Belsay Castle
Belsay Castle is a massive Border Tower originally surrounded by a Barmkin built in 1340. Whilst built for defence in what were the turbulent borderlands between England and Scotland it was intended to provide home comforts for Sir John Middleton who headed the Middleton family. The Tower saw little action; it's very size being something of a deterrent. The Tower is three storeys high although the south west corner is 2 storeys higher. There are machiolated turrets, a feature of some other borderland fortifications including Chipchase Castle and Greenknowe Tower. The Tower, typical of the Borders, included many features of those defensive structures. The Middleton family continued to live in the Tower. By the beginning of the 17th century the need for defensive structures had passed and in the early 17th century a new Jacobean wing was added to the Tower increasing the accommodation and the comforts. The Tower and Jacobean hall were supplemented by a plain Georgian extension in 1711. In 1817 the family left the resulting building in favour of Belsay Hall, which was built nearby in the Grecian Revival fashion, in 1817. The Estate Steward lived in the old building in the late 19th century and it was used by the Gamekeeper in the 1930s. In 1980 the Middletons moved to another property on the Estate and the tower was finally abandoned.
Belsay Castle
Belsay Castle is a massive Border Tower originally surrounded by a Barmkin built in 1340. Whilst built for defence in what were the turbulent borderlands between England and Scotland it was intended to provide home comforts for Sir John Middleton who headed the Middleton family. The Tower saw little action; it's very size being something of a deterrent. The Tower is three storeys high although the south west corner is 2 storeys higher. There are machiolated turrets, a feature of some other borderland fortifications including Chipchase Castle and Greenknowe Tower. The Tower, typical of the Borders, included many features of those defensive structures. The Middleton family continued to live in the Tower. By the beginning of the 17th century the need for defensive structures had passed and in the early 17th century a new Jacobean wing was added to the Tower increasing the accommodation and the comforts. The Tower and Jacobean hall were supplemented by a plain Georgian extension in 1711. In 1817 the family left the resulting building in favour of Belsay Hall, which was built nearby in the Grecian Revival fashion, in 1817. The Estate Steward lived in the old building in the late 19th century and it was used by the Gamekeeper in the 1930s. In 1980 the Middletons moved to another property on the Estate and the tower was finally abandoned.