Edlingham Castle Ruins

EDLINGHAM EDLINGHAM VILLAGE NU 10 NW 14/113 Edlingham Castle ruins 13.12.69 GV I

Castle: Hall house probably c.1295-1300 for William Felton, on earlier moated site; curtain wall and gatehouse mid C14; solar tower perhaps c.1400; courtyard ranges re-planned in C16. Squared stone with cut dressings. Rectangular hall- house with octagonal corner turrets; quadrangular court on north with domestic ranges on east and north and projecting gatehouse in centre of north curtain; square solar tower on south.

Apart from the solar tower and a tall fragment of the south-east turret of the hall house, the buildings are reduced to walls 1-2 metres high; the gates passage has the chamfered jambs of 3 arches, the central with a portcullis groove. The cobbled courtyard with its drains is well preserved.

The north and west walls of the solar tower stand to full height; at each angle a large stepped diagonal buttress carrying a corbelled-out circular bartizan, and in the centre of the north side a projecting rectangular stair turret carried up above parapet height. Externally, the north wall shows remains of pointed doorways from ground and 1st floors of lobby linking the tower to the earlier hall house; further doorways and chamfered loops in the turret. West wall shows 2 small square windows at 1st floor level. Interior: ground-floor fireplace with an elaborately joggled lintel, garderobe, window recess with seats and remains of segmental vault on chamfered ribs. lst-floor Great Chamber shows remains of an elaborate fireplace, with joggled lintel on head corbels, arched mural recess containing a well, double-level fenestration (the larger lower windows with seats) and a lofty groined vault on head corbels. 2nd-floor chamber has a simpler fireplace.

Historical notes: William Felton purchased the manor from Thomas de Edlingham in 1295, and it remained the principal residence of his family until the early C15. The Swinburnes acquired the estate in 1514 and it became their seat until c.1630; the buildings were being pulled down in 1661.

The duplication of suites of private apartments between hall house and solar tower is an interesting feature; historical evidence suggests division of the castle between 2 autonomous households in 1402.

Fairclough, G. 'Edlingham Castle, Northumberland'. Trans Anc. Mon. Soc. NS 28 (1984) 40-59.

Listing NGR: NU1161709198