Norham Castle - Northumberland
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Norham Castle

Location OS Landranger sheet 74 & 75 NT 906476

How to get there 6 Miles SW of Berwick. From A698 between Coldsteam and Berwick upon Tweed. Take B6470 into Norham Village.

A Castle built here in 1121 to guard a ford over the Tweed by Ranulph Flambard, Bishop of Durham.

The castle is in the custody of English Heritage

click on first picture for wide view

Other Northumberland castles

Castle plan Courtesy of Mike Salter
History

NU 116324/Ruin/EH

Castle originally built as a motte and bailey in 1121 for Bishop Flambard and rebuilt in stone circa 1157 by Richard of Wolviston for Bishop Puiset. Additions were made in C13, including the great hall and south wall.

The keep was remodelled between 1422-25. The last phase of construction was 1513-15 when rebuilding was carried out especially to the north wall for Bishop Ruthal. During the late C18 and early C19 one of the south turrets was encased in a gothic cottage. A possible outer enclosure encroaches into the field to the South .

The castle lies within a possible Iron Age promontory fort , and there are various post-medieval artillery fortifications in the vicinity.

Northam; Norrham

JMW Turner, Norham Castle Sunrise 1825
Mons Meg this huge Bombard was used in 1513 to bring about the surrender of Norham Castle // Author 1950s
Old engravings of Norham Castle
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