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Bew Castle, Bewcastle
Bew Castle
Bewcastle Castle
locality:-   Bewcastle
civil parish:-   Bewcastle (formerly Cumberland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   castle
coordinates:-   NY56567468
1Km square:-   NY5674
10Km square:-   NY57

photograph
BMQ86.jpg  From the churchyard.
(taken 15.9.2006)  
photograph
BMQ87.jpg (taken 15.9.2006)  
evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Cmd 8 6) 
source data:-   Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948.
"Castle (Remains of)"
evidence:-   old map:- Saxton 1579
placename:-  Bewcastle
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Westmorlandiae et Cumberlandiae Comitatus ie Westmorland and Cumberland, scale about 5 miles to 1 inch, by Christopher Saxton, London, engraved by Augustinus Ryther, 1576, published 1579-1645.
image
Sax9NY57.jpg
Building with two towers, symbol for a castle.  "Bewcast:"
item:-  private collection : 2
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Burghley 1590 (facsimile) 
placename:-  Bewcastell
source data:-   Facsimile map, A Platt of the Opposete Border of Scotland to ye West Marches of England, parts of Cumberland and Scotland including the Debateable Land, from a manuscript drawn for William Cecil, Lord Burghley, about 1590, published by R B Armstrong, 1897.
courtesy of the National Library of Scotland
image
M048NY57.jpg
"Bewcastell"
circle, buildings or walls, tower 
item:-  National Library of Scotland : MS6113 f.267
Image © National Library of Scotland
evidence:-   old map:- Speed 1611 (Cum/EW) 
placename:-  Castle Bew
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Kingdome of Great Britaine and Ireland, scale about 36 miles to 1 inch, by John Speed, about 1610-11, published by Thomas Bassett, Fleet Street and Richard Chiswell, St Paul's Churchyard, London, 1676?
image  click to enlarge
SPD6Cm.jpg
"Ca Bew"
dot, circle, and tower 
item:-  private collection : 85
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Speed 1611 (Cmd) 
placename:-  Bew Castle
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Cumberland and the Ancient Citie Carlile Described, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by John Speed, 1610, published by J Sudbury and George Humble, Popes Head Alley, London, 1611-12.
image
SP11NY57.jpg
"Bew cast."
circle, buildings, tower 
item:-  private collection : 16
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   table of distances:- Simons 1635
placename:-  Bewe Castle
source data:-   Table of distances, uncoloured engraving, Cumberland, with a thumbnail map, scale about 41 miles to 1 inch, by Mathew Simons, published in A Direction for the English Traviller, 1635.
image  click to enlarge
SIM4.jpg
"Bewe Castle N.E."
and tabulated distances; B on thumbnail map 
item:-  private collection : 50.11
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Jansson 1646
placename:-  Bew Castle
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Cumbria and Westmoria, ie Cumberland and Westmorland, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, by John Jansson, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1646.
image
JAN3NY57.jpg
"Bew Cast"
Buildings and tower with flag. 
item:-  JandMN : 88
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Sanson 1679
placename:-  Bew
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Ancien Royaume de Northumberland aujourdhuy Provinces de Nort, ie the Ancient Kingdom of Northumberland or the Northern Provinces, scale about 9.5 miles to 1 inch, by Nicholas Sanson, Paris, France, 1679.
image  click to enlarge
SAN2Cm.jpg
"Bew"
circle, two towers, flag; castle 
item:-  Dove Cottage : 2007.38.15
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Morden 1695 (Cmd) 
placename:-  Bew Castle
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Cumberland, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Robert Morden, 1695, published by Abel Swale, the Unicorn, St Paul's Churchyard, Awnsham, and John Churchill, the Black Swan, Paternoster Row, London, 1695-1715.
image
MD12NY57.jpg
"Bew Castle"
Circle, building with two towers. 
item:-  JandMN : 90
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Bowen and Kitchin 1760
placename:-  Beu Castle
placename:-  Bueth Castle
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, A New Map of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland Divided into their Respective Wards, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Emanuel Bowen and Thomas Kitchin et al, published by T Bowles, Robert Sayer, and John Bowles, London, 1760.
image
BO18NY57.jpg
"Beu Castle als Bueth Castle / R"
circle, building and tower, rectory 
item:-  Armitt Library : 2008.14.10
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old text:- Pennant 1773
placename:-  Beucastle
placename:-  Bueth Castle
source data:-   Book, A Tour from Downing to Alston Moor, 1773, by Thomas Pennant, published by Edward Harding, 98 Pall Mall, London, 1801.
"About three mile farther is Beucastle, or Bueth Castle, so called from one Bueth, Lord of the country at the time of the Conquest, who is said to have repaired a Roman castle, and called it after his own name: ... Bueth's lands afterwards fell to the Crown. Henry II. bestowed it on the last Hubert de Vallibus; and by his"
image PEN6p181, button  goto source
Pennant's Tour 1773, page 181  "daughter it came to Thomas de Multon. It passed through several hands till the fifth of Charles I. who, on consideration of two hundred pounds, granted it to Sir Richard Graham; and is now, with the vast territory round, the property of the Rev. Mr. Graham of Netherby."
"The castle is small, square, and surrounded with a foss; was garrisoned in the year 1641, when it was dismantled, and the garrison removed to Carlisle."
evidence:-   old map:- Donald 1774 (Cmd) 
placename:-  Bewcastle
