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Belford Castle Location OS Landranger sheet 75 NU 103340
How to get there :- From A1 north of Alnwick turn into Belford village take the Wooler road west. The narrow lane to Westhall is on the rightbefore you leave the village. Now an integral part of a working farm. The site has a Castelleated farmhouse standing on the Barmkin of the original tower. Click first picture for large view |
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NU103340/Trace/Access Earthworks survive, modern farm on site of a possible C11 Motte and Bailey. Later received C15 tower (qv). Recorded as moat to C15 Tower in SMR and PastScape.The 1415 list mentions a castle here held by the D'Arcy family, it later passed to the Conyers, and then to the Forsters and Dixons, before being sold the William Clarke in the 18th Century. Although the presence of the later tower suggests this may have been a high status location the very nearby presence of a strong natural position and already existing Prehistoric camp at Chapel Crag (qv), which has a medieval chapel on it, would suggest this may not be the manorial centre. Philip Davis offers "I can see no reason to build a motte when there is a more dramatic, better defended but still easily accessible site so close by. If there was a C11 or C12 castle at Belford I would suggest that the remains of the Chapel at NU10463449 suggest where it was located" |
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