Bamburgh Castle
The castle was known to the native Britons as Din Guardi and was the capital of the British kingdom of Bryneich from the realm's foundation in c420 until 547 AD. In that year the citadel was captured by the Anglo-Saxon ruler Ida of Bernicia and became Ida's seat. It was briefly retaken by the Britons from his son Hussa during the war of 590 AD before being relieved later the same year.
His grandson passed it on to his wife Bebba, from whom the early name Bebbanburgh was derived. The Vikings destroyed the original fortification in 993 AD .
The Normans built a new castle on the site, which forms the core of the present one. William II unsuccessfully besieged it in 1095 during a revolt supported by its owner, Robert de Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland. After Robert was captured, his wife continued the defence until coerced to surrender by the king's threat to blind her husband.
Bamburgh then became the property of the reigning English monarch. Henry II probably built the keep. As an important English outpost, the castle was the target of occasional raids from Scotland. In 1464 during the War of the Roses it became the first castle in England to be defeated by artillery at the end of a nine month siege by Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick. After this time the castle lay in ruins but was restored by various owners during the 18th and 19th centuries. It was finally bought by the Victorian industrialist William Armstrong who completed the restoration.
More recently, the castle has served as a shooting location for a number of films including Becket (1964) and The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971).
Bamburgh Castle
The castle was known to the native Britons as Din Guardi and was the capital of the British kingdom of Bryneich from the realm's foundation in c420 until 547 AD. In that year the citadel was captured by the Anglo-Saxon ruler Ida of Bernicia and became Ida's seat. It was briefly retaken by the Britons from his son Hussa during the war of 590 AD before being relieved later the same year.
His grandson passed it on to his wife Bebba, from whom the early name Bebbanburgh was derived. The Vikings destroyed the original fortification in 993 AD .
The Normans built a new castle on the site, which forms the core of the present one. William II unsuccessfully besieged it in 1095 during a revolt supported by its owner, Robert de Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland. After Robert was captured, his wife continued the defence until coerced to surrender by the king's threat to blind her husband.
Bamburgh then became the property of the reigning English monarch. Henry II probably built the keep. As an important English outpost, the castle was the target of occasional raids from Scotland. In 1464 during the War of the Roses it became the first castle in England to be defeated by artillery at the end of a nine month siege by Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick. After this time the castle lay in ruins but was restored by various owners during the 18th and 19th centuries. It was finally bought by the Victorian industrialist William Armstrong who completed the restoration.
More recently, the castle has served as a shooting location for a number of films including Becket (1964) and The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971).