Brough Castle

Brough Castle stands on the site of a former Roman fort in the village of Brough, Cumbria. The Romans built Verterae here to guard the Stainmore Pass across the Pennines, a route later used by medieval travellers. William Rufus chose this spot in 1092 to erect a motte and bailey castle, using the old earthworks. The River Eden flows past the north side of the ruins, adding to the dramatic setting. The castle’s keep had stone foundations but was mostly timber at first. After the Scots destroyed it in 1174, Henry II rebuilt the defences in stone. The Clifford family took over in the 13th century and turned Brough into a grand northern residence. They added Clifford’s Tower, a circular apartment block, and rebuilt the hall in fashionable first-floor style. Lady Anne Clifford restored the castle in the 17th century after two fires left it in ruins. The gatehouse gained buttresses and a new courtyard appeared inside the bailey. These changes show how the Cliffords shaped the castle’s northern English character. Visitors walk among grassy mounds and crumbling stone walls that mark the keep’s foundations. Clifford’s Tower still rises above the rest, its circular shape distinct from the square lines of the bailey. The cobbled bailey floor remains visible in places, worn smooth by centuries of use. Beyond the ruins, the Eden Valley stretches out, echoing the strategic view the Romans and Normans prized. The village of Brough clusters nearby, its quiet lanes leading back to the castle’s shadow.