Description

NY 86 SW HAYDON LANGLEY

9/55 Langley Castle
20/10/52

I

Castle, c.1350 restored by Cadwallader Bates c. 1900. Squared stone, roofs not
visible. Large and impressive tower-house consisting of a rectangular 4-storeyed
central block with square 5-storey angle towers projecting from the longer east
and west faces. Later C14 forebuilding containing entrance and newel stair set
in re-entrant angle of south-east tower and east front. East elevation with pointed
double-chamfered entrance arch in forebuilding and various windows, some restored.
South elevation with twin stepped buttresses capped by corbelled-out circular
bartizans. Central door and flanking windows and 1st floor windows C19, other
windows C14, some restored. Garderobe projections with arched openings on south
and west side of base of south-west tower. West elevation has a variety of
traceried windows, some C19 and some restored C14. All ground floor openings Cl9.
North elevation similar to south, C19 ground floor door, restored C14 windows.
Embattled parapets, bartizans and turrets all C19 although probably a reasonably
correct restoration. Interior; all floors and woodwork C19, C14 doorways,
fireplaces, vaulted guardrooms in forebuilding etc. Elaborate garderobe
arrangements in south-west tower.

Probably the finest tower-house in Northumberland, Langley Castle is thought to
have been built by Sir Thomas de Lucy and later belonged to the Earl of
Northumberland. It was already a roofless ruin in 1541 but remained a tolerably
intact shell until Bates' restoration.

J.H. Parker 'Domestic Architecture in England' II 1853 332-334
C. Bates 'The Barony and Castle ofLangley' Arch. Aeliana X 1885 38-56

Listing NGR: NY8347662473

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Langley Castle at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q2969643

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey