Description

BAMBURGH BAMBURGH VILLAGE NU 13 NE 4/28 Bamburgh Castle 4.1.52 GV 1 Castle, divided into apartments. C12; ruinous when acquired by Lord Crewe in 1704 and made habitable after his death by Dr. Sharpe, the trustee of the charitable trust endowed by his will. Acquired by Lord Armstrong, who had extensive restoration and rebuilding of high quality by C.J. Ferguson, 1894- 1904. Squared sandstone and ashlar.

A huge castle, c.¼ mile long and covering 8 acres on a volcanic outcrop in extremely dramatic-situation. It has C12 keep and 3 wards.

Main entrance on east side is largely C12 with rounded towers flanking tunnel- vaulted archway. Inside, high walls protect approach to inner gateway which has C12 vault but is largely C19 above.

East ward: Extensive buildings by Ferguson on south side, incorporating medieval masonry (cf interior); these include Captain's Lodge and King's Hall in elaborate Perpendicular style. Buildings left of these, also by Ferguson in more restrained early Tudor style. In centre, ruins of C12 chapel with apse.

Keep, between east and west wards: high, multi-moulded plinth; C12 ground- floor doorway with 2 round arches and 2 orders of renewed columns. Broad angle pilasters rise as higher turrets; battlemented parapet; many round- headed windows, mainly of the C18.

West ward has 2 gatehouses; the Smith Gate on north-east is largely C19; the Neville tower on north-west incorporates medieval vault and masonry. Extensive C19 apartments along south side in Tudor style, ending on right in round clock tower which is medieval in lower parts. West side has late C19 stables, 5 bays with octagonal corner towers.

Outer ward to west contains the windmill (q.v.) and extensive fragments of medieval curtain wall.

Interior: Keep; ground floor vaulted with 2 parallel tunnel vaults on huge square piers; mural stair to 1st floor; armoury, possibly originally a chapel with vaulted apse on east side; groin-vaulted ceiling. Captain's Lodge: C14 barrel-vaulted basement (now the shop) with 10 chamfered transverse ribs; all work above by Ferguson, including vaulted lobby and staircase and fine cantilevered stair with Art Nouveau balusters. Kings Hall and Cross Hall, on site of medieval hall, the 3 service doors of which remain: Perpendicular style with 2 large oriels, huge fireplace with joggled lintel, panelled overmantel and stone tracery above. 6-bay false hammerbeam roof, elaborately carved in teak. Much Arts and Crafts detail including window recesses down sides of hall; screens passage and musicians' gallery. Former pantry, buttery and kitchen remain. Pantry and buttery have high, pointed tunnel vaults. The kitchen has 3 huge segmental-arched fireplaces and 4 pointed-arched medieval doorways, 2 now blocked.

Northumberland County History; Vol. I. History of the King's Works: Brown, Colvin & Taylor: H.M.S.O. 1963.

Listing NGR: NU1837335053

External Links

• Bamburgh Castle at Wikipedia
• Bamburgh Castle official website
• Wikidata Q2026185

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

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  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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