Perched on a volcanic outcrop high above the pretty village of Bamburgh, the castle can
be seen for miles around. It is well documented that, because of the commanding
views on all sides, the cliff has been used as a fortification since the 6th
century when Britain was invaded by Denmark and Germany. However, recent
excavations have discovered that the area was used as a stronghold before Roman
times. Yet the castle as we know it was not built until after the Norman
Conquest.The castle was impenetrable, with walls up to 12 feet thick. For 400 years it stood firm against all attacks. Towering above them, the castle must have looked a fearsome sight to all would-be invaders. It was not taken until after the invention of the cannon; in fact it was the first English castle to fall through gunfire. The castle lay abandoned for many years but still belonged to the crown.
With constant fear of an attack from Scotland, it was thought prudent to retain a fortress close to the border. However, towards the end of Queen Elizabeth I's reign, Bamburgh was given to Claudius Forster and his family as a reward for his services to queen and country by keeping the Border Reivers in check. This had been no easy task as the Reivers were a fearless band of thieves who terrorised the Borders for years.
Lord Crewe, the Bishop of Durham, bought the castle in the 18th century when the descendents of the Forster family were forced to sell due to bankruptcy. History records that he was a charitable man: his good deeds included the setting up of a schoolroom in the castle to educate the children of the less fortunate. He also built a windmill in the grounds; it was used to grind corn, which was then distributed to the needy. When he died, having no family of his own, he left the castle in a trust for charity.
Dr. Sharp, one of the trustees, began a restoration programme that continued until the early 19th century. One of the rooms he restored is now a museum to Lord Crewe. Unfortunately, as the years passed, the charity became increasingly dependent on the public purse. Finally it was decided that the castle should be sold. It was bought by the 1st Lord Armstrong, who soon embarked upon a massive reconstruction of the building.
William George Armstrong was born in Newcastle in 1810. Although he trained and worked as a solicitor for many years, he is best known for his work in Hydraulics and electricity. In 1847 he opened his factory at Elswick in Newcastle and within three years he employed 300 men. Although his factory started out building cranes, he was soon to turn to the building of bridges. Both the famous London Landmark Tower Bridge and the Swing Bridge in Newcastle owe their opening mechanisms to his ingenuity. He was knighted and made a Companion of the Bath in 1859 and 28 years later became a peer of the realm.
During his lifetime Lord Armstrong regularly donated money to charity; he paid for outings for the less fortunate, as well as donating money to hospitals and convalescent homes. He purchased Bamburgh Castle in 1894 and the restoration plans he put into place, with his architect, Charles John Ferguson, were not finished until long after his death in 1900.
Ever mindful that the castle was built as a fortress, Lord Armstrong and Ferguson took
great care to ensure that any changes would not damage the character of the
building. This is especially noticeable in the Great Hall. The roof and wall
panelling were carved in teak and, while it shows Victorian craftsmanship at its
very best, it is neither garish nor too ornate.On the ground floor of the Keep is the well, a lifeline for the occupants of any castle. But this particular well is Saxon, 150 feet deep and cut through basalt rock. The well contained an escape passage about 40 feet down. Today the passageway is blocked but at one time it led to the grounds outside.
The castle kitchens show some of the ovens and utensils used in bygone days, while below in the dungeon a tableau depicts man's inhumanity - a gruesome reminder of how cruelly people were treated for even the most trivial offences.
Among the portraits that adorn the castle walls are those of past inhabitants. Two such portraits are of Dorothy Forster and her brother Tom, said to be the last of the family to live there. Dorothy reputedly smuggled her brother out of prison and helped him to flee overseas when he was arrested for joining the Jacobites.
Of course, there are also portraits of the 1st Lord Armstrong and his descendents and, since the introduction of the camera, photographs of the more recent members of the family.
During the second World War the castle was used as a military headquarters and, more recently, as a backdrop for films, including Mary Queen of Scots. Several apartments at the castle are now rented privately.
Above all, however, the castle remains the home of the Armstrong family.
