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Click on an image below to view more scenes at Chesters Roman Fort, Northumberland

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Cilurnum or Cilurvum was a fort on Hadrian’’s Wall mentioned in the Notitia Dignitatum. It is now identified with the fort found at Chesters (also known as Walwick Chesters to distinguish it from other sites named Chesters in the vicinity) near the village of Walwick, Northumberland, England. It was built in 123 AD, just after the wall’’s completion.Cilurnum is considered to be he best preserved Roman cavalry fort along Hadrian’’s Wall.

There is a museum on the site, housing finds from the fort and elsewhere along the wall.ConstructionThe site guarded a bridge carrying the military road behind the wall across the River North Tyne at this point, whose abutments survive. It was a cavalry fort at its foundation, for retaliatory raids into barbarian areas north of the wall, then given over to infantry later. Hadrian himself encouraged the “Cult of Disciplina” amongst legions stationed at the wall, and an early inscription on an altar dedicated to Disciplina, found in 1978, indicates the earliest known military presence was a wing of cavalry, ala Augusta ob virtutem appellata (“named Augusta because of its valour”). Inscriptions have also been found showing the First Cohort of Dalmatians and the First Cohort of Vangiones from Upper Rhineland in Germany were also stationed here.

Excavation
In the early 1800s Nathaniel Clayton, owner of Chesters House and Estate, moved hundreds of tons of earth to cover over the last remains of the fort as part of his parkland landscaping, thereby creating a smooth uninterrupted grassland slope down to the River Tyne; he collected, before they disappeared, a number of Roman artefacts which he preserved in the family. However his son John Clayton, a noted antiquarian, removed all his father’’s work, exposing the fort, excavating, and establishing a small museum for his finds. John Clayton also made excavations at Housesteads Fort, Carrawburgh Mithraic Temple, and Carvoran, amongst others.

Museum
The museum was commissioned in 1895 and opened in 1903. It is a grade II* listed building and was designed by Richard Norman Shaw. It displays part of John Clayton’’s collection of Roman finds.

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Go to Chesters Fort, English Heritage official website

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Sycamore Gap, Hadrians Wall Click to View Virtual Tour

History of Hadrian’s Wall

Hadrian’s Wall (Latin Vallum Aelium, Italian Vallo di Adriano) is a stone or turf and timber fortification built by the Roman Empire across the width of what is now northern England. Begun in 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall in what is now Scotland. Hadrian’s Wall is the best known of the two because its physical remains are most evident today.

Opinions differ, but the growing consensus is that the Wall was built as a readily defended fortification which clearly defined the northern frontier of the Roman Empire in Britain (Britannia). It would also improve economic stability and provide peaceful conditions in the frontier zone.

The wall was the most heavily fortified border in the Empire. In addition to its role as a military fortification, it is thought that many of the gates through the wall would have served as customs posts to allow trade and levy taxation.

A significant portion of the wall still exists, particularly the mid-section, and for much of its length the wall can be followed on foot by Hadrian’s Wall Path or by cycle on National Cycle Route 72. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern England, where it is often known simply as the Roman Wall. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. In 2005 it became part of the larger “Frontiers of the Roman Empire” World Heritage Site which also includes sites in Germany.

English Heritage, a government organization in charge of managing the historic environment of England, describes it as “the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain”.

Dimensions
Hadrian’s Wall was 80 Roman miles (73.5 statute miles or 117 kilometres) long, its width and height dependent on the construction materials which were available nearby. East of River Irthing the wall was made from squared stone and measured 3 metres (9.7 ft) wide and five to six metres (16–20 ft) high, while west of the river the wall was made from turf and measured 6 metres (20 ft) wide and 3.5 metres (11.5 ft) high. This does not include the wall’s ditches, berms, and forts. The central section measured eight Roman feet wide (7.8 ft or 2.4 m) on a 10-foot (3.0 m) base. Some parts of this section of the wall survive to a height of 10 feet (3.0 m).

