Norham Castle

Norham Castle is in Norham.

1463 Siege of Norham Castle

1464 Battle of Hedgeley Moor

In 1319 Thomas Grey (age 39) was appointed Constable of Norham Castle.

Chronicle of Gregory 1462. Dec 1462. And then Kyng Edward (age 20) made Syr John Ascheley, the knyght that fought so manly in Smethefylde with an alyon that calengyd, he was made captayne of the castelle, and Syr Raffe Gray (age 30) constabylle of the sayde castelle of Anwycke [Map]. And withyn iij or iiij monythys aftyr that fals knyght and traytoure, Syr Raffe Graye (age 30), by fals treson toke the sayde Syr John Ascheley presoner, and delyveryd hym to Quene Margarete (age 32), and thenn delyveryde the castelle to the Lorde Hungerforde (age 31) and unto the Fraynysche men accompanyd whythe hym; and by thys mene he put the kyng owre soverayne lorde owte of possessyon. And thenne aftyr that come Kyng Harry that was, and the Quene to the Kynge of Schottys, Syr Perys de Brasylle (age 52), with iiijxx M1 Schottys, and layde a sege unto the castelle of Norham [Map], and lay there xviij [8] dayes.

1463 Siege of Norham Castle

Around Jun 1463 a Scottish and Lancastrian force, including King James III of Scotland (age 11), his mother Mary of Guelders Queen Consort Scotland (age 29), King Henry VI of England and II of France (age 41) and his wife Margaret of Anjou Queen Consort England (age 33), laid siege to Norham Castle [Map]. They held Norham for eighteen days until a force led by Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury (age 34) and his brother John Neville 1st Marquess Montagu (age 32) advanced to Norham Castle [Map] at which time the Scottish and Lancastrian force fled in panic pursued by the Yorkist army. Margaret of Anjou Queen Consort England (age 33) and her son Edward of Westinster Prince of Wales (age 9) escaped to Berwick on Tweed [Map] and then to the continent. King Henry VI of England and II of France (age 41) remained in Scotland - he and his wife never saw each other again.

Battle of Hedgeley Moor

Chronicle of Gregory 1464. Before 25 Apr 1464. The poyntement was that they Schottys and [t]ey shulde mete at Yorke. And thenn was my Lorde of Mountegewe (age 33) assygnyd to fecche yn the Schottys pesseabylly, for he was Wardon of the Marchys. And then my Lorde of Mountegewe (age 33) toke hys jornaye towarde the Newe Castelle [Map]. And by the waye was fulle falsely i-purvyde that fals Duke Harry of Somersett (age 28) and Percy (age 39), with hyr feleschyppe assocyat unto them, that there was layde by the waye, a lytylle from the Newecastel, in a woode, that fals traytoure Syr Umfray Nevyle (age 25), with iiij schore [Note. 80] sperys, and the bowys there too. And they shulde have falle on the Lorde Mountegeue (age 33) sodenly, and slayne hym sodenly, but, God be thonkyd, hyr fals treson was aspyde and knowe. And thenne the Lorde Montegewe (age 33) toke a nothyr waye, and made to be gaderyd a grete feleschippe, and went to the Newecastelle [Map], and soo toke hys jornaye unto Norham [Map] warde. Ande in the wey thedyrwarde there met with hym that fals Duke of Somersette (age 28), Syr Raffe Percy (age 39), the Lorde Hungerforde (age 33), and the Lorde Roos (age 36), whythe alle hyr company, to the nombyr of vM [Note. 5000] men of armys. And thys metynge was a pon Synte Markys day; and that same day was Syr Raffe Percy (age 39) slayne. And whenn that he was dede alle the party was schomfytyd and put to rebuke. Ande every man avoydyd and toke hys way with fulle sory hertys. And thenn my Lorde of Mountegeue (age 33) toke hys hors and roode to Norham, and fecchyd yn the Schottys, and brought hem unto the Lordys Commyssyonourys. And there was concludyd a pes [Note. peace] for xv yere with the Schottys. And the Schottys ben trewe hyt moste nedys contynu so longe, but hit ys harde for to tryste unto hem, for they byn evyr founde fulle of gyle and dyssayte.

1798. Joseph Mallord William Turner (age 22). Norham Castle [Map]: Sunrise.

Around 1822. Joseph Mallord William Turner (age 46). Norham Castle [Map], on the River Tweed.

1845. Joseph Mallord William Turner (age 69). Norham Castle [Map]: Sunrise.

2022. Norham Castle [Map] protects a strategically important crossing of the River Tweed.