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It’s a CASTLE but not as we know it, is a statement proved by it’s definition in the Oxford Dictionary. ie. chateau, citadel, donjon, fastness. fortress, keep, mansion, palace, peel, stronghold, tower.

 The one word not used with context to our present use of the word is CAPITAL, as until the Middles Ages (1,000 – 1,500 ad) when most of our castles were built they were the centre of a empire or kingdom.

 Fortified homes or cities were built throughout Europe and the rest of the World for over three thousand years prior to that, although the first serious fortifications in Britain were constructed by the Romans during their 400 year occupation until the fifth Century.

 After the Romans left the Border regions north of Hadrian’s Wall was the centre of  inter family kingdom feuding which was to continue for the next thousand years.

 Until the Romans wood was the main material with which to build a defensive home, after their departure the abandoned stone garrisons etc. were plundered for the ready prepared building bricks.

 Hence the earliest stone bastilles or peel towers are in the northern border regions, followed in the south of england after the Normans invaded in 1066. But still built as the capitol of a region from which to attack and plunder the neighbours and protect the occupants from attack.

Appleby Castle      Eden Valley, Westmorland

Appleby Castle was established in the early 12^th century by Ranulf le Meschin with the square Ceasars Tower added in 1170 since when little has been altered.

It stands at high on a hill at the head of Appleby’s market square, which today is the site of an annual Gypsy Horse Trading gathering.

William the Lion, King of Scotland plundered the Eden Valley in 1174 and the castle surrendered without a fight which annoyed Henry II.

In 1269 Robert de Clifford of Skipton inherited Appleby and it remained in the family for four centuries.

In the 17^th century Lady Anne Clifford modernised it added stables and a bee house,  she passed it on to the Earl of Thanet who converted the main tower in to a mansion house making it his main residence.

Brough Castle     Kirby Stephen,  Cumbria

Brough Castle was one of the earliest stone castles in Britain, located on the remains of a Roman Fort.

It was set alight and forced to surrender in 1174 by William the Lion of Scotland on his journey of pillage through the Eden Valley, leaving it in ruins.

Ten years later Theobald de Valoignes rebuilt it adding a four storey keep when it was passed on to the Clifford family who owned castles in Brougham, Skipton and Appleby.

Robert Clifford started modifications adding a round tower in the 14^th century with work continuing until a devastating fire in 1521 after which it was abandoned.

Borough Castle was restored in 1659 by Lady Anne Clifford who was improving all the family homes, after her death the Earl of Thanet who pulled down the walls for the stone to build a new tower at Appleby-in-Westmorland.

Brougham Castle      Penrith, Upper Eden Valley

Built in the early 1400’s by Robert de Vipont on an old Roman site next to the Eamont River, Brougham was built of stone within timber fortifications.

Roger Clifford gained occupancy by marriage in 1268 and left it to his son Robert in 1283 who enlarged the castle and improved the amenities to accommodated housing a garrison of troops to assist Edward I’s intrusions into Scotland.

It was on one such excursion in 1314 to Bannockburn that Robert was killed leaving all to his son Roger, When more domestic amenities were added in the 1380’s, after which in 1388 Brougham was taken and ransacked by the Scots. 

The end of four centuries of the Clifford family in the area came with Lady Anne Clifford renovated Brougham and other castles before she died at Brougham in 1676.

The Clifford Estates then became the property of the Earl of Thanet who preferred Appleby Castle in Westmorland leaving Brougham to decay.

Carlisle Castle     Northern Cumbria

Carlisle at the west end of Hadrian’s Roman Wall built in the 1^st century as a border between England and Scotland. The original castle of timber was built by William II in 1092.

Three decades later Henry I ordered the castle be rebuilt of stone and completed by the Scottish King David I who invaded Northern and took control in the early 12^th century.

The English won it back in 1157 when it continued to be a frontier battleground between the countries for many centuries being under siege on many occasions.

The last being during the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745, when Bonnie Prince Charlie captured and occupied Carlisle for less than a month before surrendering.

Still in military use in the nineteenth century as barracks when it became the home of the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment and still houses the Regimental Museum today.

Pendragon Castle       Mallerstang,  South Cumbria

Pendragon Castle is if legend is to be believed the place where King Arthur’s father, Uther Dendragon died.

Located next to the Eden River in the Vale of Mallerstang, it was built by Hugh de Morville towards the end of the 12^th century.

Only the foundation walls of the great tower remain of what became part of the Clifford Family Estate, it was burnt down during a Scottish raid in 1341.

Rebuilt in and inhabited in 1360 only destroyed again by fire in 1541, Lady Anne Clifford restored Pendragon Castle one hundred years later only to fall into ruin after her death.

Penrith Castle    Upper Eden Valley,  Cumbria

William Strickland was given permission to fortify his home in 1397 after repeated cross border raids from the north.

Originally only a pele tower it was expanded into a castle by Ralph Neville the 1^st Earl of Westmorland in the early 15^th century.

The Duke of Gloucester increased the castles capabilities while he was the Kings Lieutenant of Northern England, till in 1483 took the throne as Richard III.

A century later it was in decay although still used by the Parliamentarian, General Lambert during the Civil War in 1572. Today only the west facing wall remains relatively intact with only main walls of the interior buildings still standing.

To visit Castles in the Northumbrian Cheviot Hills - CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE - To visit Castles over the Border in Scotland