Cartington Castle at Cartington Farm

Heritage listing

Details The monument includes a medieval castle of complex form and associated remains situated on the northern end of a ridge orientated north-south. The ground on either side of the ridge shelves gently down to the Spout Burn on the east and to the Coquet valley on the south and west. The remains are visible as a 14th century walled courtyard measuring 25m east-west by 18m north-south within curtain walls 0.7m thick. At the south-east and north-east corners of the courtyard there are the remains of two turrets; the north-east one remained unfinished and survives only several courses high; the better preserved south- east turret has a garderobe attached to its south-west side. At the south-west corner of the courtyard a strong tower was constructed; this was destroyed in the Civil War siege of 1648 and only very slight traces of the foundations of its west wall remain. At the northern side of the courtyard there is a range of buildings in a ruinous condition. They comprise a second massive 14th century tower at the north-east corner and a hall and chambers; the tower was tunnel-vaulted and has a fine well preserved stair turret in its south-west corner. It measures 6m by 11m within walls 2.2m thick but does not survive above first floor level, except at the south-west corner. It is believed that this tower was originally intended to stand alone at one end of the courtyard, but soon after its construction a hall and chambers were added to its western side completing the range of buildings, although now only parts of the eastern end survive above first floor level. This block was not completed until the early 15th century. Licence to crenellate was granted in 1441. The tower house was altered in the early 17th century by, amongst other things, the addition of Tudor windo

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.