Dunstanburgh Castle

Dunstanburgh Castle is a castle built in the 14th century. It is on the coast of Northumberland between the villages of Craster and Embleton. It is on a huge rock next to the North Sea. The castle is owned by English Heritage. The name Dunstanburgh means 'the fort' (burgh) 'of the town' (dun) 'by the rock' (stan).

History

The castle was first built in 1313 by Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster. However Roman and Iron Age remains have been found there. It may have been an Iron Age fort.^[1] He was an enemy of King Edward II. Thomas only visited the castle once before he was killed.^[2] The castle was not used again until the War of the Roses. The Earl of Warwick attacked it twice and it was almost destroyed.^[3]

The castle was defended in WW2 because it was a possible target for a German landing. Land mines were laid and a radar station was built near the castle.^[4]^[5] The beaches were guarded with barbed wire and concrete pillboxes were built nearby. The fort and other facilities were manned by soldiers.

It was not used again and is now in ruins.^[1] The area is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest.^[6]

The remains of the Constable's house and complex of buildings (left) and the Constable's Tower (right)
Lilburn Tower, seen from the edge of the outer bailey
The Gull Crag cliffs and Lilburn Tower
A sketch of the castle by Thomas Girtin, 1796
The Great Gatehouse in 1884, showing the partially-blocked passageway
A type 24 concrete pillbox from the Second World War, positioned north of the castle
A Six-spot burnet moth, part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest around the castle
Plan of the castle: A – North Sea; B – Rumbling Churn; C – gateway to Castle Point; D – Gull Crag; E – Lilburn Tower; F – Outer bailey; G – Grange; H – Postern Gate; I – Huggam's House; J – John of Gaunt's Gatehouse; K – Inner bailey; L – Constable's House; M – Egyncleugh Tower; N – Queen Margaret's Cove; O – Great Gatehouse; P – Constable's Tower
Plan of the Great Gatehouse