Widdrington Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Widdrington Castle |
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| Northumberland, England, UK | |
 Widdrington Castle
Location in Northumberland
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| Coordinates | 55°15′14″N 1°35′56″W / 55.254°N 1.599°W |
Widdrington Castle was once a grand medieval castle in Widdrington, Northumberland, England. Today, only the shapes of its old foundations, known as earthworks, can be seen. It's a special place called a Scheduled Ancient Monument, which means it's an important historical site protected by law. The castle stood close to the North Sea.
Contents
The Story of Widdrington Castle
Early Days and Building
The Widdrington family owned this land for a very long time, starting in the 1100s. In 1341, a man named Gerard Widdrington received special permission. He was allowed to add strong defenses, like battlements, to his house. This made it more like a castle.
Later, in the early 1600s, the castle was rebuilt. It became a large manor house. Old pictures show it had a big tower with small, round turrets on its corners. These turrets were called bartizans. It looked a bit like Belsay Castle, which you can still see today.
Famous Visitors and Family Changes
Widdrington Castle welcomed some important guests over the years. In 1583, a Scottish lord named Claud Hamilton stayed there. He was living away from his home country at the time.
Even royalty visited! In 1603, Anne of Denmark, who was the Queen of England, stayed at the castle. Her children were with her as they traveled to London.
In 1643, a family member named William Widdrington got married. His new wife was from a different estate. After this, Widdrington Castle was no longer the family's main home.
The Castle's Final Years
Much later, another William Widdrington faced trouble. He was found guilty of betraying the country. This was because he took part in a rebellion called the Jacobite rising of 1715. As a result, the government took his family's lands and sold them.
By 1720, reports said the castle was falling apart. It was in very bad condition. New owners tried to rebuild it in 1772, but the new building was destroyed by fire. They tried again, and this time they built a new castle in an old, fancy style called Gothic. However, this new castle was also torn down in 1862. Today, only the marks on the ground show where this historic castle once stood.
