Dunstanburgh Castle, History

Without doubt one of the most striking and evocative medieval castles in The united kingdomt, Dunstanburgh sits atop high cliffs on a promontory overlooking the North-Sea. The striking remains are all the greater amount of evocative if you think about that they can simply be achieved by a mile very long footpath along the shore from Embleton, the closest town, or a slightly longer path from Craster. The castle may be the largest in terms of area in every of Northumberland.

History
Dunstanburgh Castle was constructed by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, in 1313, on a site that were in use since primitive times. Lancaster had been pressed by his royal relative, Edward II, to join the king's journey to Scotland. Lancaster refused, and retreated to their Northumbrian energy base, in which he began building his brand-new palace, though he did not have the required royal authorization to crenellate.

If Lancaster had accompanied Edward's intrusion power it may have changed the program of record, as Edward had been beaten by Robert Bruce at Banockburn and also the scales of Scottish autonomy tipped in Bruce's favour. But Lancaster's efusal was typical of his difficult relations using crown. Edward along with his cousin had been quickly reconciled and the master provided a license to crenellate in 1316, but by the period Dunstanburgh was almost done.

Liburn Tower from below

Lancaster led a revolt against Edward in 1322, a revolt that finished in beat at the Battle of Boroughbridge. Lancaster had been captured and executed at Pontefract Castle. The however incomplete palace stayed aided by the duchy of Lancaster, plus the belated 14th century had been expanded by the most famous Duke, had been later broadened by John of Gaunt.

The palace finally dropped away from usage after 1399, if the Duchy ended up being combined aided by the top.

The palace ended up being besieged twice by the Earl of Warwick throughout the Wars of Roses and thus badly damaged that it gradually fell into spoil.

Many impressive area of the ruins is the huge gatehouse, flanked by two D-shaped towers. The towers fulfil a dual purpose as both portal defenses and residential quarters. The hallway, the main lifestyle area for the palace lord and retainers, ended up being on top flooring.

Thomas of Lancaster's
entrance gatehouse tower

These towers as soon as rose four tales high (about 80 foot), and give use of an inner ward surrounded by a stone wall, and punctuated by two rectangular towers known as the Constable and Egyncleugh towers. Another rectangular tower, referred to as Lilburn tower, stands on north.

When John of Gaunt go about their rebuilding at Dunstanburgh into the 1360s he blocked the gatehouse passageway and inserted a new gate in the nearby curtain wal, defended by a projecting barbican. This successfully marooned the earlier gatehouse towers, switching the keep/gatehouse into a keep tower. He built a walled courtyard behind his brand-new tower, with a constable's lodging within the courtyard.

John of Gaunt's blocking walls were torn-down into the Victorian period, making the palace with two entrances near together.

Views regarding the castle throughout the brush associated with shoreline to the north and south are stunning, a fact that artist JMW Turner truly appreciated, due to the fact famous landscape singer coated Dunstanburgh on a number of occasions.

Dunstanburgh the most significantly situated castles in north England, with practically sheer cliffs regarding seaward side and crumbling, ruinous towers generating ragged silhouettes regarding skyline. Its a stunning location, with all the noise of waves and seabirds calling generating a atmospheric background noise.