Haughton Castle

Haughton Castle stands beside the North Tyne on the western edge of Humshaugh village in Northumberland. Built in the 13th century as a tower house, it was enlarged and fortified a century later under Gerald Widdrington. By the 16th century the castle had fallen into ruin and was attacked by Border reivers. The Smith family bought it in about 1640 and later commissioned John Dobson to transform the ruin into a mansion between 1816 and 1845. The Crawshaw family added a west wing in 1876, and the Cruddas family acquired the castle in the late 19th century. The castle’s layered history is visible in its architecture. The 14th-century fortifications sit alongside 19th-century alterations by Dobson and Salvin. During the Second World War part of the building served as a hospital. It remains in private hands under the Braithwaite family today. Some believe the castle inspired the traditional song ‘Waters of Tyne’. Visitors approach along the west bank of the North Tyne to see the stone mansion rising above the river. The 19th-century interiors reflect Dobson’s classical style, while the 1876 west wing adds Victorian grandeur. The riverside setting offers quiet walks along the water’s edge. The castle’s exterior shows traces of its medieval past and later restorations. Its private ownership keeps the grounds peaceful and undisturbed.