Aydon Castle

Aydon Castle is a fortified manor house near to the town of Corbridge, Northumberland gbmapping|NZ001663). It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building. [cite web |url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?pid=1&id=239858 |title=Images of England: Aydon Castle |accessdate=2007-12-03 |publisher=English Heritage ]

Documentary evidence shows that a timber hall first existed on this site. [cite web |url=http://www.ecastles.co.uk/philipdavis/English%20sites/2484.html |title=Aydon Castle |accessdate=2007-12-03 |publisher=The Gatehouse ] The manor house was built by Robert de Reymes, a wealthy Suffolk merchant, starting in 1296 AD, adjacent to the steep valley of the Cor Burn. At this time the house consisted of a two-storeyed home with a solar, dining hall and kitchen on the upper floor. [cite book | last =Fry | first =Plantagenet Somerset | authorlink =Plantagenet Somerset Fry | coauthors = | title =The David & Charles Book of Castles |edition= | publisher =David & Charles | date =1980 | location =Newton Abbot | pages =180–181 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn =0-7153-7976-3 ] In 1305 he obtained a licence to crenellate his property and added battlements and curtain walls.It was captured by the Scots in 1315 and again in 1346. In the middle of the 16th century it was renovated and in the middle of 17th century it was converted into a farm. The building remained in use as a farm until 1966 but has since been restored to its medieval appearance.cite web |url=http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/england/aydon/aydon.php |title=Aydon Castle |accessdate=2007-12-03 |publisher=CastleXplorer ] It is managed by English Heritage. [cite web |url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.13010 |title=Aydon Castle |accessdate=2007-12-03 |publisher=English Heritage ]

Local early history

The earliest recorded history of the locale of Aydon Castle relates to the period of Roman occupation and the associated devolopement of the Stanegate and Hadrian's Wall, both of which lie not far from Aydon Castle. Hadrian's Wall runs about two kilometres north of Aydon Castle and is one of the most significant Roman monuments in Britain. Hadrian's Wall was constructed in 122 AD. The extent of this wall was 117 kilometres, spanning the width of Britain; the wall incorporated Agricola's Ditch and was constructed mainly of stone in the eastern reaches such as near Aydon [ [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=18177 C.Michael Hogan (2007) "Hadrian's Wall", ed. Andy Burnham, The Megalithic Portal] ] such as at Melkridge. The wall was constructed primarily to prevent raids by small Pictish bands or unwanted immigration from the north, not as a fighting front for a major invasion. [Stephen Johnson (2004) "Hadrian's Wall", Sterling Publishing Company, Inc, 128 pages, ISBN 0713488409]

Notes

External links

*cite web |url=http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_north/87/aydoncastle.htm |title=Aydon Castle |accessdate=2007-12-03 |publisher=CastleUK
*cite web |url=http://www.northofthetyne.co.uk/aydon.html |title=Aydon Castle |accessdate=2007-12-03 |publisher=North of the Tyne