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, 3x2 sheets, The County of Cumberland, scale about 1 inch to 1 mile, by Thomas Donald, engraved and published by Joseph Hodskinson, 29 Arundel Street, Strand, London, 1774.
image
D4NY57SE.jpg
"Bewcastle"
large building; a castle 
item:-  Carlisle Library : Map 2
Image © Carlisle Library
evidence:-   old text:- Clarke 1787
placename:-  Bewcastle
source data:-   Guide book, A Survey of the Lakes of Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire, written and published by James Clarke, Penrith, Cumberland, and in London etc, 1787; published 1787-93.
image CL13P105, button  goto source
Page 105:-  "..."
"I do not find any ancient authors mention a castle here [Castlerigg], Speed, who speaks of twenty-five in Cumberland, hath found out every one I ever heard or knew of, except Kirkoswald; how that has escaped him I cannot tell. I shall here put down their names, and, as well as I can, their most ancient owners, and supposed founders."
"1. BEWCASTLE. Built by the Romans, and after the Conquest repaired by one Bueth, who gave it his own name, viz, Bueth-castle; he was killed by Robert the"
image CL13P106, button  goto source
Page 106:-  "Vallibus, who afterwards, to purchase absolution from the Pope, built Lanercost Priory, and endowed it."
"..."
evidence:-   old text:- Camden 1789
placename:-  Beucastle
placename:-  Bueth Castle
source data:-   Book, Britannia, or A Chorographical Description of the Flourishing Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by William Camden, 1586, translated from the 1607 Latin edition by Richard Gough, published London, 1789.
image CAM2P176, button  goto source
Page 176:-  "..."
"... The Leven and other river before-mentioned, rising in the very border of two kingdoms, passes by nothing remarkable except Beucastle, as it is commonly called, a royal castle in a waste tract with a garrison. In the public records it is written Bueth-castle, whence its name should seem to be derived from that Bueth, who about the time of Henry I. was a sort of absolute lord in these parts. Certain it is that in the reign of Edward III. it was the property of John baron de Strivelin, who married the daughter and coheiress of Adam de Swinborn."
evidence:-   old text:- Camden 1789 (Gough Additions) 
placename:-  Bowecastle
source data:-   Book, Britannia, or A Chorographical Description of the Flourishing Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by William Camden, 1586, translated from the 1607 Latin edition by Richard Gough, published London, 1789.
image CAM2P200, button  goto source
Page 200:-  "..."
""Bowecastle longing to the king, 10 mile east from Carluel on Kirkebek. Near about it be found Briton brikes with entayled work and portraitures in the old foundations.""
"..."
"The place has its name from Bueth its owner at the Conquest. The castle was demolished 1641."
evidence:-   site plan:- Curwen 1913
placename:-  Bew Castle
source data:-   Site plan, lithograph, Bew Castle, Bewcastle, Cumberland, by T H B Grahams, published for the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society by Titus Wilson, Kendal, Westmorland, 1913.
image  click to enlarge
CW0125.jpg
On p.138 of The Castles and Fortified Towers of Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire North of the Sands, by John F Curwen. 
printed at bottom right:-  "measured by / T. H. B.Grahams / 1910"
item:-  Armitt Library : A782.25
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   text:- Jackson 1990
placename:-  Belcastell
placename:-  Boa Castle
placename:-  Bothe Castle
placename:-  Bowe Castle
source data:-  
evidence:-   old painting:- 
placename:-  Bew Castle
source data:-   Painting, watercolour, Bew Castle, Bewcastle, Cumberland, by William James Blacklock, 1840-58.
image  click to enlarge
PR0947.jpg
A solitary figure on the right of the composition approaches a ruined castle standing in midst of heathery moorland with distant blue hills beyond. 
signed at bottom left:-  "W J Blacklock"
inscribed at top centre:-  "Bew Castle Cumberland"
item:-  Tullie House Museum : 1946.67.15
Image © Tullie House Museum
evidence:-   old print:- Pennant 1773 (edn 1801) 
placename:-  Beu Castle
source data:-   Print, engraving, Beu Castle, Bewcastle, Cumberland, drawn by Moses Griffith, engraved by Comte, published by Edward Harding, 98 Pall Mall, London, 1801.
image  click to enlarge
PEN626.jpg
Tipped in opposite p.180 of A Tour from Downing to Alston Moor, 1773, by Thomas Pennant. 
printed at bottom left, right, centre:-  "Moses Griffith. Del / Comte Sc / BEU CASTLE / Pub June 1 1801 by Edw Harding 98 Pall Mall."
item:-  Armitt Library : A1057.26
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   possibly old painting:- 
placename:-  Buit's Castle
source data:-   Painting, oil painting, Buit's Castle, Bewcastle, Cumberland, by William James Blacklock, 1844.
image  click to enlarge
PR0939.jpg
To left of foreground cattle are grouped beside three spindly trees. A woman, her back to the viewer, carrying a basket balanced on her head, walks towards the ruins of a castle which are bathed in the rosy glow of a fading sunset. Distant hills lie beyond. 
labelled at reverse:-  "Evening on the Gelt near Castle Carrock W J Blacklock 40 London St, Fitzroy Square No 3"
item:-  Tullie House Museum : 1946.67.4
Image © Tullie House Museum

photograph
BWQ25.jpg (taken 1.6.2012)  
photograph
BWQ26.jpg (taken 1.6.2012)  
photograph
BWQ27.jpg (taken 1.6.2012)  
photograph
BMQ88.jpg  Swaledale tups.
(taken 15.9.2006)  
photograph
BMQ89.jpg (taken 15.9.2006)  
photograph
BMQ90.jpg (taken 15.9.2006)  
hearsay:-  
 Perhaps 13th century, 90 foot square enclosure, a tower and a gatehouse remain as well as curtain wall.
notes:-  
 Gateway, keep, moat, within the roman camp

Perriam, D R &Robinson, J: 1998: Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria: CWAAS:: ISBN 1 873124 23 6; plan and illustrations
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