Site-Search
Coming Soon
|
Site-Search |
|
Page and site |
|
Bambrough-Castle in Northumberland County England History and GeographyBAMBROUGH-CASTLE, a township in the parochial chapelry and ward of BAMBROUGH, 5 miles (E. by N.) from Belford, containing 62 inhabitants. This township is principally distinguished for its castle, built about the middle of the sixth century, by Ida, the first Anglo-Saxon king of Northumbria. In 642, it was besieged by Penda, King of Mcrcia, who, after an unsuccessful attempt to set it on fire, was compelled to retreat. In the beginning of the eighth century, Berthfrid, guardian of Osred, the young Northumbrian king, defended it against the usurper Eadulph, who was taken prisoner and put to death. It was plundered and almost demolished by the Danes, in 993, but was soon afterwards restored. After the Norman Conquest, it was held by Robert de Mowbray, on whose insurreetion against William Rufus it was besieged, and, after an obstinate defence, surrendered to that monarch, who threatened, unless it were given up, to put out the eyes of Mowbray who had been taken prisoner. During the war between Stephen and the Empress Matilda, and the protracted struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster, this castle was repeatedly besieged, and at length became dilapidated in the reign of Henry VII. A descendant of Sir John Foster, to whom the castle and manor were granted in the reign of Elizabeth, having joined the Pretender, they were confiscated to the crown, and were purchased by his uncle, Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham, who, in 1720, devised this estate to trustees for charitable uses. Under the direction of Dr. Sharp, Archdeacon of Durham, the castle was repaired in 1757, and apartments were prepared, in which one of the trustees who superintends the establishment constantly resides. In the upper part of the building are granaries in which corn is stored to be sold to the poor in times of scarcity, and a market is opened every Tuesday and Friday, when the industrious poor are supplied with meat and grocery at the cost price. In another part of the castle is an infirmary with a resident surgeon; the average annual number of in-patients is about thirty-five, and of out-patients upwards of one thousand. There are also two schools, in which about one hundred and sixty children of both sexes are taught on Dr. Bell's system, thirty of the girls are clothed and lodged in the castle, till they are fit for service. But the principal object of this charitable establishment is to afford assistance to shipwrecked mariners, for whose reception, apartments comfortably furnished, and having thirty beds, are always kept in readiness, patrols are constantly stationed along the coast in stormy nights, and when vessels are observed to be in distress, signals are made from the summit of the tower to the fishermen at Holy Island, who are rewarded for their services by the trustees. The castle is situated on the summit of a steep rock; the most ancient part is the keep, which is of Norman architecture. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
Readers of this page were also interested in: Cawood in York County England History and Geography CAWOOD, a parish (formerly a market-town) partly in the liberty of ST. PETER of YORK, East riding, but chiefly in the lower division of the wapentake of BARKSTONE-ASH, West riding, of the county of YORK, 9½ miles (S. by W.) from York, and 187 (N. by W.) from London, containing 1127 inhabitants Chelmsford in Essex County England History and Geography CHELMSFORD, a market town and parish in the hundred of CHELMSFORD, county of ESSEX, of which it is the chief town, 29 miles (N. E. by E.) from London, on the road to Yarmouth, containing, with the hamlet of Moulsham, 4994 inhabitants Croston in Lancaster County England History and Geography CROSTON, a parish in the hundred of LEYLAND, county palatine of LANCASTER, comprising the chapelries of Becconsall with Hesketh, and Tarleton, and the townships of Bispham, Bretherton, Croston, Mawdesley, and Ulnes-Walton, and containing 5831 inhabitants, of which number, 1367 are in the township of Croston, 6½ miles (W.) from Chorley Framlingham in Suffolk County England History and Geography FRAMLINGHAM, a market town and parish in the hundred of LOES, county of SUFFOLK, 18 miles (N.E. by N.) from Ipswich, and 87 (N.E.) from London, containing 2327 inhabitants Highgate in Middlesex County England History and Geography HIGHGATE, a chapelry partly in the parish of ST. PANCRAS, Holborn division of the hundred of OSSULSTONE, but chiefly in the parish of HORNSEY, Finsbury division of the same hundred, county of MIDDLESEX, 4 miles (N.) from London. The population is returned with the respective parishes in which it is situated Milton Next Sittingbourne in Kent County England History and Geography MILTON next SITTINGBOURNE, a market town and parish in the hundred of MILTON, lathe of SCRAY, county of KENT, 12 miles (N.E. by E.) from Maidstone, and 40 (E. by S.) from London, containing 2012 inhabitants |
