The Most Dangerous Place in England
A Short History of Norham Castle
Strategically positioned on a grassy mound commanding a shallow crossing over the meandering River Tweed, the imposing ruins of Norham Castle rank among the finest sights in Northumberland’s border country. The location, just half the river’s width away from the historically tumultuous anglo-scottish border, once earned Norham the ominous title of “the most dangerous place in England”. Built in the 12th century, for 450 years the castle was widely revered as one of the great English strongholds, a steadfast defence against marauding Scots.
Norham Castle was originally founded by Ranulph Flambard, who served as Bishop of Durham from 1099 until 1128. In the medieval period, Durham’s Bishops enjoyed near-kingly powers, in return for enforcing law and order in the borderlands. At times this region was wild and lawless. A volatile political landscape often meant that disputes in the borders could spill over into open conflict at any moment. In wartime Norham’s English garrison defended the Tweed fords, an easy crossing point for armies entering into England. Together with the nearby fortresses of Berwick and Wark, Norham was an essential component of England’s eastern border defences.
The strategic importance of Norham was evidenced when Henry II ordered the new Bishop of Durham, Henry Du Puiset, to rebuild the castle on a much grander scale. He duly obliged, erecting the great tower on the site of Flambard’s original two-storey fortified hall. Between 1208 and 1212 King John also spent huge sums of crown coffers to bolster the castle’s defences. Its strength was soon demonstrated a few years later when Alexander II of Scotland besieged Norham for 40 days, but failed to take the castle. Peace between the two nations was later signed in the great hall at Norham in 1219 and would hold for most of the 13th century, until Edward I’s subsequent claims of overlordship over Scotland ignited prolonged warfare in the borders.
Border warfare in the 14th century was almost constant, but Norham was not always involved, perhaps because it was such a hard nut to crack. Robert the Bruce besieged the castle for nearly a year in 1318, eventually occupying the outer ward, only to be driven out again 3 days later. The Scots would also lay siege to Norham unsuccessfully in 1319 and 1322, but eventually took it in 1327, only to lose it back to the English the following year. Thereafter Norham enjoyed a period of relative peace, before it was besieged again by James IV of Scotland in 1497 in support of Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the English throne. Remarkably the castle resisted attack for two weeks before an English army reached Norham to quell the siege.
Much more significant damage was inflicted on Norham in 1513 when James IV invaded with a large army and took the castle following a week-long campaign of heavy cannon fire, eventually breaching the castle’s outer walls. However, in less than three weeks Norham had been restored to the Bishop of Durham after the English defeated the Scots in the historic Battle of Flodden Field, where an estimated 10,000 - 17,000 men are thought to have perished.
The preluding Scottish assault on Norham had resulted in great damage, and for the next eight years extensive repairs were undertaken. English military engineers made alterations to the castle so that the garrison could return fire, with great force, from covered positions. They rebuilt the wall to the outer ward, encasing its lower courses in earth to provide strength and to defend it from incoming fire. Gun towers and arched gun positions were also added. The castle was maintained for most of the century, but in 1596 Elizabeth I refused to spend any money on its upkeep. After the 1605 union of the English and Scottish crowns, Norham slowly fell into decay. Left to the elements, the ruins passed through many hands until they were placed in the care of the state.
Much of what remains at Norham today dates from the 16th century, though fragments of the early stone walls and arches survive. Though lying in ruins, Norham remains an impressive fortress with a brute of a keep, a moat, vaults and crumbling walls. The castle is now under the guardianship of English Heritage, with daily operations carried out by volunteers from Norham Parish Council.
Thankfully for the residents of the neighbouring village, Norham is no longer the perilous place it once was. Instead, Norham is now a peaceful and classically picturesque rural village with a thriving school, independent shops and a strong community spirit.
As featured in This Is Northumberland 2025
