Description

CARTINGTON CARTINGTON
NU 00 SW
16/7 Ruins of
Cartington Castle
21.10.53
I

Fortified Manor House: Several C14 and early C15 builds; alterations and
extensions in late C16 or early C17; partial demolition following 1648 siege,
with part of hall range and north-east tower remodelled afterwards; fell into
ruins early in C19; excavation, repairs and some restoration 1887 by C.C.
Hodges for Lord Armstrong. Squared stone. Plan: Hall range with solar
(north-east) tower at east end and rectangular courtyard on south, with C16/17
east range and medieval south-east turret; only traces survive of outer
courtyard to north and post-medieval walled orchard to south.

Hall range: South elevation shows chamfered and moulded plinths, and projecting
semi-octagonal stair turret with chamfered setbacks and loops; left moulded
ground-floor doorway, partly restored; right inserted C16/17 lst-floor door.
On far right remains of C16/17 stair projection. Scattered fenestration
includes 3 large 2-light windows of 1887, re-using old materials but not all
in correct positions. Other outer walls of range only stand to 1st floor
level, with several chamfered doorways and loops; on north the lower part of
a large flying buttress. Interior: tower basement has 3 barrel-vaulted
chambers and well shaft; eastern of 3 rooms beneath hall retains part of its
segmental vault. Wall between tower and hall stands to 3-storey height. Several
original doorways, fireplaces and stairs including full-height newel stair
in turret.

Walls around courtyard: East wall stands to lst floor level, with inserted
C16/17 doorway and window; outer walls of east range ruined. South-east
turret has barrel-vaulted chamber and projection with lst-floor garderobe.
2-metre high south wall is post-medieval reconstruction except for traces of
tower, perhaps original gatehouse, at west end. Cl7 west wall has central
gateway with rusticated piers, the southern retaining part of its moulded cap.
Inside courtyard, remains of detached C16/17 stair to let-floor hall range,
and foundations of demolished range of similar date.

Historical notes: Built for the Cartington family (licence to crenellate
1441). In 1494 it passed by marriage to the Radcliffes and later to the
Widdringtons, Sir Edward Widdrington holding it briefly for the King in the
1648 siege. Detailed description by H.L. Honeyman in Northumberland County
History XV, 375-80 (1940).

Listing NGR: NU0387804533

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Cartington Castle at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5047356

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)