Wark on Tweed Castle

Wark on Tweed Castle, sometimes referred to as Carham Castle is a ruined motte-and-bailey castle at the West end of Wark on Tweed in Northumberland. The ruins are a Grade II* listed building.[1]

Wark on Tweed Castle
Northumberland, England, UK
The ruins of Wark on Tweed Castle
Wark on Tweed Castle
Location in Northumberland
Coordinates55.64162°N 2.28196°W / 55.64162; -2.28196
Grid referenceNT822388

History

The castle, which was built by Walter Espec in 1136, was destroyed by the Scots following a siege in 1138 and then re-built between 1157 and 1161.[2] An octagonal keep was built on the motte in the early 13th century at roughly the same time that the towers and gatehouse were added.[2] It was here that in 1349 King Edward III bent down and assisted the "Countess of Salisbury" (either Edward's future daughter-in-law Joan of Kent or her former mother-in-law, Catherine Montagu, Countess of Salisbury) with her garter and, in honour of that moment, subsequently founded the Order of the Garter.[3]

A Scottish army commanded by Regent Albany besieged Wark in November 1522, and Sir William Lisle defended the castle against the French assault troops, helped by bad weather.[4] In September 1523 the Earl of Surrey, William Frankelyn, Chancellor of Durham, and Sir William Bulmer, Sheriff of Durham viewed the defences at Wark and Norham Castle. Surrey gave orders for new bulworks and earthwork defences at Wark, wand he thought the inner ward could withstand a 10 day siege, but the outer ward could only be held for 2 days. He thought the keep at Wark was as strong as any he had seen, and stronger than the keep at Guînes.[5]

In June 1524 Cardinal Wolsey ordered repairs to the keep or donjon walls and lead for the roof was to be brought from Dunstanburgh Castle.[6]

James VI of Scotland passed by on the other side of the Tweed on 26 April 1588 and was saluted by the castle cannon, and he sent a reward of 20 crowns.[7]

The castle was demolished by order of King James at the Union of the Crowns.[2]

References
  1. Historic England. "THE CASTLE OF WARK ON TWEED (1153601)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  2. "Wark on Tweed Castle". North of the Tyne. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  3. "Reconstruction of Wark Castle". Maybole. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  4. Ken Emond, The Minority of James V (Edinburgh, 2019), p. 175.
  5. State Papers Henry VIII, vol. IV part IV (London, 1836), 37.
  6. Thomas Hearne, Duo rerum Anglicarum scriptores veteres, viz Thomas Otterbourne et Johannes de Whethamstede, vol. 2 (Oxford, 1732), p. 616.
  7. Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 9 (Edinburgh, 1916), p. 557.
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