Castles · North East England
Bowes
In or near Gilmonby.
Bowes in England North East, United Kingdom.
Jonathan Thacker — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Bowes is a place of interest in England North East, United Kingdom — drawn from open-data sources for visitor reference. See the linked Wikipedia article for the full description.
Photo gallery
Official information
Bowes Castle features the impressive ruins of a 12th-century keep built by Henry II, situated on the site of a Roman fort. Visitors can explore the remains of the castle, which is strategically located overlooking the Stainmore Pass.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Pennines
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Bowes is a village and civil parish in County Durham, England. Located in the Pennine hills, it is situated close to Barnard Castle. It is built around the medieval Bowes Castle. In 2021 the parish had a population of 442.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The Roman name for Bowes was Lavatrae. A Roman fort was located there, which was re-used as the site for Bowes Castle. The place-name 'Bowes' is first attested in a charter of 1148, where it appears as Bogas. This is the plural of the Old English boga meaning 'bow', probably signifying an arched bridge. The village church is dedicated to St Giles. The only pub in the village, the formerly named George Inn owned by the Railton family and now named The Ancient Unicorn, is reputed to be haunted by several ghosts. As of December 2025 it closed with no signs of reopening soon. This 17th-century coaching inn famously played host to Charles Dickens as he toured the local area. Dickens found…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 54.5160, -2.0090
- District
- County Durham
- Parish
- Bowes
- Postcode
- DL12 9LP
- Parliamentary constituency
- Bishop Auckland
- Opening
- Open any reasonable time during daylight hours
- Official site
- www.english-heritage.org.uk
Sources
Other places nearby
Bowes railway station
Castles · 0.2 km
Gilmonby Bridge
Historic bridges · 0.2 km
Bowes Castle
Castles · 0.3 km
Lavatrae Roman Fort
Castles · 0.3 km
Mill Force
Waterfalls · 0.4 km
The Old Armoury Campsite
Campsites · 0.5 km
Ivy Hall Farm Campsite
Campsites · 0.5 km
Gilmonby
Towns & cities · 1.2 km
Huggill Force
Waterfalls · 2.1 km
Crag Force
Waterfalls · 2.7 km
Romano-British settlement
Archaeological sites · 2.7 km
Bridge, 220 Metres North Of East Mellwaters Farmhouse
Historic bridges · 2.8 km
Nearby
📷 4Castles · North East England
Bowes railway station
Bowes railway station in England North East, United Kingdom.
📷 3Historic bridges · North East England
Gilmonby Bridge
Gilmonby Bridge — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in england-north-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Castles · North East England
Bowes Castle
Bowes Castle — castle in County Durham, England, UK.
📷 3Castles · North East England
Lavatrae Roman Fort
Lavatrae Roman Fort in England North East, United Kingdom.
📷 5📷 5Campsites · North East England
The Old Armoury Campsite
The Old Armoury Campsite — a campsite in england north east.
Where to eat & stay near Bowes
Places to stay
📷 5Campsites · North East England
The Old Armoury Campsite
The Old Armoury Campsite — a campsite in england north east.
📷 5Campsites · North East England
Ivy Hall Farm Campsite
Ivy Hall Farm Campsite — a campsite in england north east.
📷 5Caravan parks · North East England
Bowfield Farm Camping and Caravaning
Bowfield Farm Camping and Caravaning — a caravan park in england north east.
📷 5Campsites · North East England
Barnard Castle Camping and Caravanning Club Site
Barnard Castle Camping and Caravanning Club Site — a campsite in england north east.
📷 5Caravan parks · North East England
Teesdale Barnard Castle Caravan & Motorhome Club Campsite
Teesdale Barnard Castle Caravan & Motorhome Club Campsite — a caravan park in england north east.
📷 5Caravan parks · North East England
Pecknell Farm Caravan Site
Pecknell Farm Caravan Site — a caravan park in england north east.
Places to eat & drink
📷 5Historic pubs · North East England
The White Swan Public House And Swan Cottage
The White Swan Public House And Swan Cottage in England North East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · North East England
Blue Bell Public House
Blue Bell Public House in England North East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · North East England
Turk's Head Public House
Turk's Head Public House in England North East, United Kingdom.
📷 5
📷 6Historic pubs · North East England
Commercial Hotel
Commercial Hotel in England North East, United Kingdom.
📷 6Historic pubs · North East England
Cricketers' Arms Public House
Cricketers' Arms Public House in England North East, United Kingdom.
More castles in this region
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Scargill Castle
Scargill Castle — house in Scargill, County Durham, England, UK.
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Roper Castle or Round Table (Roman Signal Station)
Roper Castle or Round Table (Roman Signal Station) — a castle in england-north-west, United Kingdom.
📷 5
📷 5Castles · North East England
Appleby Castle
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Bowes?
- Bowes is in North-East England, United Kingdom (postcode DL12 9LP), in the parish of Bowes.
- What is Bowes?
- Bowes in England North East, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Bowes?
- Drivers can use postcode DL12 9LP.
- Is Bowes a protected site?
- Yes — Bowes is part of the North Pennines National Landscape (AONB).
- Does Bowes charge admission?
- Bowes typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Bowes?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode DL12 9LP. It sits within the Bishop Auckland parliamentary constituency.