Harbottle Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Harbottle Castle |
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| Northumberland, England, UK | |
Ruins of Harbottle Castle
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 Harbottle Castle
Location in Northumberland
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| Coordinates | 55°20′13″N 2°06′32″W / 55.337°N 2.109°W |
Harbottle Castle is an old, ruined castle in Northumberland, England. It sits near the village of Harbottle, looking over the River Coquet. It's a very important historical site, protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building.
People think that the hill where the castle stands was used by ancient Britons a long time ago. Later, during the Anglian period, there was a strong fort here. The castle you see today was built around 1160 by the Umfraville family. They built it for King Henry II to help defend against attacks from Scotland.
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History of Harbottle Castle
Early Attacks and Rebuilding
Not long after it was built, in 1174, the castle was captured by the Scots. But it was quickly rebuilt even stronger!
In 1296, a large army of about 40,000 men tried to take the castle. They were led by Robert de Ros, who supported John Balliol, a Scottish king. But the castle defenders were strong and managed to hold them off.
Later, in the 1310s, Robert the Bruce, a famous Scottish king, captured the castle. It was fixed up again in 1336, but by 1351, it was in ruins once more.
New Owners and Important Visitors
The castle was repaired again in the late 1300s. Around 1436, the castle became owned by the Tailleboys family. For a long time, it was where the Warden of the Middle Marches lived. This person was in charge of protecting the border between England and Scotland. The castle was also used as a prison.
In 1515, a very important person came to Harbottle Castle. This was Margaret Tudor, the widowed queen of James IV of Scotland. She was also the sister of King Henry VIII of England. Margaret had been sent away by the Scottish regent, so she came to the castle with her second husband, Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus.
While they were there, their daughter, also named Margaret Douglas, was born. This Margaret Douglas grew up to be the mother of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. Lord Darnley was the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. This means that the little girl born at Harbottle Castle was the grandmother of King James VI of Scotland and I of England!
More building work happened at the castle between 1541 and 1551. Even more repairs were made in 1563.
Decline and Today
In 1605, King James I gave the castle and its land to George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar. After this, the castle slowly fell apart. Many of its stones were taken and used to build other buildings nearby. A report from 1715 said the castle was completely ruined again.
Today, only the earthworks (the raised ground) and some parts of the stone walls remain. The Northumberland National Park Authority looks after the site. You can visit Harbottle Castle for free!
Photos of the Castle Ruins
