Morpeth Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building at Morpeth, Northumberland, in northeast England. It has been restored by the Landmark Trust and is now available as a holiday rental home.

History

The original

motte and bailey A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or Bailey (castle), bailey, surrounded by a protective Rampart (fortification ...

dating from the 11th century was built on a hill overlooking the River Wansbeck and destroyed by King John in 1216. A new

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 ...

was built in the bailey of the original in the 1340s, but little of that structure survives apart from parts of the curtain wall and the much-altered gatehouse. In 1516 Margaret Tudor, sister of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

and widow of

James IV of Scotland James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauchi ...

, stayed for four months in Morpeth Castle as she fled from her enemies in Scotland and sought refuge with her brother. The one great military event in the castle's history was in 1644 when a garrison of 500 Lowland Scots held it for Parliament for 20 days against 2,700 Royalists. The castle was held by and passed by the female line through several illustrious families; de Merlay, Greystoke,

Dacre Dacre may refer to: Places *Dacre, Cumbria, England **Dacre Castle *Dacre, North Yorkshire, England *Dacre, New Zealand, in the Southland Region * Dacre, Ontario, Canada People *Baron Dacre, an English hereditary title *Charlotte Dacre (1782–184 ...

and

Howard Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also probabl ...

, none of whom resided there for any long period. In about 1860 the gatehouse was restored and converted to provide a staff residence.

Recent History

The Castle was rented on a long-term arrangement to the Landmark Trust in 1988 which undertook a complete refurbishment in 1990, restoring many of the gatehouse's original historic features and removing the modern extensions and swimming pool. The gatehouse is now available to rent from the Landmark Trust as holiday accommodation. Morpeth Castle Walls

Civil parish

Morpeth Castle was a civil parish, in 1951 the parish had a population of 327. Morpeth Castle was formerly a township, from 1866 Morpeth Castle was a civil parish in its own right until it was abolished on 1 April 1935 and merged with Morpeth.

References

* ''The David and Charles Book of Castles'' Plantagenet Somerset Fry 1980
Images of Morpeth Castle

External links

The Landmark Trust
{{Authority control Grade I listed buildings in Northumberland Castles in Northumberland History of Northumberland Grade I listed castles Scheduled monuments in Northumberland Ruins in Northumberland Landmark Trust properties in England Former civil parishes in Northumberland Morpeth, Northumberland