Langley Castle
Encyclopedia
Langley Castle is a restored medieval
tower house
, now operated as an hotel, situated in the village of Langley
in the valley of the River South Tyne
some 3 miles (5 km) south of Haydon Bridge
, Northumberland
, England
. It is a Grade I listed building.
s of Tynedale
in the 12th century, from whom descend the Tyndall
family. It was attacked and severely damaged in 1405 by the forces of Henry IV
in the campaign against the Percys
and Archbishop Scrope. It remained as a ruin until it was bought and restored by a local historian, Cadwallader Bates, in the late 19th century. He died in 1902 and his wife Josephine continued the restoration. After she died in 1932 the building remained empty until it was used as a barracks
in the Second World War
following which it was used as a girls' school.
It has since been converted into a luxury hotel set in a woodland estate of 10 acres (40,468.6 m²). One of the more remarkable features of the building is the south west tower which is occupied by no less than 12 garderobe
s, four to each floor. It is owned by Dr Madnick an American and is managed by Mr. A. Phillips.
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
tower house
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
, now operated as an hotel, situated in the village of Langley
Langley, Northumberland
Langley, or more correctly Langley-on-Tyne, is a small village in Northumberland, England, located to the west of Hexham.The village is on the A686 about south of Haydon Bridge...
in the valley of the River South Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
some 3 miles (5 km) south of Haydon Bridge
Haydon Bridge
Haydon Bridge is a village in Northumberland, England, with a population of about 2000. Its most distinctive features are the two bridges crossing the River South Tyne; the picturesque original bridge for which the village was named and a modern bridge which used to carry the A69 road...
, Northumberland
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 is a Grade I listed building.
Details
It was built in the middle of the 14th century by Sir Thomas de Lucy as a great H-shaped tower of four storeys. Before this the site was the seat of the BaronBaron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
s of Tynedale
Tynedale
Tynedale was a local government district in south-west Northumberland, England. It had a resident population of 58,808 according to the 2001 Census, and was named after the River Tyne . Its main towns were Hexham, Haltwhistle and Prudhoe...
in the 12th century, from whom descend the Tyndall
Tyndall
Tyndall is the name of an English family taken from the land they held as tenants in chief of the Kings of England and Scotland in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries: Tynedale, or the valley of the Tyne, in Northumberland...
family. It was attacked and severely damaged in 1405 by the forces of Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
in the campaign against the Percys
Baron Percy
The title Baron Percy has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The first, in 1066 a Feudal Barony rather than a peerage, became extinct in 1299. The second, in 1299, became extinct in 1517. The third, in 1557, became extinct in 1670. The present creation was in 1722, by writ of...
and Archbishop Scrope. It remained as a ruin until it was bought and restored by a local historian, Cadwallader Bates, in the late 19th century. He died in 1902 and his wife Josephine continued the restoration. After she died in 1932 the building remained empty until it was used as a barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
following which it was used as a girls' school.
It has since been converted into a luxury hotel set in a woodland estate of 10 acres (40,468.6 m²). One of the more remarkable features of the building is the south west tower which is occupied by no less than 12 garderobe
Garderobe
The term garderobe describes a place where clothes and other items are stored, and also a medieval toilet. In European public places, a garderobe denotes the cloakroom, wardrobe, alcove or an armoire. In Danish, Dutch, German and Spanish garderobe can mean a cloakroom. In Latvian it means checkroom...
s, four to each floor. It is owned by Dr Madnick an American and is managed by Mr. A. Phillips.