Tynemouth Castle is located on a rocky headland (known as Pen Bal Crag), overlooking
Tynemouth Pier. The moated castle-towers,
gatehouse
A gatehouse is a type of fortified gateway, an entry control point building, enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a town, religious house, castle, manor house, or other fortification building of importance. Gatehouses are typically the mo ...
and
keep are combined with the ruins of the
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
priory
A priory is a monastery of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or nuns (such as the Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans, and Carmelites), or monasteries of ...
where early kings of
Northumbria
la, Regnum Northanhymbrorum
, conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Northumbria
, common_name = Northumbria
, status = State
, status_text = Unified Anglian kingdom (before 876)North: Anglian kingdom (af ...
were buried. The coat of arms of the town of Tynemouth still includes three crowns commemorating the tradition that the Priory had been the burial place for three kings.
Origins of the Priory
Little is known of the early history of the site, although archaeologists have discovered traces of 2 circular wooden houses, one dating from before AD 43 and the other from around the 2nd century AD.
Some
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
stones have been found there, but there is no definite evidence that it was occupied by the Romans. The Priory was founded early in the 7th century, perhaps by
Edwin of Northumbria
Edwin ( ang, Ēadwine; c. 586 – 12 October 632/633), also known as Eadwine or Æduinus, was the King of Deira and Bernicia – which later became known as Northumbria – from about 616 until his death. He converted to Christi ...
. In 651
Oswin, king of Deira was murdered by the soldiers of King
Oswiu of Bernicia, and subsequently his body was brought to Tynemouth for burial.
He became St Oswin and his burial place became a shrine visited by pilgrims. He was the first of the three kings buried at Tynemouth.
In 792
Osred II
Osred II was King of Northumbria from 789 to 790. He was the son of Alhred and Osgifu, daughter of Eadberht.
He succeeded Ælfwald, son of his mother's brother Oswulf, who was murdered by the ''patricius'' ( ealdorman) Sicga.
Osred, even th ...
, who had been king of Northumbria from 789 to 790 and then deposed, was murdered. He also was buried at Tynemouth Priory.
Osred was the second of the three kings buried at Tynemouth. The third king to be buried at Tynemouth was
Malcolm III
Malcolm III ( mga, Máel Coluim mac Donnchada, label=Medieval Gaelic; gd, Maol Chaluim mac Dhonnchaidh; died 13 November 1093) was King of Scotland from 1058 to 1093. He was later nicknamed "Canmore" ("ceann mòr", Gaelic, literally "big hea ...
, king of Scotland, who was killed at the
Battle of Alnwick in 1093.
(This is the same
Malcolm
Malcolm, Malcom, Máel Coluim, or Maol Choluim may refer to:
People
* Malcolm (given name), includes a list of people and fictional characters
* Clan Malcolm
* Maol Choluim de Innerpeffray, 14th-century bishop-elect of Dunkeld
Nobility
* Máe ...
who appears in Shakespeare's ''
Macbeth''.) The king's body was sent north for reburial, in the reign of his son
Alexander I Alexander I may refer to:
* Alexander I of Macedon, king of Macedon 495–454 BC
* Alexander I of Epirus (370–331 BC), king of Epirus
* Pope Alexander I (died 115), early bishop of Rome
* Pope Alexander I of Alexandria (died 320s), patriarch of ...
, at
Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland Parish Church in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was sacked in 1560 during the Scottish Reforma ...
, or possibly
Iona.
Attacks by the Danes
In 800 the
Danes plundered Tynemouth Priory,
and afterwards the monks strengthened the fortifications sufficiently to prevent the Danes from succeeding when they attacked again in 832. However, in 865 the church and monastery were destroyed by the Danes. At the same time, the nuns of St Hilda, who had come there for safety, were massacred. The priory was again plundered by the Danes in 870. The priory was destroyed by the Danes in 875.
The small parish church of St Mary remained.
