Thirlwall Castle : A Short History

In the 1330s, John Thirlwall built a stronghold that provided protection for his family and descendants for the next 300 years. The site chosen by John Thirlwall was a sheltered, wooded bank of the Tipalt Burn. It was not a naturally defensive position but it was surrounded by hill-top positions that could warn of impending raids. All the materials that were needed lay close by – timber, water and neatly dressed sandstone blocks which had been quarried by the Romans to build Hadrian's Wall.

Other families were also building similar defensive castles in the area. These strongholds became an essential element in the defence of the English Border against Scottish raids.

Several generations of Thirlwalls survived the border raids and prospered. When Lionel Thirlwall died in 1586, he left a comfortable endowment to his wide and each of his eight children. His will lists many domestic items as well as farm livestock and crops.

After the Union of the Scottish and English Crowns in 1603, more peaceful conditions developed and border strongholds became redundant. By the 1660s, the Thirlwalls had moved to Hexham where the land was more fertile and the climate a little gentler. The Thirlwall Castle Estate was sold to the Earl of Carlisle in 1748 for £4,000. The Earl was interested only in the land and allowed the Castle to fall into gradual decay. In the 18th century the crumbling ruins of Thirlwall Castle began to attract the attention of artists and historians who were interested in it because of its links to Hadrian's Wall.