Photographs of Edlingham Castle

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Edlingham Castle is a small castle ruin in a valley to the west of Alnwick. Much of the solar tower still stands despite an impressive crack running vertically through the wall. The foundations and part of the walls of the hall house, gatehouse, barbican and other courtyard buildings are still visible, most dating from the 16th century.
The castle was a fortified manor house typical of many medieval houses in the North of England. Its fortifications were increased in response to the border warfare which raged between England and Scotland in the period from about 1300 to 1600.
By 1174, a manor house at the location was in the possession of a John of Edlingham. In 1294, a descendant, Walter of Edlingham sold it to William de Felton, who strengthened it by building strong ramparts and a gatehouse, fortifying the main hall and adding other buildings inside a courtyard. In 1396 the solar tower was added. Most of the buildings were dismantled to build nearby farmhouses in the 1660s. The site is now in the care of English Heritage.