The Route
Hadrian’s Wall extended west from Segedunum at Wallsend on the River Tyne to the shore of the Solway Firth. The A69 and B6318 roads follow the course of the wall as it starts in Newcastle upon Tyne to Carlisle, then along the northern coast of Cumbria. The wall is entirely in England and south of the border with Scotland by 15 kilometres (9 mi) in the west and 110 kilometres (68 mi) in the east.

The above article is courtesy of Wikipedia: Read More

A new website – www.hadrians-wall.org – has a number of features including inspiring photography, new interactive maps, itinerary ideas and enhanced information on things to see and do.

More information is available on the Unesco website “Frontiers of the Roman Empire”: Read More

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Prudhoe Castle, Northumberland Click to View Virtual Tour	The Chapel, Prudhoe Castle Click to View Virtual Tour
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History of Prudhoe Castle, Northumberland

Archaeological excavations have shown that the first castle on the site was a Norman motte and bailey, built sometime in the mid 11th century. Following the Norman Conquest, the Umfraville family took over control of the castle. Robert d’Umfraville was formally granted the barony of Prudhoe by Henry I but it is likely that the Umfravilles had already been granted Prudhoe in the closing years of the 11th century. The Umfravilles (probably Robert) initially replaced the wooden palisade with a massive rampart of clay and stones and subsequently constructed a stone curtain wall and gatehouse.

In 1173 William the Lion of Scotland invaded the North East to claim the earldom of Northumberland. The head of the Umfraville family, Odinel II, refused to support him and as a result the Scottish army tried to take Prudhoe Castle. The attempt failed as the Scots were not prepared to undertake a lengthy siege. The following year William attacked the castle again but found that Odinel had strengthened the garrison, and after a siege of just three days the Scottish army left. Following the siege, Odinel further improved the defences of the castle by adding a stone keep and a great hall.

Odinel died in 1182 and was succeeded by his son Richard. Richard became one of the barons who stood against King John, and as a result forfeited his estates to the crown. They remained forfeited until 1217, the year after King John’s death. Richard died in 1226 and was succeeded by his son, Gilbert, who was himself succeeded in 1245 by his son Gilbert. Through his mother, Gilbert II inherited the title of Earl of Angus, with vast estates in Scotland, but he continued to spend some of his time at Prudhoe. It is believed that he carried out further improvements to the castle. Gilbert took part in the fighting between Henry III of England and his barons, and in the Scottish expeditions of Edward I. He died in 1308 and was succeeded by his son, Robert D’Umfraville IV. In 1314, Robert was taken prisoner by the Scots at Bannockburn, but was soon released, though he was deprived of the earldom of Angus and of his Scottish estates. In 1316 King Edward granted Robert 700 marks to maintain a garrison of 40 men-at-arms and 80 light horsemen at Prudhoe.

In 1381 the last of the line, Gilbert III, died without issue and his widow married Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland. On her death in 1398, the castle passed to the Percy family.

The Percies added a new great hall to the castle shortly after they took possession of it. Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland fought against Henry IV and took part in the Battle of Shrewsbury, for which act he was attainted and his estates, including Prudhoe, were forfeited to the Crown in 1405. That same year it was granted to the future Duke of Bedford, (a son of Henry IV) and stayed in his hands until his death in 1435, whereupon it reverted to the Crown.

The Percies regained ownership of the Prudhoe estates in 1440, after a prolonged legal battle. However, Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland fought on the Lancastrian side in the Wars of the Roses and was killed at the Battle of Towton in 1461. In 1462 Edward IV granted Prudhoe to his younger brother George, Duke of Clarence. The latter only possessed the castle briefly before the king granted it to Lord Montague.

The castle was restored to the fourth Earl in 1470. The principal seat of the Percys was Alnwick Castle and Prudhoe was for the most part let out to tenants. In 1528 however Henry Percy 6th Earl was resident at the castle as later was his brother Sir Thomas Percy. Both the Earl and Sir Thomas were heavily involved in the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536 and both were convicted of treason and executed. Following forfeiture of the estates the castle was reported in August 1537 to have habitable houses and towers within its walls, although they were said to be somewhat decayed and in need of repairs estimated at £20.