Norman rule
Earl Tostig
Tostig Godwinson ( 102925 September 1066) was an Anglo-Saxon Earl of Northumbria and brother of King Harold Godwinson. After being exiled by his brother, Tostig supported the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada's invasion of England, and was killed ...
made Tynemouth his fortress during the reign of
Edward the Confessor. By that time, the priory had been abandoned and the burial place of St Oswin had been forgotten. According to legend, St Oswin appeared in a vision to Edmund, a novice, who was living there as a hermit. The saint showed Edmund where his body lay and so the tomb was re-discovered in 1065. Tostig was killed at the
Battle of Stamford Bridge
The Battle of Stamford Bridge ( ang, Gefeoht æt Stanfordbrycge) took place at the village of Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire, in England, on 25 September 1066, between an English army under King Harold Godwinson and an invading No ...
in 1066 and so was not able to re-found the monastery as he had intended.
![Tynemouth Castle and Priory](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Tynemouth_Castle_and_Priory.jpg)
In 1074
Waltheof II, Earl of Northumbria
Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria ( enm, Wallef, on, Valþjóf) (died 31 May 1076) was the last of the Anglo-Saxon earls and the only English aristocrat to be executed during the reign of William I.
Early life
Waltheof was the second son of Si ...
, last of the Anglo-Saxon earls, granted the church to the monks of Jarrow together with the body of St Oswin (
Oswine of Deira
Oswine, Oswin or Osuine (died 20 August 651) was a King of Deira in northern England.
Life
Oswine succeeded King Oswald of Northumbria, probably around the year 644, after Oswald's death at the Battle of Maserfield. Oswine was the son of Osric ...
), which was transferred to that site for a while. In 1090
Robert de Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland decided to re-found Tynemouth Priory, but he was in dispute with
William de St-Calais
William de St-Calais (died 2 January 1096) was a medieval Norman monk, abbot of the abbey of Saint-Vincent in Le Mans in Maine, who was nominated by King William I of England as Bishop of Durham in 1080. During his term as bishop, St-Calais r ...
, the Bishop of Durham and so placed the priory under the jurisdiction of the priory of
St Albans. Monks were sent from St Albans in 1090 to colonise the new monastery. However, when the abbot of St Albans visited in 1093,
Prior Thurgot of Durham met him and prevented the usurpation of the rights of Durham.
In 1091, seamen from William II's ships plundered Tynemouth and one victim appealed to St. Oswin, whose shrine was in the priory, and the next day the ships were all lost on the rocks of Coquet Island in fair weather. Thereafter, William Rufus held St. Oswin in great reverence.
In 1093
Malcolm III of Scotland
Malcolm III ( mga, Máel Coluim mac Donnchada, label= Medieval Gaelic; gd, Maol Chaluim mac Dhonnchaidh; died 13 November 1093) was King of Scotland from 1058 to 1093. He was later nicknamed "Canmore" ("ceann mòr", Gaelic, literally "big head ...
invaded England and was killed at Alnwick by Robert de Mowbray. Malcolm's body was buried at Tynemouth Priory for a time, but it is believed that he was subsequently reburied in
Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland Parish Church in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was sacked in 1560 during the Scottish Reforma ...
, in Scotland. In 1095 Robert de Mowbray took refuge in Tynemouth Castle after rebelling against
William II.
William besieged the castle and captured it after two months. Mowbray escaped to
Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh Castle is a castle on the northeast coast of England, by the village of Bamburgh in Northumberland. It is a Grade I listed building.
The site was originally the location of a Celtic Brittonic fort known as ''Din Guarie'' and may have ...
, but subsequently returned to Tynemouth. The castle was re-taken and Mowbray was dragged from there and imprisoned for life for treason. In 1110 a new church was completed on the site.
The castle
![TynemouthPriory2005-03-08 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/TynemouthPriory2005-03-08_1.jpg)
It is believed that at the time of Robert Mowbray's capture in 1095 there was a castle on the site consisting of earthen ramparts and a wooden stockade. In 1296 the prior of Tynemouth was granted royal permission to surround the monastery with walls of stone, which he did. The priory was attacked by Robert the Bruce in 1314 but was successfully defended by a garrison of 80 men.
