Old Well Inn

Bowes Castle

by stevezero

Bowes castle is in the small village of Bowes, some 8kms west of Barnard Castle.The castle is thought to have been built by Alan, Earl of Richmond, soon after the Norman conquest of 1066 on the site of the old Roman fort, a date of 1087 indicating how strategic the location was to the Normans. It appears to have been involved in considerable conflict over the centuries with reports of it having been besieged as early as 1173 by King William of Scotland. It was apparently so badly damaged as to have required rebuilding in 1187. Around 1216 enemies of King John again besieged the castle, and again in 1322 in a regional feud between Henry Fitzhugh and the then Earl of Richmond. The castle keep we see now stands testimony to the choice of site and the quality of the 1087 construction and 1173 reconstruction.

In care of English Heritage-
Admission Free!

Egglestone Abbey

by stevezero

The charming ruins of a small monastery of Premonstratensian 'white canons', picturesquely set above a bend in the River Tees near Barnard Castle. Remains include much of the 13th-century church and a range of living quarters, with traces of their ingenious toilet drainage system.

In the care of English Heritage
Admission free

There Really is a Castle

by stevezero

"Pretty Market Town"

Guess what!, as the name suggests they've got a castle. Barnard Castle is now a thriving little market town in County Durham, North East England which developed under the shadow of Bernard Balliol's castle, which was built in 1125.
The site was also known to the Romans, who forded the river Tees which is quite shallow at this point.

"Barney" to it's Friends!

by bonio

First visited Barney in 1994 I think, in May '03 we were heading North and decided to call in for the night again. An old market town on the River Tees in beautiful countryside and surprisingly a great castle to wander around! Here's what we did........