The castle was once again restored to Thomas Percy, the 7th Earl in about 1557. He was convicted of taking part in the Rising of the North in 1569. He escaped, but was recaptured and was executed in 1572.
The castle was thereafter let out to many and various tenants and was not used as a residence after the 1660s. In 1776 it was reported to be ruinous.

Between 1808 and 1817, Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland carried out substantial repairs to the ancient fabric and replaced the old dwellings within the walls with a georgian mansion adjoining the keep.
In 1966 the castle was given over to the Crown and is now in the custody of English Heritage and is open to the public.

The castle stands on a ridge about 150 feet (46 m) on the south bank of the River Tyne. It is partly enclosed by a deep moat. The ground to the north falls away steeply to the river. The castle entrance is on the south side and is flanked by a mill pond on the left and a ruined water mill on the right. The castle is entered by a barbican dating from the first half of the 14th century. The gatehouse, dating from the early 12th century, leads into the outer ward, which contains the remains of several buildings. At the north side, against the curtain wall, are the remains of the Great Hall, measuring 60ft by 46ft (18m by 14m), built by the Percies when they took over the castle. At the end of the 15th century a new hall was built to the west to replace the existing one.

On the west side of the outer ward is the manor house, built in the early 19th century, and containing a visitor’s shop and exhibition rooms. At the south end of the manor house is a gateway leading into the inner ward. The main feature of the inner ward is the keep, dating from the 12th century. The keep has walls 10 feet (3.0 m) thick and its internal dimensions are 20ft by 24ft (7.3m by 6.1m). It originally consisted of two storeys beneath a double-pitched roof.

Read more: Prudhoe Castle (English Heritage), official website
The above article is courtesy of Wikipedia: Read More

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The Cloisters, Lanercost Priory Click to View Virtual Tour	The Nave, Lanercost Priory Click to View Virtual Tour
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History of Lanercost Priory

Lanercost Priory was founded in 1165 AD to house Augustinian Canons. It is situated at the village of Lanercost, Cumbria, England.
It was subject to raids and wars, since the border with Scotland was about 15 miles to the north. It suffered a crippling economic burden when Edward I was resident there for six months during his last campaign in 1306-7 before moving onto Carlisle and then dying at Burgh-by-Sands immediately before he could enter Scotland. All this was recorded in the Lanercost Chronicle.

Lanercost was dissolved as a priory in 1538 by Henry VIII. A small part of its nave was roofed over for use as a parish church, and in the 19th century the whole nave was roofed and divided from the crossing by a wall to make a larger parish church, which still functions today. In its churchyard is the tomb of Thomas Addison.

Hadrian’s Wall, the most important Roman monument in Great Britain is situated about one kilometre north of Lanercost Priory. The wall, was, unlike common perception, not a major battlefront to prevent invasion, but a barrier to inderdict unwanted immigrants from the north, who, the Romans thought, were a threat to the peacefulness of settled Brittania. The River Irthing marked an important transition in construction of Hadrian’s Wall according to C. Michael Hogan. West of the River Irthing “turf and timber prevailed, while cut stones with limed mortar interstices were used to the east” of the river. At Gilsland the tributary Poltross Burn flows into the River Irthing. Crossing Hadrian’s Wall at Gilsland, its course as it turns west is lined with sites from Roman Britain, including Birdoswald Roman Fort, at the top of another steep gorge carved by the river from the deep till overlying the area.

The priory has an unusual medieval stone carving called the Lancercost Cross with an inscription dating back to 1214. Originally the cross was set just outside the entrance to the church but today, whilst the stump of the cross still remains there, the main shaft is housed inside the priory.

