FORD CASTLE

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DESCRIPTION

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Ford Castle is an early example of a quadrangular or courtyard castle. It later became a country house and is now a field study centre. Granted a licence to crenellate in 1338 it is the earliest quadrangular castle in Northumberland. Of the four original corner towers, three are surviving. The castle was converted into a mansion 1694 and given Gothic style detailing in 1761 by George Raffield for Sir John Hussey Deleval. It was restored to 17th century style and a new north wall added, as well as internal alterations in the mid-19th century by David Bryce for Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford. It is constructed mainly of ashlar with medieval squared stone and stone slate and graduated Lakeland slate roofs.

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MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

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[NT 94423752] Ford Castle. [L.B.] (Remains of)
[NT 94393753] King James's Tower [L.B.] (1)

Crenellated in 1338. It is of the quadrilateral type with four corner towers, three of which survive.King James's, the largest, is at the N.W. corner, the S.W.tower is isolated, and that at the N.E corner submerged in later buildings. The fourth has gone completely. The N range is Elizabethan, but was largely rebuilt, together with the forecourt and gateway in 1861. (2)

The N and W curtain walls remain. (3)

The buildings now serve as a field study centre for the Northum Education Committee and are generally correctly described. Remains of the curtain are incorporated in the N range and W wall of the forecourt. The probable site of the S E tower, and E wall are marked by an ornamental platform at NT 94453751. See GP AO/55/376/1 for King James's and S W towers. (4)

Ford Castle, grade 2*. (5)

Ford Castle. Grade I. Country house, now field centre. C14 (licence to crenellate 1338), converted into mansion 1694, given Gothick detail 1761 by George Raffield for Sir John Hussey Deleval. Restored to C17 style, new N wall added and altered internally from 1862 by David Bryce for Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford.

Flagpole Tower and forecourt wall attached to it. Grade I. Tower, formerly the SW corner tower of the quadrilateral castle but now detached. Restored and top floor renewed 1862.

Portcullis Gate, Armoury Tower and forecourt walls to Ford Castle. Grade I. 1791 by Nisbet of Kelso for Sir John Hussey Delevel incorporating early, possibly C16 or C17 masonry in the walls.

East Gateway, East Forecourt Wall and Handyman's Cottage. Grade II*. 1791 by J Nisbet for Sir John Hussey Delevel. Cottage added c.1862 probably by David Bryce. Ashlar. Gothick style.

North Forecourt Wall and Gateway with laundry and service wing attached to rear. Grade II*. 1791 by J Nibet and mid-late C19. (6)

Main events in the castle's history listed by Cathcart King. (7)

Ford was the earliest examople of a quadrangular, or `courtyard' castle built in Northumberland, building commencing in 1338. It replaced an earlier fortified residence built after 1288. (8)

Additional reference and photograph. (9)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:2500 1964

( 2) by John Grundy et al 1992 Northumberland

The buildings of England Page(s)155

( 3) Northumberland County History

(Ed. M.Hope Dodds) 11 - 1922 Page(s)410-25

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 RWE 10-JAN-67

( 5) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

DOE(HHR) Glendale RD Northum Aug 1949 8

(6) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

DOE Listed Buildings Boro of Berwick Upon Tweed 1988 56-60

(7) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

2 - 1983 Page(s)333

(8) Dodds, JF 1999 Bastions and Belligerents: Medieval Strongholds in Northumberland

Page(s)84-7

(9) Fred Allen 2006 England's Landscape: The North East

Page(s)65

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