- Type
- Castle
- Origins
- 1550 · 16th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- England, United Kingdom
- Architect
- Edwin Lutyens
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 55.6691°, -1.7848°
History
The fort on the volcanic outcrop of Beblowe Crag was built around 1550, partly with stone from the dissolved Lindisfarne Priory, to protect the harbour against the Scots. Its defences were strengthened under Elizabeth I, and a garrison remained until the early 19th century. In 1901 the neglected fort was bought by Edward Hudson, publisher of Country Life, who commissioned the architect Edwin Lutyens to convert it into an Arts and Crafts holiday home. In 1911 Gertrude Jekyll laid out a walled garden below the castle. The castle has belonged to the National Trust since 1944.
What to see
The island is reached by a causeway covered by the tide twice a day, so crossings must be planned around the tide tables. Lutyens's interiors – vaulted rooms, brick floors and massive fireplaces – are furnished as in Hudson's day. At the foot of the rock stand 19th-century lime kilns and upturned fishing boats used as sheds, and a short walk away lies Gertrude Jekyll's garden.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q2627072
Popularity: articles about this site in 16 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).