Edlingham Castle

En un regard

Le château en bref

In the hollow of a small Northumberland valley, west of Alnwick, the ruins of Edlingham illustrate the transformation of a manor house into a fortified residence in the face of the Scottish threat. It is not a great royal fortress, but the home of a family of knights and royal officials, the Feltons, who gradually strengthened its defences during the 14th century. The most spectacular element is the solar tower, whose north and west walls still stand almost to their full height, with the diagonal buttresses at its corners and the remains of an elaborate fireplace. Around it, the original hall house, the curtain wall and the gatehouse survive only at foundation level, uncovered during the excavations of 1978-1982, while an earth rampart still marks the perimeter of the estate. In State ownership since 1975 and managed by English Heritage, the ruins are freely accessible at no charge at any reasonable time during the day, right next to the village church.