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Drumburgh Castle, Cumberland

Drumburgh Castle is a mediæval castle in Drumburgh, Cumberland. The site was originally a Roman fort known as Coggabata and was part of Hadrian's Wall. The first pele tower was built in 1307 by Robert le Brun, using red sandstone masonry from the nearby Roman wall. The pele was allowed to decay, and by the end of the 15th century it was almost ruinous. Thomas Dacre rebuilt le Brun's pele tower as Drumburgh Castle in 1518. However, it has more in common with a traditional northern bastle house. In 1593 an auditor for the West Border region described Drumburgh Castle as 'neither castle nor tower but a house of strength ... a very fit place for defence of that part of the Border'. The house was altered again between 1678 and 1681 by John Alglionby, producing the current design. In the 1970s the castle was restored, and the east end of the building became a private home. The castle features a 16th-century doorway with the Dacre coat of arms and has sections of a Roman shrine incorporated into its stonework. It is within the council area of Cumberland.
Historic England Grade I Listed 1144623.

Place Type: Mediæval Castle
Historic County: Cumberland
Lat, Long: 54.927146,-3.1472454
Grid Reference: NY 2657 5976
Civil Parish: Bowness CP
Council Area: Cumberland CA
Police Area: Cumbria PA

GBPN ID: 319527
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Drumburgh_Castle,_Cumberland_319527

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