In 1390 a gatehouse and barbican were added on the landward side of the castle. Much remains of the priory structure as well as the castle gatehouse and walls
which are 3200 feet (975 m) in length. The promontory was originally completely enclosed by a curtain wall and towers, but the north and east walls fell into the sea, and most of the south wall was demolished; the west wall, the gatehouse and a section of the south wall (with original wall walk) remain in good condition.
Edward II
In 1312 King
Edward II took refuge in Tynemouth Castle together with his favourite
Piers Gaveston
Piers Gaveston, Earl of Cornwall (c. 1284 – 19 June 1312) was an English nobleman of Gascon origin, and the favourite of Edward II of England.
At a young age, Gaveston made a good impression on King Edward I, who assigned him to the househ ...
, before fleeing by sea to
Scarborough Castle
Scarborough Castle is a former medieval Royal fortress situated on a rocky promontory overlooking the North Sea and Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. The site of the castle, encompassing the Iron Age settlement, Roman signal station, an A ...
. These events were dramatised by
Christopher Marlowe in his play
''Edward II'', published in 1594.
Act 2 Scene 2 of the play is set 'Before Tynemouth Castle'; Act 2 Scene 3 is set 'Near Tynemouth Castle'; and Act 2 Scene 4 is set 'In Tynemouth Castle'.
Tynemouth Priory was also the resting place of Edward's illegitimate son
Adam FitzRoy
Adam FitzRoy (c. 1307 - 18 September 1322) was an illegitimate son of King Edward II of England. The identity of Adam's mother is not known. He accompanied his father in the Scottish campaigns of 1322, and died shortly afterwards on 18 Septembe ...
. FitzRoy accompanied his father in the Scottish campaigns of 1322, and died shortly afterwards on 18 September 1322, of unknown causes, and was buried at Tynemouth Priory on 30 September 1322; his father paid for a silk cloth with gold thread to be placed over his body.
Reformation
![PercyChantryHDR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/PercyChantryHDR.jpg)
In 1538 the monastery of Tynemouth was suppressed when Robert Blakeney was the last prior of Tynemouth. At that time, apart from the prior, there were fifteen monks and three novices in residence. The priory and its attached lands were taken over by
King Henry VIII who granted them to Sir Thomas Hilton. The monastic buildings were dismantled leaving only the church and the Prior's house. The castle, however, remained in royal hands. New artillery fortifications were built from 1545 onwards, with the advice of
Sir Richard Lee and the Italian military engineers Gian Tommaso Scala
and Antonio da Bergamo. The medieval castle walls were updated with new gunports. The castle was the birthplace of
Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland, KG (27 April 1564 – 5 November 1632) was an English nobleman. He was a grandee and one of the wealthiest peers of the court of Elizabeth I. Under James I, Northumberland was a long-term prisoner i ...
in 1564, during the period when his father, the 8th Earl, was guardian of the castle.
In May 1594
George Selby
Sir George Selby (1557–1625) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1601 and 1611.
Selby was the son of William Selby and his wife Elizabeth Fenwick, daughter of Gerard Fenwick of Newcastle.
He was a sheriff (1594), ...
and Thomas Power, lieutenant of Tynemouth Castle, captured two fugitives from the court of
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and Queen of England and Ireland from the union of the Scottish and Eng ...
who had stolen some of her jewels. Power kept
Jacob Kroger, a German goldsmith, and Guillaume Martyn, a French stableman, as prisoners at Tynemouth for five weeks until they were returned to Edinburgh for summary trial and execution.
Subsequent history
Parish church
The church remained in use as a parish church until 1668 when a new church was built nearby. The ruins of the church can still be seen. Beneath them is a small (18 feet by 12 feet) chapel, the Oratory of St Mary or Percy Chapel. Its notable decorative features include a painted ceiling with numerous coats of arms and other symbols, stained-glass side windows, and a small rose window in the east wall, above the altar.
Lighthouse
![Tynemouth Priory engraving by William Miller after Turner R641](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Tynemouth_Priory_engraving_by_William_Miller_after_Turner_R641.jpg)
For some time a
navigation light
A navigation light, also known as a running or position light, is a source of illumination on a watercraft, aircraft or spacecraft, meant to give information on the craft's position, heading, or status. Some navigation lights are colour-coded ...
