castle castle ruined medieval fortification village northumberland england built comprised residential tower gatehouse corner tower protected curtain wall castle involved local feuding border wars england scotland battle rival manners families outside walls briefly captured king scotland invasion england castle passed hands crown garrisoned border defences fell disrepair abandoned military fortification 18th century ceased domestic dwelling 21st century castle owned family managed english_heritage open public protected law ancient monument grade listed building history 14th 15th centuries castle built village robert granted licence king edward iii order defend location scots manners family owned manor earliest castle residential tower tower built site older house owned family site incorporating structure new tower alternatively central tower built point late 13th early 14th centuries complete case licence served allow manners extend perimeter fortifications castle surrounded manor included mills corn lime coal mines work continued robert son inherited property minor sir acquired property site described weakly defended location passed joan widow considered fully fledged castle powerful regional figure granted order retain loyalty face military advances scots wife allegedly ran surrounding estate resulting commission established investigate abuses died probably leaving castle son robert turn left property son john involved long running feud neighbouring family owned neighbouring ford castle january fight sides outside castle died precise events unclear formed basis subsequent lawsuit john argued william assaulted castle attack died john direct involvement death william widow blamed john eldest son called john william death demanded compensation arbitration church eventually john agreed pay masses william soul marks widow sons robert inherited castle estates lands fallen value considerably preceding years result wars scots feuding poverty lands robert son inherited property passed castle son george death george inherited title mother family castle abandoned residence family end 15th century manners moved closer royal court 16th century absence manners castle managed family gradually castle hereditary renting lands estate family castle heavily involved border wars scotland usually holding garrison men forming important strategic defensive location step removed fortifications border august scotland invaded england large army equipped modern artillery took border castles moved south castle surrendered quickly hope avoiding james army nonetheless partially deliberately damaged prevent defence english victory battle following month castle garrisoned lord store captured scottish artillery guard sir lord went use castle extensively royal commission reported castle buildings great recommending fortification repaired crown bought castle manners exchange estates england putting sir charge property garrison horsemen foot soldiers years acting castle position retain rest century castle remained important defence border fell poor repair described poor condition able lodge captain report reiterated similar problems commissioners wrote poor maintenance years left need repairs order 17th 21st centuries scotland inherited kingdom england uniting lost military value soon passed private ownership 18th century ceased residence ruins painted based visit castle autumn lord bought castle ruins cleaned ivy castle placed state archaeological excavations surveys carried site 21st century managed english_heritage protected law grade listed building ancient monument architecture castle originally overlooked bridge protected steep banks running river castle forms rectangular enclosure approximately feet protected relatively thin stone curtain wall feet inches thick wall ground destroyed foundations remaining residential tower north east corner entered unusual region feet inches feet inches size protected storeys tall floor tower reached spiral staircase comprised rooms large small chamber tower built sandstone floor lighter sandstone lower floors added ground floor feet originally vaulted ceiling upper floors lit large windows complete window seats second floors probably manners family large floor castle staff tower possibly linked neighbouring hall complex doorway floor complex lost gatehouse south east corner feet square vaulted originally protected gate vaulted feet long feet inches wide floor lost large chamber feet wide room feet inches square doorway led form platform gatehouse architectural historian described flamboyant window tracing manners coat arms carved entrance gatehouse north west corner tower feet feet inches inside entrance door east originally floor remains uncertain second corner tower built south east corner castle complex excavations possible location failed find traces survey proved inconclusive
Etal Castle