Warkworth

Warkworth is a village in Northumberland, England. It is probably best known for its well-preserved medieval castle, church and hermitage. The population of Warkworth was 1,493 in 2001, increasing to 1,574 at the 2011 Census. The village is situated in a loop of the River Coquet, about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the Northumberland coast and lies on the main A1068 road. It is 30 miles (48 km) north of Newcastle, and about 40 miles (64 km) south of the Scottish border. An ancient bridge of two arches crosses the river at Warkworth, with a fortified gateway on the road mounting to the castle, the site of which is surrounded on three sides by the river.

Warkworth is popular with visitors for its old buildings, its walks by the River Coquet, and its proximity to the Northumberland Coast, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It is twinned with Warkworth, New Zealand, which is named after it.


History

A church has existed on the riverside site in the village for around 1,200 years. St Lawrence's Church is a large and almost completely Norman building, which is unique in Northumberland. The first record of the village dates from 737AD when King Ceolwulf of Northumbria gave the church and village to the Abbot and monks of Lindisfarne. In 1174, the church was the scene of a massacre when some 300 people were brutally butchered by Duncan, Earl of Fife during a Scottish raid. John Law, was vicar of Warkworth in the 1770s.

Warkworth Castle was founded at an uncertain date; traditionally its construction has been ascribed to Prince Henry of Scotland in the mid-12th century, but it may have been built by King Henry II of England when he took control of England's northern counties. A timber castle was first documented in a charter of 1157–1164 when Henry II granted it to Roger fitz Richard. However it was considered "feeble", and was left undefended when the Scots invaded in 1173.

Roger's son Robert inherited and improved the castle. Robert was a favourite of King John, and hosted him at Warkworth Castle in 1213. The castle remained in the family line, with periods of guardianship when heirs were too young to control their estates. King Edward I stayed overnight in 1292 and John de Clavering, a descendant of Roger fitz Richard, made the Crown his inheritor. With the outbreak of the Anglo-Scottish Wars, Edward II invested in castles including Warkworth where he funded the strengthening of the garrison in 1319. Twice in 1327 the Scots besieged the castle without success.

The castle came to the House of Percy in Edward III's reign and is still held by their descendants the dukes of Northumberland, despite some brief changes of ownership in the 15th century.

During the 18th century the castle was allowed to languish. The south-west tower was falling apart and around 1752 part of the curtain wall east of the gatehouse was demolished (it was rebuilt towards the end of the century). The town and its historic ruins were by now attracting interest as a tourist destination, largely due to Bishop Thomas Percy's poem, The Hermit of Warkworth. In the mid 19th century Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland, undertook some preservation work. His successor, Algernon Percy, contracted Anthony Salvin to restore the keep.

In 1922 Alan Percy, 8th Duke of Northumberland, granted custodianship of the castle to the Office of Works which had been made accountable for the guardianship of ancient monuments. The Duke's Chambers remained under direct control of the Percys. The Office of Works undertook excavations in the moat in 1924 and removed the custodian from the gatehouse. English Heritage, who now manage and maintain the site, succeeded as the castle's custodians in 1984.

In the 20th century Nikolaus Pevsner said of the imposing castle that the military engineer happened also to be a great architect. He went on: "Warkworth must be approached from the north. With its bridge, its bridge-tower, then Bridge Street at an angle, joining the main street up a hill to the towering, sharply cut block of the keep, it is one of the most exciting sequences of views one can have in England."

Warkworth railway station was located approximately 1 mile west of the village. It was designed by Benjamin Green for the Newcastle and Berwick Railway. The station closed to passengers in 1958 and to goods traffic in 1962.

Due to Warkworth's popularity, the village caters for large numbers of visitors throughout the year. Facilities include two pubs, two hotels, a number of cafés, restaurants and tearooms, a chocolate shop and patisserie, a general store, and several galleries and boutiques.


Sport

The village is host to Warkworth Cricket Club, formed in 1874. The first XI team plays in the Northumberland Cricket League and has reached the last 16 of the National Village Cup on several occasions in the past 20 years, and is a regular contender for the Northumberland League title, winning three years running in 2001–03. The second XI which plays in the Alnwick and District Cricket League.

The junior section has over 60 members participating in under 9-year-old competitions and under 11, 13 and 15 leagues.

Description courtesy of Wikipedia.





3rd August 2015






Beal Bank.

Running parallel to the River Coquet, Beal Bank is the road from Amble to Warkworth.







River Coquet.









Warkworth Old Bridge.