, in the form of a coal-fired
brazier
A brazier () is a container used to burn charcoal or other solid fuel for cooking, heating or cultural rituals. It often takes the form of a metal box or bowl with feet. Its elevation helps circulate air, feeding oxygen to the fire. Braziers ...
, had been maintained on top of one of the turrets at the east end of the Priory church. It is not known when this practice began, but a source of 1582 refers to: "the kepinge of a continuall light in the night season at the easte ende of the churche of Tinmouthe castle ... for the more safegarde of such shippes as should passe by that coast".
As Governor of Tynemouth Castle,
Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland, 2nd Baron Percy (153221 June 1585) was an English nobleman and conspirator.
Origins
He was born in about 1532 at Newburn Manor (Northumberland), the second of two sons of Sir Thomas Percy (c. 1504–15 ...
is recorded as having responsibility for the light's maintenance; and he and his successors in that office were entitled to receive
dues from passing ships in return.
In 1559, however, the stairs leading to the top of the turret collapsed, preventing the fire from being lit.
In 1665, therefore, the then Governor (
Colonel Villiers) had a purpose-built
lighthouse erected on the headland (within the castle walls, using stone taken from the priory); it was rebuilt in 1775.
Like its predecessor, the lighthouse was initially coal-fired, but in 1802 an oil-fired
argand light was installed. In 1841 William Fowke (a descendant of Villiers and his successor as Governor) sold the lighthouse to
Trinity House, London.
On the establishment of a lighthouse at
Souter Point in 1871, the Tynemouth light was altered to display a revolving red light (rather than revolving white). It remained in operation until 1898, when it was replaced by
St. Mary's Lighthouse in
Whitley Bay
Whitley Bay is a seaside town in the North Tyneside borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It formerly governed as part of Northumberland and has been part of Tyne and Wear since 1974. It is part of the wider Tyneside built-up area, being around e ...
to the north; Tynemouth Castle Lighthouse was then demolished.
Coastal defence and Coastguard station
![Gun Emplacement - The Battery Tynemouth - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Gun_Emplacement_-_The_Battery_Tynemouth_-_geograph.org.uk_-_503779.jpg)
At the end of the 19th century the castle was used as a barracks with several new buildings being added. Many of these were removed after a fire in 1936. The castle played an important role during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
when it was used as a coastal defence installation covering the mouth of the river Tyne. It also suffered heavy air raids in 1941. Military structures remained in place until 1956 when the army departed.
The restored sections of the coastal defence emplacements are open to the public. These include a guardroom and the main armoury, where visitors can see how munitions were safely handled and protected.
More recently the site has hosted the modern buildings of
Her Majesty's Coastguard
His Majesty's Coastguard (HMCG) is a section of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency responsible, through the Secretary of State for Transport to Parliament, for the initiation and co-ordination of all maritime search and rescue (SAR) within the ...
; however the new coastguard station, built in 1980 and opened by
Prince Charles, was closed in 2001.
Present-day
Tynemouth Castle and Priory is now managed by
English Heritage
English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, medieval castles, Roman forts and country houses.
The charity states that i ...
, which charges an admission fee.
In 2002, it doubled as a castle for a tourist advert for the
Isle of Mull.
Governors
* –1491 Sir Robert Lilburn
* 1491– William de Norton
[
* 1553– ]Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland, 2nd Baron Percy (153221 June 1585) was an English nobleman and conspirator.
Origins
He was born in about 1532 at Newburn Manor (Northumberland), the second of two sons of Sir Thomas Percy (c. 1504–15 ...
* 1561–1583 Sir Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland, 2nd Baron Percy (153221 June 1585) was an English nobleman and conspirator.
Origins
He was born in about 1532 at Newburn Manor (Northumberland), the second of two sons of Sir Thomas Percy (c. 1504–15 ...
(reappointed)
* c.1647 Sir Arthur Haselrig
Sir Arthur Haselrig, 2nd Baronet (1601 – 7 January 1661) was a leader of the Parliamentary opposition to Charles I and one of the Five Members whose attempted arrest sparked the 1642–1646 First English Civil War. He held various military an ...
