Gazetteer of
British Place Names

Naworth Castle is a mediæval castle near Brampton, Cumberland. The ancestral seat of the Howard family, Earls of Carlisle, it was originally built in the 14th century to defend England's borderlands against raids by the Scots and Border Reivers. It was first mentioned in 1323, and in 1335 a licence to crenellate was granted to Ralph Dacre during the reign of Edward III. Subsequently, it was extended by generations of Dacres. Thomas, Lord Dacre, fought at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. In reward he was granted estates around Lanercost, and his new wealth enabled him to extend the mediæval castle and add a more comfortable residential block. When a subsequent Lord Dacre died in 1560, Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, married his widow, bringing the Naworth estate under Howard control. Lord Howard's descendants still live at the castle today. A later addition was a walled garden, laid out within the mediæval moat in the 18th century. As time went on the Howards spent more time at Castle Howard in Yorkshire, and Naworth was relegated to a second home. In 1844 a devastating fire destroyed almost all of the castle. Restoration began in 1850 under architect Anthony Salvin & the 9th Earl of Carlisle. The largest great hall in the north (78 ft long) is one of the house's claim to fame. The castle also contains a well-preserved priest hole. Naworth Castle is a private family home, but the family do make it available for private hire. Naworth Castle was also used in the BBC film 'Elizabeth: The Virgin Queen'; 'Jane Eyre' (1987); and 'The Black Candle' (1991). Francis Galton, cousin of Charles Darwin, is said to have invented the statistical concept of correlation at Naworth. It is within the council area of Cumberland.
Historic England Grade I Listed 1087643.

Place Type: Mediæval Castle
Historic County: Cumberland
Lat, Long: 54.955952,-2.68868
Grid Reference: NY 5599 6258
Civil Parish: Brampton CP
Council Area: Cumberland CA
Police Area: Cumbria PA

GBPN ID: 319394
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Naworth_Castle,_Cumberland_319394

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