Pendragon Castle, Cumbria

After a fab Yorkshire brekkie we headed through the snow from Hawes past Pendragon Castle all the way back up to Edinburgh. Had a super weekend and would recommend to everyone that they have a trip to Wensleydale, such a beautiful and interesting part of England.

Here is a bit of history about Pendragon Castle:

According to legend, the castle was built by Uther Pendragon, father of King Arthur, who is said to have unsuccessfully tried to divert the river to provide its moat, as is recalled in a well known local couplet:

Let Uther Pendragon do what he can, Eden will run where Eden ran.

However, despite legend (and the discovery of a Roman coin) there is no evidence of any pre-Norman use of this site. The castle was built in the 12th century by Ranulph de Meschines, during the reign of King William Rufus. It has the remains of a Norman keep, with the later addition of a 14th-century garderobe turret, and some further additions in the 17th century.

By the 1770s much of the building above the second storey had collapsed, and it has since gradually decayed further to become the romantic ruin seen today.

Check out Kryptomart's wintery Dales blip.