Bamburgh
Encyclopedia
Bamburgh is a large village and civil parish on the coast of Northumberland
, England
. It has a population of 454.
It is notable for two reasons: the imposing Bamburgh Castle
, overlooking the beach, seat of the former Kings
of Northumbria
, and at present owned by the Armstrong family (see William George Armstrong); and its association with the Victorian heroine, Grace Darling
, who is buried there.
Its extensive sandy beach was awarded the Blue Flag
rural beach award in 2005. The Bamburgh Dunes
, an area of sand dunes which are a Site of Special Scientific Interest
, stand behind the award winning beach. Bamburgh is popular with holidaymakers and is within the Northumberland Coast
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Bamburgh Castle, then called Din Guardi, may have been the capital of the Brythonic kingdom of Bryneich
between about AD 420 and 547. In 547 the castle was taken by the invading Angles
led by Ida son of Eoppa
and was renamed Bebbanburgh by one of his successors, Æthelfrith
, after Æthelfrith's wife Bebba, according to the Historia Brittonum. From then onwards the castle became the capital of the Anglian kingdom of Bernicia
until it merged with its southern neighbour, Deira, in 634. After the two realms united as Northumbria
the capital was moved to York
.
Henry VI
ruled all England (in name) from Bamburgh in 1464, during the Wars of the Roses
. The castle was eventually reduced by artillery.
Thomas Malory
considered Bamburgh to be Lancelot's
castle Joyous Gard. The Victorian poet Algernon Charles Swinburne
agreed and called it "The noblest hold in all the North."
Swinburne swam here, as did the novelist E. M. Forster
who adopted the Forsters of Bamburgh as his ancestors.
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It has a population of 454.
It is notable for two reasons: the imposing Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh Castle is an imposing castle located on the coast at Bamburgh in Northumberland, England. It is a Grade I listed building.-History:...
, overlooking the beach, seat of the former Kings
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of Northumbria
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
, and at present owned by the Armstrong family (see William George Armstrong); and its association with the Victorian heroine, Grace Darling
Grace Darling
Grace Horsley Darling was an English Victorian heroine who in 1838, along with her father, saved 13 people from the wreck of the SS Forfarshire.-Biography:...
, who is buried there.
Its extensive sandy beach was awarded the Blue Flag
Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
rural beach award in 2005. The Bamburgh Dunes
Bamburgh Dunes
Bamburgh Dunes are a region of coastal sand dunes with an area of over 40 hectares situated around the village of Bamburgh in Northumberland, England. The dunes, which stand in the shadow of the impressive Bamburgh Castle, have been a Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1995 and are part of...
, an area of sand dunes which are a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
, stand behind the award winning beach. Bamburgh is popular with holidaymakers and is within the Northumberland Coast
Northumberland Coast
The Northumberland Coast is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covering 39 miles of coastline from Berwick-Upon-Tweed to the River Coquet estuary in the north-east of England...
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Bamburgh Castle, then called Din Guardi, may have been the capital of the Brythonic kingdom of Bryneich
Bernicia
Bernicia was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom established by Anglian settlers of the 6th century in what is now southeastern Scotland and North East England....
between about AD 420 and 547. In 547 the castle was taken by the invading Angles
Angles
The Angles is a modern English term for a Germanic people who took their name from the ancestral cultural region of Angeln, a district located in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany...
led by Ida son of Eoppa
Ida of Bernicia
Ida is the first known king of the Anglian kingdom of Bernicia, which he ruled from around 547 until his death in 559. Little is known of his life or reign, but he was regarded as the founder of a line from which later Anglo-Saxon kings in this part of northern England and southern Scotland...
and was renamed Bebbanburgh by one of his successors, Æthelfrith
Æthelfrith of Northumbria
Æthelfrith was King of Bernicia from c. 593 until c. 616; he was also, beginning c. 604, the first Bernician king to also rule Deira, to the south of Bernicia. Since Deira and Bernicia were the two basic components of what would later be defined as Northumbria, Æthelfrith can be considered, in...
, after Æthelfrith's wife Bebba, according to the Historia Brittonum. From then onwards the castle became the capital of the Anglian kingdom of Bernicia
Bernicia
Bernicia was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom established by Anglian settlers of the 6th century in what is now southeastern Scotland and North East England....
until it merged with its southern neighbour, Deira, in 634. After the two realms united as Northumbria
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
the capital was moved to York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
ruled all England (in name) from Bamburgh in 1464, during the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
. The castle was eventually reduced by artillery.
Thomas Malory
Thomas Malory
Sir Thomas Malory was an English writer, the author or compiler of Le Morte d'Arthur. The antiquary John Leland as well as John Bale believed him to be Welsh, but most modern scholars, beginning with G. L...
considered Bamburgh to be Lancelot's
Lancelot
Sir Lancelot du Lac is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He is the most trusted of King Arthur's knights and plays a part in many of Arthur's victories...
castle Joyous Gard. The Victorian poet Algernon Charles Swinburne
Algernon Charles Swinburne
Algernon Charles Swinburne was an English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic. He invented the roundel form, wrote several novels, and contributed to the famous Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica...
agreed and called it "The noblest hold in all the North."
- "They saw the help and strength of Joyous Gard,
- The full deep glorious tower that stands over
- Between the wild sea and the broad wild lands..."
Swinburne swam here, as did the novelist E. M. Forster
E. M. Forster
Edward Morgan Forster OM, CH was an English novelist, short story writer, essayist and librettist. He is known best for his ironic and well-plotted novels examining class difference and hypocrisy in early 20th-century British society...
who adopted the Forsters of Bamburgh as his ancestors.
Notable people
- Æthelfrith of NorthumbriaÆthelfrith of NorthumbriaÆthelfrith was King of Bernicia from c. 593 until c. 616; he was also, beginning c. 604, the first Bernician king to also rule Deira, to the south of Bernicia. Since Deira and Bernicia were the two basic components of what would later be defined as Northumbria, Æthelfrith can be considered, in...
- William George Armstrong
- Joe Baker-CresswellJoe Baker-CresswellCaptain Addison Joe Baker-Cresswell DSO RN , was a Royal Navy officer, aide-de-camp to King George VI and High Sheriff of Northumberland...
- Grace DarlingGrace DarlingGrace Horsley Darling was an English Victorian heroine who in 1838, along with her father, saved 13 people from the wreck of the SS Forfarshire.-Biography:...
- King Henry VIHenry VI of EnglandHenry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
- Ida of BerniciaIda of BerniciaIda is the first known king of the Anglian kingdom of Bernicia, which he ruled from around 547 until his death in 559. Little is known of his life or reign, but he was regarded as the founder of a line from which later Anglo-Saxon kings in this part of northern England and southern Scotland...
- Prideaux John SelbyPrideaux John SelbyPrideaux John Selby was an English ornithologist, botanist and artist and landowner.Selby is best known for his Illustrations of British Ornithology , the first set of life-sized illustrations of British birds...
External links
- Bamburgh Photos
- Stained glass windows at St. Aidan's Church, Photos by Peter Loud
- Bamburgh Tourist Attractions
- Bamburgh Online
- GENUKI (Accessed: 5 November 2008)
- Northumberland Communities (Accessed: 5 November 2008)