High Head Castle facts for kids
High Head Castle is a large, old house in the English county of Cumbria. It is located between the towns of Carlisle and Penrith. Today, much of the castle is a ruin, meaning only the outer walls and some foundations are left.
However, one part of the building, the right-hand wing, has had a new roof put on. This means it might be used again, for the first time since a big fire in the 1950s. High Head Castle is privately owned and not open to the public right now. The owners are working hard to bring it back to its original grand state.
The Castle's Story
The land where High Head Castle stands was once home to the Kings Castle in the Forest of Inglewood. The first time this original castle was mentioned in writing was in 1272. This early castle was a medieval square pele tower (a small fortified tower house) surrounded by a curtain wall (a defensive wall around a castle).
Early Owners and Changes
The first known owners of the house were the Richmond family. They bought and made the house bigger in the 1500s. Only its western wing still stands today. This part has special windows with straight tops and round arches, along with stone frames. Attached to this wing is the basement of a square tower, which shows signs of being built in the 1300s.
Later, the house was sold to the Baron Brougham and Vaux family. They made some changes to the building. One family member, Henry Richmond Brougham, had a new front built for the house between 1744 and 1748. This new front was very long, with a fancy central part and a walled front garden that featured Ionic columns (a type of classical pillar).
Renting Out the Castle
When the Brougham family no longer needed the house, they rented it out for a while. By the mid-1800s, and until at least 1909, the Hills family lived there. It was the childhood home of a famous soldier and astronomer named Edmond Hills.
The only other people known to have rented High Head Castle were the Cavaghan family. They were the co-founders of a company called Cavaghan & Gray. They lived in the house for about eight years, from 1921 to 1929.
The Fire and Today
High Head Castle was mostly destroyed by a fire in 1956. Now, it is little more than a shell, meaning only the outer structure remains. Both the medieval wing and the main house are Grade II* listed. This means they are very important historical buildings and are protected. Next to the castle is a beautiful stable area with strong stone work and a tall gable (the triangular part of a wall under a roof) with a small tower called a cupola.
