Bamburgh Castle: Northumberland UK

A North Sea Stronghold in Northern England

Sep 17, 2007

Bamburgh Castle Southern View, MK Fleury

Located 42 miles north of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, the restored Bamburgh Castle has a violent history dating back before the Anglo-Saxon era.

History of Bamburgh Castle

Bamburgh Castle is perched high on a rocky outcrop on the shore of the North Sea. Due to its location, it defended England from invasions by sea and by land. Although the first recorded history took place in the 6th century, archeological excavation has unearthed artifacts from the Iron Age.

In the 6th century, a monk named Nennius kept written records which indicate that Bamburgh was a stronghold for local kings. This was the same century where the Anglo-Saxons dominated the Celts. Bamburgh continued to be occupied by Saxon earls through the attacks of the Vikings during the 9th century up until the Norman invasion in the 11th century. The castle became the administrative center for the sheriff of northern Northumberland. When Henry Percy was made earl of Northumberland in the 14th century, he moved the administration to Percy Castle in Alnwick.

Bamburgh continued to be a place of defence and imprisonment and was a refuge for shipwrecked sailors. It served as a marine warning system before the lighthouse on the Fairne Islands was built. The castle was badly damaged by gunfire in 1464 and it lay in ruins until it was sold to a private citizen. Dr John Sharp began the restoration in the 18th century and he sold it to Lord Armstrong in the 19th century. Since then, the castle has remained under the ownership of the Armstrong family.

Inside Bamburgh Castle

The Crewe Room was restored in the 18th century by Dr John Sharp. It was once used as a school operated by the Crewe Trustees and now it’s a museum room. This room plus the First and Second Small Rooms were also restored by Dr John Sharp and contain collections of 17th century glassware and furniture.

Restoration resumed in the late 19th century when Lord Armstrong took ownership. He restored the Crewe Entrance Hall, King’s Hall, Cross Hall, The Court Room and Faire Chamber. All of these grand rooms contain period furniture, artwork, woodwork and accessories such as glassware, brass and porcelain.

The 12th century Keep and the Armoury survived the destruction in the 15th century. Once used as a chapel, the Armoury contains weapons dating back to the 15th century. The walls at the base of the Keep are approximately 3o to 4 feet thick in order to provide effective defence against invaders. Visitors will find a Saxon well that was positioned in the guard room. Huge chains still hang on the wall and they were used for rescuing wrecked ships on the coast.

The Bake House and Scullery were restored by the castle staff. There are brick ovens with appliances and utensils on loan from the Beamish Museum in Durham.

The most recent display room at Bamburgh Castle is the The Archaeology Museum. It was opened in 2003 and contains artifacts dug up by archeologist Dr Brian Hope-Taylor during the 1960s and 1970s. Excavation work is still in progress through The Bamburgh Research Project. As more artifacts are found, they will be displayed in this museum. Students of archeology and interested parties are welcome to enroll in the research project.

Bamburgh Castle Visitor Information

Bamburgh Castle is open daily from 11am to 5pm from March to October. The last entry is at 4:30pm. Opening dates for 2008 and admission information are available at the Bamburgh Castle website.

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