Brough Castle

I drove down to Leeds on Saturday for the football, and my stopping off point for a break was Brough Castle. The castle is one of a number of medieval castles just off the A66 in the North Pennines, starting at Penrith, then Brougham, Brough and finishing at Barnard Castle. Brough Castle is next to the village of the same name, and you should turn off there, as the signage isn't great. There is no charge to enter, so suspect English Heritage hasn't invested as much in the site. In the summer, the local farm has a tea room.

Brough Castle was built on the site of the Roman fort of Verterae, which was occupied until the 5th century. The site protected the Stainmore Pass, along the Roman road from York to Carlisle. There is nothing left of the fort, but the helpful information board gives an artist impression of what it looked like.

William the Conqueror's son, William Rufus, invaded the north-west in 1091 and built Brough Castle around 1092, making use of the existing  Roman earthworks. It was a classic Norman motte and bailey design. In 1173, William the Lion of Scotland invaded the north of England and captured the castle after a short siege. It was recovered later in that year and rebuilt. After the Barons War the castle came under the Clifford family who strengthened it and gave it the shape you can see today.

The Cliffords were Lancastrians during the Wars of the Roses and the castle was captured, but later returned to the family. It fell into disuse after a fire. However, the castle was restored in the 17th century by Lady Anne Clifford, a major landowner in the Clifford family. In 1666 another fire struck the castle rendering it uninhabitable for a period, and afterwards materials were used for local buildings.

The ruin is in poor condition today and at risk of further damage. This is a shame because it is in a magnificent spot with great views all around. There are several information boards, which tell the story, and it is well worth a short visit. An ideal stretch of the legs stop.