Edlingham Castle Ruins
EDLINGHAM CASTLE RUINS
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1042032
- Date first listed:
- 13-Dec-1969
- List Entry Name:
- Edlingham Castle Ruins
- Statutory Address:
- EDLINGHAM CASTLE RUINS
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2004-09-01
- Reference:
- IOE01/11085/17
- Rights:
- © Mr Kenneth Robinson. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1042032
- Date first listed:
- 13-Dec-1969
- List Entry Name:
- Edlingham Castle Ruins
- Statutory Address 1:
- EDLINGHAM CASTLE RUINS
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- EDLINGHAM CASTLE RUINS
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Northumberland (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Edlingham
- National Grid Reference:
- NU 11617 09198
Details
EDLINGHAM EDLINGHAM VILLAGE NU 10 NW 14/113 Edlingham Castle ruins 13.12.69 GV I
Castle: Hall house probably c.1295-1300 for William Felton, on earlier moated site; curtain wall and gatehouse mid C14; solar tower perhaps c.1400; courtyard ranges re-planned in C16. Squared stone with cut dressings. Rectangular hall- house with octagonal corner turrets; quadrangular court on north with domestic ranges on east and north and projecting gatehouse in centre of north curtain; square solar tower on south.
Apart from the solar tower and a tall fragment of the south-east turret of the hall house, the buildings are reduced to walls 1-2 metres high; the gates passage has the chamfered jambs of 3 arches, the central with a portcullis groove. The cobbled courtyard with its drains is well preserved.
The north and west walls of the solar tower stand to full height; at each angle a large stepped diagonal buttress carrying a corbelled-out circular bartizan, and in the centre of the north side a projecting rectangular stair turret carried up above parapet height. Externally, the north wall shows remains of pointed doorways from ground and 1st floors of lobby linking the tower to the earlier hall house; further doorways and chamfered loops in the turret. West wall shows 2 small square windows at 1st floor level. Interior: ground-floor fireplace with an elaborately joggled lintel, garderobe, window recess with seats and remains of segmental vault on chamfered ribs. lst-floor Great Chamber shows remains of an elaborate fireplace, with joggled lintel on head corbels, arched mural recess containing a well, double-level fenestration (the larger lower windows with seats) and a lofty groined vault on head corbels. 2nd-floor chamber has a simpler fireplace.
Historical notes: William Felton purchased the manor from Thomas de Edlingham in 1295, and it remained the principal residence of his family until the early C15. The Swinburnes acquired the estate in 1514 and it became their seat until c.1630; the buildings were being pulled down in 1661.
The duplication of suites of private apartments between hall house and solar tower is an interesting feature; historical evidence suggests division of the castle between 2 autonomous households in 1402.
Fairclough, G. 'Edlingham Castle, Northumberland'. Trans Anc. Mon. Soc. NS 28 (1984) 40-59.
Listing NGR: NU1161709198
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 236451
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society in Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society, (1984), 40-59
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 27-Jun-2026 at 01:31:31.
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