Tag Archives: england
Dunstanburgh Castle
Todays archive post is Dunstanburgh Castle.
Dunstanburgh Castle lies on a spectacular headland on the coast of Northumberland in northern England, between the villages of Craster and Embleton (grid reference NU258220).
The castle is the largest in Northumberland and the site shows traces of much earlier occupation before the erection of the castle was started in 1313 by the Earl of Lancaster.
Recent evidence suggests that the site of the castle was occupied in prehistoric times: however, the principal remains date from the 14th century. In 1313, Earl Thomas of Lancaster, cousin of Edward II of England began construction of a massive fortress. By the time of his execution in 1322, the castle was substantially complete. John of Gaunt improved the castle in the late 14th century as the Duke of Lancaster.
The castle did not play a significant part in the border warfare against Scotland. In the Wars of the Roses the castle was held for the Lancastrians in 1462 and 1464. The damage done was not made good and the castle fell steadily into decay. A report in 1538 mentioned it as being a “very reuynus howsse and of smalle strength” and another source in 1550 described it as in “wonderfull great decaye”. It continued to deteriorate and was robbed of stone for the building of other places in the area.
The last private owner Sir Arthur Sutherland donated the castle to the Ministry of Works in 1929. The castle is now owned by the National Trust and in the care of English Heritage. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building. It lies within the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Lindisfarne Castle
Todays archive post is Lindisfarne Castle.
Lindisfarne Castle is a 16th-century castle located on Holy Island, near Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, much altered by Sir Edwin Lutyens in the early 1900s. The island itself is accessible from the mainland at low tide by means of a causeway.
The castle is located in what was once the very volatile border area between England and Scotland. Not only did the English and Scots fight, but the area was frequently attacked by Vikings. The castle was built in 1550, around the time that Lindisfarne Priory went out of use, and stones from the priory were used as building material. It is very small by the usual standards, and was more of a fort. The castle sits on the highest point of the island, a whin stone hill called Beblowe.
Lindisfarnes’ position in the North Sea made it vulnerable to attack from Scots and Norsemen, and by Tudor times it was clear there was a need for a stronger fortification. This resulted in the creation of the fort on Beblowe Crag which between 1570 and 1572 formed the basis of the present castle.
After Henry VIII had dissolved the priory, his troops used the remains as a naval store. Later, Elizabeth I had work carried out on the fort, strengthening it and providing gun platforms for the new developments in artillery technology. When James I came to power, he combined the Scottish and English thrones, and the need for the castle declined. At this time the castle was still garrisoned from Berwick and protected the small Lindisfarne Harbour.
In the eighteenth century the castle was occupied briefly by Jacobite rebels, but was quickly recaptured by soldiers from Berwick who imprisoned the rebels; they dug their way out and hid for nine days close to nearby Bamburgh Castle before making good their escape.
In later years the castle was used as a coastguard look-out and became something of a tourist attraction. Charles Rennie Mackintosh made a sketch of the old fort in 1901.
Aira Force
Todays Archive image is from Aira Force in the Lake District. Aira Force, perhaps the most famous and one of the most frequently visited waterfalls in the Lake District, is situated in woodland near the northern shore of Ullswater, about 3 miles along the A592 from Patterdale and about 150 yards from the junction with the A5091.
Aira Beck plunges dramatically around 65 feet through an overhead bridge and over the rocks. The beck has its source high on the slopes of Stybarrow Dodd.
The term “force” is used in many parts of the Lake District as a synonym for “waterfall”; it has its origins in the Old Norse word fors . The force is a spectacular, roaring waterfall which falls over seventy feet of rock, sending droplets of spray high into the air. There are bridges above and below the force which afford superb views, the upper is an old pack horse bridge.