Late C14; parapets probably rebuilt in C18. Squared stone with cut dressings. Two double-chamfered segmental arches, each of 18 metres span, with impost band and 4 chamfered soffit ribs. Central sharply-angled cutwater has triple-chamfered plinth and is carried up as a pedestrian refuge, flanked by projecting stone drain spouts. Splayed wing walls. Parapet has chamfered coping. Grade II Listed and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Source: Historic England.







Bridge Head Tower.

Gate tower at south end of bridge, late C14 with some C19 restoration and patching. Rare example of a fortified gateway on a bridge. Large squared stone, with cut dressings. Rectangular plan 8.3 x 5.5 metres externally.

North (external) elevation shows double-chamfered 4-centred archway with slit window to right; upper floor ruinous but chamfered left jamb of window remains. Returns each show square-headed chamfered loop to upper floor, with stone spout below that on east.

South elevation shows plain arch and loop to left; remains of two windows on upper floor. Interior: Gate passage has rough 4-centred vault. At inner end of passage a 2-panel door in chamfered round arch to newel stair on east; and studded vertical-panelled door in similar arch to guard chamber on west.

Guard chamber has similar vault and stone bench at north end. Upper chamber said to have fireplace and 3 roof corbels. The guard chamber was used as the village lock-up in the C18.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Historic England.






Market Cross.

Stepped base probably survives from 1706 cross; upper part replaced c.1830 by Duke of Northumberland, and restored C20. Square 3-stepped base (bottom step partly under tarmac). Cross octagonal above square plinth; restored upper part, above panelled set-back, has sunk cinquefoil-headed panels holding small cast-iron plates with Percy emblems (alternating crescents and fetterlocks). Top has swept panelled dome and cast-iron finial with gilded cross.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Historic England.






The Sun Hotel, Castle Terrace.

Hotel. C18 house of the Lewin family, largely rebuilt 1825 by John Muers. Front ashlar; other elevations squared stone of varying quality. Welsh slate roofs; some stacks rebuilt in brick. Plan: Built on sloping site, facing uphill; 3 rear wings and outshut.

Front elevation in two sections. Both parts have plinth and rusticated quoins. Right part 3 storeys, 3 bays, symmetrical. Central door of 6 beaded panels, under patterned fanlight, in surround with fluted columns and open- pedimented hood. 12-pane sash window above. Outer bays have tripartite sashes to ground and 1st floors; 9-pane short sashes (centre renewed) to top floor. Moulded eaves cornice. Coped gables; stepped-and-corniced right end stack, left end stack rebuilt on old base.

Lower left part 2 storeys + attic, 3 bays, symmetrical. Central 6-panel door, with 8-pane overlight, under cornice on console brackets; flanking tripartite sashes; 12-pane sashses above. Moulded eaves cornice broken by central open-pedimented half dormer holding paired renewed 9-pane short sashes. Coped left end gable. All windows have slightly-projecting sills. Right return: 2-bay gable end of front block shows blocked windows ground floor and 1st floor left, 12-pane sash 1st floor right and 9-pane short sashes to top floor.

To right, behind C20 sun lounge, C18 3-bay rear wing with added C19 1st floor: central renewed door and ground-floor 12-pane sashes, all under keyed supra-lintels; renewed 12-pane sashes above; roof hipped to right.

Interior: Front block has 6-panel doors with beaded mouldings. Cocktail Bar (ground floor right) has floral cornice and anthemion frieze. Dog-leg stair with stick balusters, moulded handrail, panelled lower newel and carved tread ends; upper part altered. Dining Room in rear wing has fielded-panel doors and shutters, fluted frieze and dentil cornice.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Historic England.






Roxbro House, Castle Terrace.




Castle Terrace.





Bridge Street.




Bridge End House, Bridge Street.

House with attached outbuildings, mostly now part of dwellings. Early C18, heightened shortly after; altered internally and at rear in late C19. House front squared stone; rear elevation large squared rubble heightened in squared stone with late C19 snecked stone and ashlar bay.

North range mostly squared stone: south outbuilding partly old brick. Welsh slate roof to house, 1- storey wing and link (except leaded top to C19 bay); adjoining 2-storey North wing black pantiles with blue slates to east eaves and stone slates to west eaves; yellow brick stack. Far end has C20 concrete tile roof and brick stacks; south outbuilding has pantile roof.

Plan: rectangular main block with pent south outbuilding and irregular north range curving to west. Main house 3 storeys, 5 bays, symmetrical. Rusticated quoins. Central old half-glazed door in lugged architrave flanked by slender pilasters carrying pediment on consoles. 12-pane sash windows to lower floors in bolection- moulded surrounds.

Modillion cornice (original eaves cornice) above 1st-floor windows. 2nd floor windows are 6-pane sashes in similar surrounds. Modillion eaves cornice. Coped gables on moulded kneelers; stepped-and-corniced end stacks. Set back to left pent south outbuilding with plinth, band and renewed doors under timber lintel.