Read more: Lanercost Priory (English Heritage), official website
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Souter Lighthouse Click to ViewVirtual Tour

History of Souter Lighthouse

The lighthouse is located on Lizard Point at Marsden, but takes its name from Souter Point, which is located a mile to the south. This was the intended site for the lighthouse, but it was felt that Lizard Point offered better visibility, as the cliffs there are higher, so the lighthouse was built there instead. The Souter Lighthouse name was retained in order to avoid confusion with the then recently built Lizard Lighthouse in Cornwall.

Designed by James Douglass and opened in 1871, the lighthouse was built due to the dangerous reefs directly under the water in the surrounding area. In one year alone – 1860 – there were 20 shipwrecks. This contributed to making this coastline the most dangerous in the country with an average of around 44 shipwrecks per every mile of coastline.

Souter Lighthouse was the first to use alternating electric current, the most advanced lighthouse technology of its day. Douglass also designed the fourth incarnation of the Eddystone Lighthouse off the coast of Plymouth.
The 800,000 candle power light was generated using carbon arcs and not a standard filament bulb and could be seen for up to 26 miles. The electricity was generated using a steam engine located in the engine house.

The lighthouse today
Today owned by the National Trust and open to the public, the lighthouse’s engine room, light tower and keeper’s living quarters are all on view. There is also an outdoor play area, Trusty Club and indoor activities to accommodate young visitors. Two of the former lighthouse keepers’ cottages are used as National Trust holiday cottages.
The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1988, but continued to serve as a radio navigation beacon up until 1999 when it was finally closed.
The lighthouse is said to be haunted and has even featured on British TV’s Most Haunted ghost hunting programme.

Present-day foghorn
The foghorn, which is reputed to be the loudest in Britain, has seen many changes over the years. When the lighthouse was first built, a single horn of a clay and iron pipe design was provided. This was replaced after a few years by twin horns to the same design, angled so as to spread the noise up and down the coast. By World War II, these had been superseded by twin Rayleigh trumpets. Finally, in the early 1960s, these in turn were replaced by the present-day diaphone fog horns. A reminder of their predecessors can be seen at the seaward corners of the foghorn station.

All produced a considerably loud tone which could be heard as far north as Whitley Bay, as far south as Sunderland and for several miles inland as far as Jarrow. It is reported that the lighthouse keepers were paid an extra 2d noisy money for the inconvenience of working shifts when the foghorn was in action. There was no such concession for local residents, however, who had to endure a five-second blast every 30 seconds in poor weather right up until 1988, when the lighthouse and foghorn were taken out of service by Trinity House.
The foghorn remains in working order and is sounded on special occasions throughout the year, most notably during the monthly Engine Room Day, which is held at the lighthouse during the summer months.

The above article is courtesy of Wikipedia: Read More

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Click on an image below to view more scenes at Belsay Hall

Belsay Hall Click to View Virtual Tour	Quarry Garden, Belsay Hall Click to View Virtual Tour
Crag Walk, Belsay Hall Click to View Virtual Tour

Belsay Hall is a 19th century country mansion located at Belsay, Northumberland. It is a Grade I listed building.

The house was built between 1810 and 1817 for Sir Charles Monck (then of Belsay Castle close by) to a design by architect John Dobson. It is built in ashlar with a Lakeland slate roof in the Greek Doric style. The house measures 100 feet (30 m) square with a lower kitchen wing attached to the north side. The rooms on three sides of the house are two storeys, although the range bordering the kitchen wing has three storeys, allowing for more rooms to house servants, nurseries, etc. This side of the house was badly affected by dry rot in the 1970s and, following remedial work, it has been left as a weather-proof shell to illustrate how the house was built.

The entire house is unfurnished and maintained in a condition of benign decay, with only necessary structural maintenance undertaken. This allows it to be used as a setting for bespoke art installations each summer.

The hall was the residence of the Middleton family until 1962. It is administered by English Heritage and is open to the public.

Read more on English Heritage: Belsay Hall, official website
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Click on an image below to view more scenes at Belsay Castle

Belsay Castle Click to View Virtual Tour

Belsay Castle is a 14th century medieval castle situated at Belsay, Northumberland, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building.
The main structure, a substantial three storey rectangular pele tower with rounded turrets and battlements was constructed about 1370, and was the home of the Middleton family . In 1614 Thomas Middleton built a new manor house attached to the tower. A west wing was added in 1711 but was later largely demolished in 1872 by Sir Arthur Middleton when the remainder of the house was considerably altered.

