Structure Name: Ravensworth Castle

Description:
 

Two ruinous towers and a section of curtain wall are all that remains of Ravensworth Castle, a medieval quadrangular enclosure with four corner towers and a large 18th century house built within. The four storey towers would have formed the eastern corners of the enclosure, and the surviving curtain wall runs towards the northern of the pair from the southern. A later wall links the southern tower to the stable block.
 

Extant: Yes

Legal Status: Listed Building Grade II*, Scheduled Ancient Monument

Location: Ravensworth Castle, GATESHEAD

Eastings: 423235m (view map)

Northings: 559110m (view map)

Position Accuracy: 50m

Positional Confidence: Absolute Certainty

Structure Types Identified: BOARDING SCHOOL, GREAT HOUSE, PARADE GROUND, QUADRANGULAR CASTLE

Historical Background
 

There is some confusion about the date of Ravensworth Castle. Pevsner uses the 14th century, which fits with the plan of the building, but some authors give earlier dates. The earliest historical reference to the castle at Ravensworth is in 1405, when it would have been a keepless walled enclosure with corner towers. In the 14th century the manor of Ravensworth was in the hands of the Fitz-Marmadukes, and later the Lumleys. At some point in the 16th century it was obtained by the Gascoignes, who sold the estates to Thomas Liddell in 1607.

The Liddells were responsible for the construction of a great house within the castle walls in 1724, which was demolished in 1808. Only the eastern towers survived. On this site was built the embattled Gothic-style castle of Lord Ravensworth, completed in 1846. The wealth of the estate was evident in its' self-contained gasworks and water supply.

After the First World War, the Liddells left Ravensworth, although the estate remained in their possession until 1976. The castle housed a girls' school for a while, but in the 1950s was demolished.
 

Chronology:

• 14TH CENTURY AD   Probable date of construction.
• 1607   Thomas Liddell purchases the Ravensworth estate.
      Entities Involved:
            Liddell, Thomas: Bought the estate in 1607.
• 1724   Great house built within the walls of Ravensworth Castle.
• 1808   The bulk of Ravensworth Castle is demolished. The eastern towers are left standing. Work begins on the new house, designed by John Nash for Sir Thomas Liddell.
      Entities Involved:
            Nash, John: Architect of Liddell's Ravensworth Castle.
            Sir Thomas Henry Liddell: Commissioned the demolition and reconstruction of Ravensworth Castle.
• 1846   Ravensworth Castle is completed.
• 1910s   The Liddell family leave Ravensworth Castle, which comes into use as a girls' school.
• 1950 - 1953   Ravensworth Castle is demolished due to subsidence caused by mining operations in the area.

References:

• EH National Monuments Record
• Images of England
• Images of England
• Pevsner, N. and Williamson, E. (1985) The Buildings of England: County Durham. 2nd ed., London, Yale University Press, pp.389-390
• Tyne and Wear SMR

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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