The ruins of Edlingham Castle stand next to Edlingham Burn in a rugged but attractive valley. John de Edlingham built a large two-storey Hall House in a moated enclosure in the mid 13th century. In 1296 the property was taken over by Sir William de Felton who added a palisade inside the moat and a gatehouse on the north side. In about 1340 his son further improved the castle and added the solar tower, a gate tower and stone curtain walls. The tower contained three well-appointed rooms and was linked to the hall house by a small forebuilding.
After 1420 ownership passed to the Hastings family until 1519 and then to the Swinburnes. These two families did not need the defensive capabilities of a castle, and until its final abandonment in 1650 the property was used as a farm with several of the buildings converted to house livestock.
- Location:
- At east end of Edlingham village, on minor road off B6341; 6 miles southwest of Alnwick
- Address:
- Edlingham Castle, Edlingham, near Alnwick, Northumberland
- Access:
- English Heritage. Free, open access at any reasonable time
- Website:
- For further information visit www.english-heritage.org.uk
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