© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)
Morpeth Castle is a twelfth-century motte-and-bailey fortification located in Morpeth, Northumberland, which served as an important stronghold for the de Merlay family and later the Dacre lords. The castle comprises a substantial mound with a stone keep constructed during the thirteenth century, together with extensive earthwork defences that reflect successive phases of medieval occupation and modification. The site played a significant role in the defence of the Anglo-Scottish border region during the medieval period, though it declined in military importance following the Tudor pacification of the Borders. The surviving earthworks and masonry remain substantial enough to convey the character of a major regional fortification, with the motte presenting one of the most prominent examples of this castle type in northern England.
Morpeth Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1006394. View the official record →
Morpeth Castle is a twelfth-century motte-and-bailey fortification located in Morpeth, Northumberland, which served as an important stronghold for the de Merlay family and later the Dacre lords. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1006394.
Morpeth 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 1006394.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Motte and bailey castle on Haw Hill (0.1 km), Morpeth Old Bridge (0.3 km), Bell tower or clock tower (0.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Morpeth 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.
Morpeth Castle stands on Yoredale Group, bedrock that formed in the Bashkirian. The rock here is limestone, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.