Dunstanburgh Castle

Dunstanburgh Castle stands on a rocky headland between the villages of Craster and Embleton in Northumberland. Built between 1313 and 1322 by Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, it was meant as both a refuge and a statement of power against King Edward II. The site already had Iron Age earthworks, which the earl strengthened with a massive stone curtain wall and six towers. A harbour was added on the south side to allow safer access by sea. The castle covers nearly ten acres, making it the largest in Northumberland. The fortress played a key role in the Wars of the Roses, changing hands several times between Lancastrian and Yorkist forces. John of Gaunt expanded its defences in the 1380s to counter Scottish raids and peasant revolts. By the 16th century it was already crumbling, described as being in “wonderfull great decaye.” Artists like J. M. W. Turner later painted its ruins, and it inspired a poem by Matthew Lewis in 1808. In the 20th century it became a military observation post during the Second World War. Visitors today walk through the remains of the Great Gatehouse, a three-storey tower considered one of the most imposing in England. The curtain walls enclose three ruined internal complexes once used by the earl’s household and estate workers. Three artificial meres lie within the medieval landscape, and the Lilburn Tower looks out towards Bamburgh Castle. The site is now protected as a Grade I listed building and a haven for birds and amphibians.