Dunstanburgh Castle with rocky pebble beach
vertical photo of large pebbles and rocks on beach with Dunstanburgh Castle in the background in Northumberland in England Great Britain UK. Dunstanburgh Castle lies on a spectacular headland on the coast of Northumberland in northern England, between the villages of Craster and Embleton. The castle is the largest in Northumberland and the site shows traces of much earlier occupation before the erection of the castle was started in 1313 by the Earl of Lancaster. Like all good old castles, this one has its ghost known by the name of Sir Guy the Seeker and one version of the story tells of him trying to help a damsel in distress and failing to choose to use a bugle over his sword to fight a gargoyle guarding her. He never did rescue her and legend says the castle returned from the complete state he saw it in to ruins, if one listens carefully on a stormy night it is said that one hears Sir Guy calling out for "My Lady" amongst the cliffs. The castle was not always fenced in and it could be an eerie experience to walk over the inner ward on a dark night, particularly scary when a sheep sheltering in the ruins might dash suddenly across the grass. The castle did not play a significant part in the border warfare against Scotland. In the Wars of the Roses it was a Lancastrian stronghold, changing hands once or twice and suffering damage when besieged. It gradually fell into ruin, a report in 1538 quoting it as being a "very reuynus howsse and of smalle strength" and another source in 1550 describing it as in "wonderfull great decaye" It continued to deteriorate and it was robbed of stone for the building of other places in the area. But it still stands. It is now owned by the National Trust and in the care of English Heritage. Turner painted Dunstanburgh many times, usually rising at dawn to do so.
Size: 4098px × 6319px
Photo credit: © Michael Sayles / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ancient, bay, carefree, castle, coast, creepy, dark, defence, dunstanborough, dunstanburgh, dusk, england, english, enigmatic, evening, expanse, fort, heritage, historical, history, horizontal, inspiring, invigorating, isolation, landscape, mood, moody, northumberland, northumbria, open, relaxing, restful, rocks, rocky, ruin, ruined, shore, solitary, sunset, twilight