The castle was abandoned as a residence by the family in the early 19th century when Sir Charles Monck built Belsay Hall close by. It is administered by English Heritage and is open the public. The interiors were largely removed and it was then used as a ready-made folly, as was fashionable among the aristocracy at the time, serving as setting for garden parties and other entertainments.

Read more on English Heritage: Belsay Castle, official website
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Click on an image below to view more scenes at Aydon Castle

Aydon Castle Click to View Virtual Tour

Interior, Aydon Castle Click to View Virtual Tour

Aydon Castle is a fortified manor house at Aydon near to the town of Corbridge, Northumberland, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building.

The earliest recorded history of the locale of Aydon Castle relates to the period of Roman occupation and the associated development of the Stanegate and Hadrian’s Wall, both of which lie not far from Aydon Castle.

Documentary evidence shows that a timber hall first existed on this site. The manor house was built by Robert de Reymes, a wealthy Suffolk merchant, starting in 1296 AD, adjacent to the steep valley of the Cor Burn. At this time the house consisted of a two-storeyed home with a solar, dining hall and kitchen on the upper floor. In 1305 he obtained a licence to crenellate his property and added battlements and curtain walls. It was captured by the Scots in 1315 and again in 1346.

In the middle of the 16th century it was renovated and in the middle of 17th century it was converted into a farm. The building remained in use as a farm until 1966 but has since been restored to its medieval appearance. It is now managed by English Heritage.

Above information sourced from Wikipedia. Read the whole article for Aydon Castle

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Click on an image below to view more scenes at Dunstanburgh Castle

Dunstanburgh Castle Click to View Virtual Tour

Rocky Shoreline, Dunstanburgh Castle Click to View Virtual Tour

Dunstanburgh Castle lies on a spectacular headland on the coast of Northumberland in northern England, between the villages of Craster and Embleton.
The castle is the largest in Northumberland and the site shows traces of much earlier occupation before the erection of the castle was started in 1313 by the Earl of Lancaster.

Recent evidence suggests that the site of the castle was occupied in prehistoric times: however, the principal remains date from the 14th century. In 1313, Earl Thomas of Lancaster, cousin of Edward II of England began construction of a massive fortress. By the time of his execution in 1322, the castle was substantially complete. John of Gaunt improved the castle in the late 14th century as the Duke of Lancaster.

The castle did not play a significant part in the border warfare against Scotland. In the Wars of the Roses the castle was held for the Lancastrians in 1462 and 1464. The damage done was not made good and the castle fell steadily into decay. A report in 1538 mentioned it as being a “very reuynus howsse and of smalle strength” and another source in 1550 described it as in “wonderfull great decaye”. It continued to deteriorate and was robbed of stone for the building of other places in the area. The last private owner Sir Arthur Sutherland donated the castle to the Ministry of Works in 1929. The castle is now owned by the National Trust and in the care of English Heritage. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building. It lies within the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Turner painted Dunstanburgh many times, usually rising at dawn to do so. One of his oil paintings of the subject is in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Another is in the National Gallery of Victoria.

The castle occupies a prominent headland about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Craster. On the south side there is a gentle slope towards the castle. The northerly approach is much steeper and the northern perimeter juts into Embleton Bay forming a 150-foot (46 m) cliff. The headland itself is part of the Great Whin Sill, a geological formation stretching across Northumberland.

There are signs of medieval rig-and-furrow on the slopes near to the castle – possible evidence of subsistence farming for the castle inhabitants.

The present castle encloses the entire 11 acres (4.5 ha) headland. The southern approach is protected by a long enceinte wall punctuated by two rectangular towers (the Constable and Egyncleugh towers), two turrets and a large twin-towered gatehouse at the western corner. From the gatehouse, the wall carries northward along the hilltop to a rectangular turreted watch tower, known as the Lilburn Tower.

