Structure Name: Mitford Castle

Description:
 

Ruined castle atop a motte earthwork. The castle itself is unusually shaped, with England's only pentagonal keep (now standing to first floor height) inside a D-shaped inner ward, within a triangular outer ward. There is a reconstructed passage between the inner and outer wards to the east.
 

Extant: Yes

Legal Status: Listed Building Grade I, Scheduled Ancient Monument

Location: Mitford Castle, NORTHUMBERLAND

Eastings: 417010m (view map)

Northings: 585480m (view map)

Position Accuracy: 50m

Positional Confidence: Absolute Certainty

Structure Types Identified: CASTLE, CHAPEL, MOTTE AND BAILEY, SHELL KEEP

Historical Background
 

In it's short history Mitford Castle was the scene of much eventfulness. Constructed shortly after the Norman invasion, it became the centre of Mitford Borough and the focus of Mitford town, but always under threat from border incursions. In 1215 it was confiscated by the troops of King John, two years later attacked by Scots, and a hundred years later Sir Gilbert de Middleton held a number of people to ransom in the castle. It is not known if the castle was ever rebuilt following its' abandonment in 1323 and destruction in 1327.

Excavations in 1938 revealed the remains of a chapel and graveyard in the south of the outer ward.
 

Chronology:

• 1066 - 1100   Motte and bailey castle constructed by the Bertram family.
• EARLY 12TH CENTURY   Curtain wall surrounding inner ward constructed.
• MID 12TH CENTURY   Outer ward and chapel constructed.
• EARLY 13TH CENTURY   Keep constructed.
• 14TH CENTURY AD   Castle largely demolished and rebuilt.
• 1327   The keep was described as "wholly burned".
• EARLY 19TH CENTURY   Remains of chapel largely destroyed by quarrying.
• 19TH CENTURY AD   Reconstruction of arched passage on east of inner ward.

References:

• Images of England
• Keys To The Past
• Keys To The Past
• Northumberland SMR
• Pevsner, N., Richmond, I., Grundy, J., McCombie, G., Ryder, P. and Welfare, H. (2001) The Buildings of England: Northumberland. London, Penguin Books, pp.391-392

The information displayed in this page has been derived from authoritative sources, including any referenced above. Although substantial efforts were made to verify this information, the SINE project cannot guarantee its correctness or completeness.

view images of this structure
view location on a map

suggestions / comments welcome
  go to the top