Edlingham Castle Ruins, Edlingham, Northumberland

Entry Name: Edlingham Castle Ruins

Listing Date: 13 December 1969

Grade: I

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1042032

English Heritage Legacy ID: 236451

Also known as: Edlingham Castle fortified manor and solar tower

ID on this website: 101042032

Location: Edlingham, Northumberland, NE66

County: Northumberland

Civil Parish: Edlingham

Traditional County: Northumberland

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Northumberland

Church of England Parish: Whittingham and Edlingham with Bolton Chapel

Church of England Diocese: Newcastle

Tagged with: Castle Fortification

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Description

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

External Links

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