Norham Castle
Norham Castle in Northumberland is one of the most impressive medieval fortresses in northern England, but previous research has concentrated almost exclusively on the remains of the ruined keep, the walls and towers. However, in recent years a keen-eyed member of English Heritage's Conservation Team has become increasingly intrigued by patterns of grassy humps and bumps in the surrounding fields - were these siege works, or perhaps related to the castle in some other way? Prompted by this observation, English Heritage's Archaeological Survey & Investigation Team undertook an analysis and detailed survey of these remains, and the research has shed important new light on the development of this well-known and much-visited castle.
Perhaps the most startling of the discoveries to come from the survey has been the realisation that the medieval castle occupies the site of a much earlier fortification. This may be a prehistoric hillfort - perhaps as much as 3,000 years old. The discovery stems from the re-assessment of an isolated stretch of rampart - a massive bank and ditch - in a field to the south of the castle. This particular earthwork does not belong to the medieval castle and seems more likely to be the remnant of a much earlier defence cutting off the side of the promontory most exposed to attack. In fact, the earthwork was first noticed in the 19th century and interpreted as a Roman fort, but this suggestion was subsequently forgotten. If we are correct in the dating of this rampart, then Norham could well boast the site of the largest Iron Age hillfort in Northumberland.
The earthwork survey has also shed new light on the evolution and design of the medieval castle, finding evidence that it was probably far larger than has previously been realised. The survey showed that the castle possessed an additional enclosure on the outside of the outer bailey. The earthen defences of the enclosure have left much slighter traces than the strong masonry walls surrounding the inner and outer baileys, but their course can be traced extending into the field on the south side of the modern road running past the castle - or rather through it, as we now know.
In the 16th century the castle was rebuilt to house artillery and the English Heritage investigation has revealed that a line of crude earthwork defences were built outside the castle during this period. The defences were probably designed to house more cannon, and some V-shaped banks were almost certainly built to protect infantry armed with muskets whose job was to guard the approach from the nearby town to the castle gate.
Above all, the investigation shows the importance of keeping your eyes open, and not assuming that we know everything already, even when the monument is one as famous as Norham Castle! The castle is open to the public, but most of the area we have investigated is on private farmland, so please don't trespass!
For further information about the investigation, contact Trevor Pearson in English Heritage's York Office on 01904 601901 or e-mail trevor.pearson@english-heritage.org.uk
The full report (ref: AI/25/2002) can be ordered on-line or can be downloaded here (file size 2.7MB)
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Norham Castle is cared for by English Heritage and is open to the public.
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