Bamburgh Castle

As ye know I was in the UK recently to celebrate my Father in law's birthday with my wife and children. We had a great time and stayed up in Alnwick, which is a nice little town. On one of the days we visited nearby Bamburgh Castle, which I knew little about, hut learned loads about thanks to this really useful pictograph on the wall outside the castle, which takes you on a journey of discovery of Bamburgh Castle from inception right up to today.

The imposing stands on a volcanic outcrop on the Northumberland coast, but long before the stone walls you see today, the site was a powerful British stronghold called Din Guarie. This early fortress would have been founded by Celtic Britons, guarding the coastline and may already have been a regional capital. In the mid-6th century it was taken over by the Anglo-Saxons and became the heart of the kingdom of Bernicia, part of what would later be known as Northumbria (close to Newcastle in the North East of England). The name gradually shifted from Din Guarie to Bebbanburh (“Bebba’s stronghold”) after Queen Bebba, giving us the modern name Bamburgh.

During the Anglo-Saxon period, Bamburgh would have been a royal centre of real power and prestige. Kings ruled from here, royal courts were held, and the site was closely linked with the early Christian kingdom of Northumbria and nearby Holy Island (Lindisfarne). Excavations have revealed luxury objects, high-quality metalwork, and weaponry that show it was an elite residence, not just a military fort. However, its prominence also made it a target. From the 9th to 10th centuries, just like in Ireland, the Viking raided, pillaged and battered the Northumbrian coast, and in 993 the stronghold was reportedly destroyed in a major Viking attack.

After the Norman Conquest of 1066, the new rulers of England recognised the strategic value of Bamburgh’s rock and built a substantial stone castle on the old Anglo-Saxon site, which is when it started to take on the look of the castle you see today.

This period saw the construction of the great stone keep and curtain walls, much of which still dominates the skyline. Bamburgh became a royal stronghold, besieged during baronial revolts and used as a prison for high-status captives, including David II of Scotland in the 14th century.

In the later Middle Ages, during the Wars of the Roses, the castle withstood heavy artillery bombardment; in 1464 it became one of the first English castles to be decisively reduced by cannon fire.

In the post-medieval period, Bamburgh gradually lost its purely military role. The Forster family governed and later owned the castle, but financial problems led to decline. In the early 18th century, the estate passed to trustees under the will of Lord Crew, Bishop of Durham, who turned parts of the castle into a centre for charity and public welfare.

It housed a school, an infirmary, and pioneering facilities to aid shipwrecked sailors along the dangerous coast. Despite these admirable uses, many sections of the castle remained ruined and windswept, giving it a romantic, crumbling appearance.
The modern look of Bamburgh dates largely from the late 19th century, when industrialist William Armstrong bought the castle and embarked on an ambitious restoration.

He rebuilt and refitted large parts of the interior in a grand, Victorian style while preserving the medieval walls and keep, creating the dramatic blend of fortress and stately home seen today.

In the 20th century the castle played a minor defensive role in World War II, gained legal protection as a Grade I listed building, and became a popular visitor attraction and filming location.

Still owned by the Armstrong family, Bamburgh Castle now serves as a museum, family home, and iconic landmark overlooking one of England’s most striking stretches of coastline.

It certainly is a beautiful part of England and an area I'm looking forward to visiting again soon.

The castle is really imposing and must have took lots of time and effort to build.

After visiting the castle and walking around the perimeter, we were all tired and hungry, so we went to Seahouses for fish and chips. The Cod was unreal and absolutely massive pottion.

Thanks as always for stopping by everyone

Peace Out