soldiers surrendered and the Yorkists took control of Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh Castles. Warwick used the castle at Warkworth as his base while he monitored the sieges at the other castles. The seige of Alnwick Castle continued into January. ¹

1463

March

Northumbrian castles fall to Lancastrians

Sir Ralph Percy, the constable in charge of Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh castles, defected and allowed the Lancastrians to take control. Alnwick Castle fell to the Lancastrians shortly afterwards.

1463

December

Duke of Somerset rebels

Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset and Lancastrian supporters rebelled against Edward and used Bamburgh Castle as a base.

1464

June 23

Alnwick Castle Surrenders to Warwick

After the Lancastrians were defeated at the Battle of Hexham their power in Northumberland was at an end. The Earl of Warwick accepted the surrender of Alnwick Castle on June the 23rd. Dunstanburgh Castle surrendered shortly afterwards. The siege at Bamburgh Castle was brought to an end with the use of cannons, the first castle to fall in such a way. ¹

3D Virtual Reconstructions

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Medieval people

Uncover the lives of the hundreds of kings, queens, lords, ladies, barons, earls, archbishops and rebels who made the medieval people an exciting period of history to live through.

Selection of references used:

  • 1. Caroline Bingham, The Life and Times of Edward II
  • 2. Peter Potter, Data Donation
  • 3. Anthony Goodman, The Wars of the Roses, ISBN:0-88029-484-1

    Location

    See Also

    People

    • Margaret (of Anjou)
    • Neville, Richard (Earl of Warwick, 'The Kingmaker')
    • Edward (IV, Earl of March and King of England 1461-1470, 1471-1483)
    • A .. Z List of Medieval People

    Related Information

    • Why build and live in castles
    • Castle development timeline
    • Keep and bailey castles
    • Castles of William the Conqueror
    • Motte and bailey castles
    • Shell-Keeps
    • Square keeps
    • Polygonal Keeps
    • Castles of Edward I
    • Parts of a castle
    • Location of lots of castles
    • Castle construction timeline

    Related Maps

    • Map of Castles

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