Right 1-storey 2-bay front wing with early C20 half-glazed door under console-bracketed cornice hood; 12-pane sash to right and similar window to left inserted in older doorway with rusticated surround. Coped right end gable on moulded kneeler; early C20 flat-topped roof dormer holding small-paned casements. Parallel 2-storey wing behind has stepped right end stacks.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Historic England.




Warkworth House Hotel, Bridge Street.

House, now hotel. 1822 for John Forster (date and initials on 2 rainwater heads) incorporating C18 fabric to rear. Squared stone of near-ashlar quality; rear elevation roughcast and cream-washed.

Scottish slate roof on main part, Welsh slates on left part and 2-storey part of rear wing, synthetic blue slates on single-storey part of rear wing; 2 yellow brick stacks on rear roofslope.

Main part 3 storeys, 2 + 1 + 2 bays, symmetrical. Plinth, sill bands. Centre top-glazed door of 6 fielded panels under patterned fanlight, in surround with attached Tuscan columns and open-pedimented hood. 12-pane sash windows to lower floors with 6-pane sashes above. Moulded cornice. Parapet with moulded coping, end pilasters and pediment over centre bay. Coped gables with stepped-and-corniced end stacks. Old rainwater heads at each end of facade.

Left 2-storey 3-bay part with sill bands, 3-centred carriage arch at left end and 12-pane sashes; moulded eaves cornice, coped left gable and rendered end stacks.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Historic England.




The Hermatige Inn, Castle Street.










Castle Street.




1 and 2, Dial Place.

House, now subdivided. Probably later C17, altered early C19. Front roughly- squared stone heightened in squared stone; rear wing rendered and whitewashed. Pantile roof with brick stacks. 2 storeys, 3 windows.

Central vertical- panelled stable door in old chamfered surround; similar door, in inserted opening with timber lintel, immediately to left. Left renewed shop window under timber cornice on moulded brackets; right C20 bow window. First floor renewed tall 12-pane sashes in openings incorporating original 1st-floor (jambs visible) and attic (heads visible) windows. Rebuilt banded end stacks. Left return shows single-storey rear wing with boarded door and 16-pane sash window.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Historic England.




1 and 2, Dial Place and The Mason's Arms.

Inn. C17 or earlier, altered C18 and early C19. Lower part of front rendered, upper part squared stone, all cream-washed; rear elevation rubble, partly rendered, except for north-west wing squared stone. Welsh slate roofs with brick stacks. 2 storeys, 3 irregular bays.

Between right bays old door of 6 fielded panels. Ground floor plain sash windows, with 12-pane sashes above. Coped gables on moulded kneelers; old banded left end stack, rebuilt right end stack.

Rear elevation: Centre bay has 2-light mullioned windows (upper lost mullion) and steep coped gable with worn finial cross. Left projecting wing with two 12-pane sashes on 1st floor and hipped roof.

Interior: ground floor has old transverse beams, one with painted inscription 'On the 8th of Oct 1715 the EARL OF DERWENTWATER and 40 of his followers Dined in this HOUSE'.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Historic England.






Pant, Castle Street.

Pant. Late C18 or early C19. Ashlar. Square plan with chamfered angles. Plinth. Three faces have sunk trefoil-headed panels; front with old bronze tap fitting. Moulded cornice; swept domed top. Boarded hatch on right return. Low stone trough with bucket-rest bar.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Historic England.







St Lawrence Church, Dial Place.

The Church of St Lawrence in Warkworth, Northumberland is a Norman church which was built from 1132. It replaced an earlier Anglo-Saxon church from 737 AD. The Norman church was built with substantial defensive walls, with narrow high windows, to provide protection during hostilities with Scotland. However, in 1174 during the Battle of Alnwick, some of the Scottish army attacked Warkworth, setting fire to the town and killing ~300 inhabitants who had taken refuge in the church.

Grade 1 Listed. Source: Co-Curate.




Churchyard Walls and War Memorial.

War memorial c.1920 by M.H. Graham and H. Honeyman, moved to present site c.1960.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Historic England.




















Warkworth Castle.

Warkworth Castle is a well preserved medieval castle which is cared for by English Heritage. The castle is located by a loop in the River Cocquet, on a hilltop overlooking the village of Warkworth. The castle keep, built by the first Earl of Northumberland over 600 years ago, is almost complete. Warkworth was besieged by the Scots in 1327, but not captured. Warkworth Castle played an important role in the long-running war between England and Scotland.

Grade 1 Listed. Source: Co-Curate.





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