Structure Name: Prudhoe Castle

Description:
 

Medieval castle on the site of an earlier motte and bailey. The ruined keep and a later manor house are enclosed by a largely intact curtain wall with a barbican, and the whole defended by moats on the west and south sides.

The roughly square keep stands to full height at its' southwest corner, where the remains of an angle turret can be seen. The west wall is abutted by a range of 19th century buildings.

The curtain wall is 1.5m thick and in places 8m high, capped by a wall walk. It has a projecting tower on the east wall, a round northwest tower, and the foundations of another on the southwest corner.

The gatehouse and barbican incorporate a drawbridge, and the barbican is flanked by crenellated walls with walks. Above the gate was a small chapel.
 

Extant: Yes

Legal Status: Listed Building Grade I, Scheduled Ancient Monument

Location: Prudhoe Castle, NORTHUMBERLAND

Eastings: 409160m (view map)

Northings: 563410m (view map)

Position Accuracy: 100m

Positional Confidence: Absolute Certainty

Structure Types Identified: BARBICAN, CASTLE, CURTAIN WALL, GATEHOUSE, HOUSE, MOTTE AND BAILEY, TOWER KEEP

Historical Background
 

Prudhoe Castle was built by the Barons of Prudhoe to control the central stretch of the Tyne Valley and a crucial river crossing, thus providing an obstruction to invading Scots. The wooden motte and bailey castle was quickly rebuilt in stone, and encircled by a curtain wall, against which the castle's ancillary buildings abutted. In 1381 the Percy family gained the castle through marriage, and have owned it ever since. In 1966 the castle was given to the care of the state.
 

Chronology:

• 12TH CENTURY AD   Construction of motte and bailey castle.
• 1173 - 1174   The stone keep must have existed by this time, as it is mentioned as successfully resisting two sieges by William of Scotland.
      Entities Involved:
            King William I: Invaded England.
            Umfraville, Odinel: Commissioned the construction of the stone keep.
• 13TH CENTURY AD   Construction and extension of curtain wall to surround the keep.
• MID 14TH CENTURY   Construction of barbican.
• EARLY 19TH CENTURY   Construction of manor house inside the curtain wall.

References:

• Images of England
• 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.545-546

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.

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