The twin-towered gatehouse served as the principal residential block of the castle. Under John of Gaunt, the gateway was blocked, and the entrance to the castle carried around to the left via a mantlet wall and tower, rendering the gatehouse a more secure traditional keep. The area at the rear of the twin-towered gatehouse was enclosed in a courtyard by walls and a tower to form an inner ward, with access on the east side.

Composed of two tall D-shaped towers, the gatehouse-keep is a masterpiece of 14th century castle design. Each tower was of four stories, and was originally capped by four turrets about 80 feet (24 m) above ground level. The long gate passage was protected by gates at each end and two soldiers’ barracks line the passage at ground level. On the first floor the gatehouse was divided into three rooms, with the central one controlling the portcullis mechanism. On the second floor above ground level there was a large room running across the entire width of the gatehouse, comprising a hall and chambers. The arrangements of the other stories and above have not survived.

The castle has a very high standard of masonry, comfort and design, and was likely intended to house Earl Thomas and his entire retinue. Well-lit residential chambers furnished with fireplaces may be found in the Lilburn and Constable towers as well as in the gatehouse. The large, apparently unused land in the middle of the castle may have served as a billeting area for troops.

Recent evidence suggests that there may have been an additional defensive enceinte of the castle, enclosing the low flat land around the foot of the main fort. Evidence has been found of a wall originating on the north near the Lilburn tower and extending around, anticlockwise, to the coastline on the east, where there may have been a medieval port

Dunstanburgh Castle
Craster, Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 3TT
Telephone: 01665 576231

Read more: Dunstanburgh Castle, National Trust official website
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Brinkburn Priory, Northumberland Click to View Virtual Tour

Brinkburn Priory lies on a bend of the River Coquet, some 4 miles (6 km) east of Rothbury, Northumberland, England.

It was founded by William Bertram, Baron of Mitford, in the reign of Henry I as an Augustinian priory. The exact date is not known but cannot have been later than 1135 as Henry died that year. About 1180 or so, Brinkburn became an independent house, and the building of the monastic church was commenced. Although the Priory acquired lands in Northumberland and Durham over the years it was never particularly wealthy. Little is known of the early history of the priory, although it is know that it survived some difficult times. In fact, as late as 1419 it was raided and robbed.

In 1535 the value was recorded as £69 and the priory, having an income of less than £200 per annum, was finally dissolved in 1536. Services continued to be held at Brinkburn and the church was retained in a fair state of repair till the end of the 16th century. In 1602 it was reported to be in a state of decay, and before 1700, the roof had collapsed, regular services were abandoned, and the site was deserted. The estate was purchased by the Fenwick family and in the late 16th century they built a manor house on the runs of the Priory buildings and adjacent to the ruins of the Priory Church.

In the 1750s Dr Sharpe, Archdeacon of Northumberland tried to effect repairs to the ruin. However, despite there being considerable support for the project, work was not able to commence due to a dispute between the owner, William Fenwick, and the Vicar of Felton. In the 19th century the Cadogan family, owners of Brinkburn revived the restoration of the church and work began in 1858. The roof was completed in the space of a year, and the stained glass windows had been inserted by 1864. The church, however, was not furnished until 1868. The tombstone of Prior William, Bishop of Durham (died 1484) was found during the reconstruction, as was the original altar stone with five crosses. The latter is still preserved along with an ancient font. In 1834 a bronze pot containing 300 Rose Nobles of Edward III, Richard II, and Henry IV was also discovered. Brinkburn Priory today, is a very sympathetic 19th-century restoration of the mediæval original. On the site of the west range, is an early-19th-century manor house which utilizes part of the vaulted undercroft to the monks dining hall. Church services and concerts are still occasionally held here, but mostly, Brinkburn Priory today is a peaceful and tranquil place.

Above information sourced from Wikipedia. Read the whole article for Brinkburn Priory

English Heritage website for Brinkburn Priory