Warkworth Castle is a ruined medieval castle in Warkworth in the English county of Northumberland. The village and castle occupy a loop of the River Coquet, less than a mile from England's north-east coast. When the castle was founded is uncertain: traditionally its construction has been ascribed to Prince Henry of Scotland, Earl of Northumbria, in the mid-12th century, but it may have been built by King Henry II of England when he took control of England's northern counties. Warkworth Castle was first documented in a charter of 1157–1164 when Henry II granted it to Roger fitz Richard. The timber castle was considered "feeble", and was left undefended when the Scots invaded in 1173.
The castle's enclosure and keep
Warkworth Castle's gatehouse (left) dates mostly from the 13th century.
The keep was built by Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland.
J. M. W. Turner painted Warkworth Castle in 1799. The ruins were attracting tourists as early as the mid 18th century.
Warkworth, Northumberland
Warkworth is a village in Northumberland, England. It is probably best known for its well-preserved medieval castle, church and hermitage. The population of Warkworth was 1,493 in 2001, increasing to 1,574 at the 2011 Census.
Warkworth village and church, viewed from the northeast (August 2003)
A view of the village from Warkworth Castle.
The market cross stands at the junction of the three main roads in the village.
The castle stands on a hill above the village and river.