Belsay Castle

Coordinates: 55°06′07″N 1°52′08″W / 55.102°N 1.869°W / 55.102; -1.869

Belsay Castle
A large stone built ruined building. The nearer part is two stories with square windows; behind is a tall square keep with turrets and battlements. In the foreground is grass with a low stone wall; in the background a blue sky with a few white clouds.
Logo of English Heritage, consisting of red stylized crenellations bounding an open square
Belsay Castle
Belsay Castle shown within Northumberland
OS grid reference NZ084785
List of places
UK
England
Northumberland

Belsay Castle is a 14th-century medieval castle situated at Belsay, Northumberland, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building.[1]

The main structure, a substantial three-storey rectangular pele tower with rounded turrets and battlements was constructed about 1370, and was the home of the Middleton family. In 1614 Thomas Middleton built a new manor house attached to the tower.[1] A west wing was added in 1711 but was later largely demolished in 1872 by Sir Arthur Middleton when the remainder of the house was considerably altered.[2]

The castle was abandoned as a residence by the family in the early 19th century when Sir Charles Monck built Belsay Hall close by.[3] It is administered by English Heritage and is open the public.[4] The interiors were largely removed and it was then used as a ready-made folly, as was fashionable among the aristocracy at the time, serving as setting for garden parties and other entertainments.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Images of England: Belsay Castle". English Heritage. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
  2. ↑ "Belsay Castle". SINE Project, University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
  3. ↑ "Images of England: Belsay Hall". English Heritage. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
  4. ↑ "Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens". English Heritage. Retrieved 2007-12-21.

External links

Media related to Belsay Castle at Wikimedia Commons

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/30/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.