(Governor of Newcastle and Tynemouth) [
** Colonel Henry Lilburne (Deputy Governor) (killed 1648)
** c.1655 John Topping (Deputy Governor)
* 1660– ]William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle
William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne, KG, KB, PC (25 December 1676) was an English courtier and supporter of the arts. He was a renowned horse breeder, as well as being patron of the playwright Ben Jonson, and the intellectual gr ...
* c.1662– Colonel Edward Villiers (died 1689)
* c.1687–1707 Henry Villiers (died 1707)
* 1708–1710 Thomas Meredyth
Lieutenant-General Thomas Meredyth or Meredith (after 1661–1719), of Chelsea, Middlesex, was an Irish officer of the British Army and a politician who sat in the Parliament of Ireland from 1703 to 1719 and as a Whig in the British House of Co ...
* 1710–1750 Algernon Seymour, Earl of Hertford (died 1750)
* 1750–1771 Lt-Gen Sir Andrew Agnew, 5th Baronet
Lieutenant-General Sir Andrew Agnew, 5th Baronet JP (21 December 1687 – 14 August 1771) was the son of Sir James Agnew, 4th Baronet and Lady Mary Montgomerie.
Succession
He succeeded his father as 5th Baronet, of Lochnaw on the latter's dea ...
* 1771–1778 Lt-Gen Hon. Alex Mackay
* 1778–1796 Lt-Gen Lord Adam Gordon
* 1796–1809 General Charles Rainsford
General Charles Rainsford (3 February 1728 – 24 May 1809) was a British Army officer.
Career
He was the second son of alderman Francis Rainsford (died 1770) and his wife, Isabella and received his first education from a cleric friend of Franc ...
* 1809–c.1820 David Douglas Wemyss
Major general David Douglas Wemyss (1760–1839) was a British Army officer. Born Douglas, he changed his name to Wemyss circa 1790.
He was the seventh General Officer Commanding, Ceylon, appointed in 1804. He was succeeded by Thomas Maitland.
...
Lieutenant Governors
* 1722–1753 Henry Villiers (died 1753) [
* 1753–1763 Lt-Gen Thomas Lacey
* 1763–1797 Lt-Col Spencer Cowper
* 1797–1799 Lt-Col Alexander Hope
* 1799–1821 Col. Charles Crawford
* 1821–1826 Lt-Gen ]James Hay James Hay may refer to:
*James Hay (bishop) (died 1538), Scottish abbot and bishop
* James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle (c.1580–1636), British noble
* James Hay, 2nd Earl of Carlisle (1612–1660), British noble
* James Hay, 15th Earl of Erroll (172 ...
* 1826–1848 Lt-Gen William Thomas
Panorama
Aerial view
See also
*Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
Castles have played an important military, economic and social role in Great Britain and Ireland since their introduction following the Norman invasion of England in 1066. Although a small number of castles had been built in England in the 1050 ...
*List of castles in England
This list of castles in England is not a list of every building and site that has "castle" as part of its name, nor does it list only buildings that conform to a strict definition of a castle as a medieval fortified residence. It is not a li ...
References
Further reading
* Dodds, G.L., "Historic Sites of Northumberland & Newcastle upon Tyne", 2000, Albion Press, .
External links
*
Images of Tynemouth Castle and Priory
{{Authority control
7th-century establishments in England
Anglo-Saxon monastic houses
Castles in Tyne and Wear
English Heritage sites in Tyne and Wear
History of Northumberland
Benedictine monasteries in England
Tynemouth Priory
Tynemouth Castle is located on a rocky headland (known as Pen Bal Crag), overlooking Tynemouth Pier. The moated castle-towers, gatehouse and keep are combined with the ruins of the Benedictine priory where early kings of Northumbria were buried ...
Monasteries in Tyne and Wear
Tourist attractions in Tyne and Wear
Scheduled monuments in Tyne and Wear
Ruins in Tyne and Wear
Buildings and structures in the Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside
Historic house museums in Tyne and Wear
Military and war museums in England
Christian monasteries established in the 7th century
Tynemouth
Military history of Tynemouth
Burial sites of the House of Dunkeld
Monasteries dissolved under the English Reformation