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Kershope Castle is a medieval fortified tower situated in the remote Bewcastle valley in the north-west of Northumberland, close to the border with Scotland. The structure dates from the late medieval period and represents the type of defensive architecture constructed to protect against cross-border raiding in the Anglo-Scottish marches. The castle comprises a stone tower of modest proportions, reflecting the practical military requirements of frontier settlement rather than the grander aspirations of lowland fortifications. Its position in this vulnerable borderland exemplifies the strategic importance of maintaining armed strongholds throughout the late medieval period in this region.
Kershope Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1018956. View the official record →
Kershope Castle is a medieval fortified tower situated in the remote Bewcastle valley in the north-west of Northumberland, close to the border with Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1018956.
Kershope Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1018956.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Romano-British enclosed settlement, 720m north east of Catcleugh (1.8 km), Gibbie's Knowe defended settlement and later rectangular building (3.4 km), Romano-British enclosed settlement, 290m south east of Butteryhaugh Bridge (3.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Kershope Castle's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Kershope Castle stands on Border Group, bedrock that formed in the Meramecian. The rock here is sandstone with subordinate argillaceous rocks and limestone.