Bamburgh Castle

old Bamburgh Castle
founded by Saint King Oswald
in Northumbria

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Gen2's extra info:

This one is a hand-tinted version of an original dated 1842.

The drawing was made by G. Balmer and the engraving was by E. Finden
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235388652817

Their Wikipedia entries are:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Balmer
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Francis_Finden
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Bamburgh Castle’s earliest recorded history begins with the Anglo Saxon Kings AD547 -1066.
Northumbria was the largest and most powerful of seven kingdoms.  Drawn by its mighty escarpment towering 150 feet above the North Sea and natural harbour, the C6th Kings of Northumbria chose Bamburgh as their Royal capital, calling it Din Guaydri.

Ida the Flame-bearer and first of the Anglo Saxon Kings of Bernicia lay the first timbers of a fortified wooden stockade and the original stronghold of Bamburgh Castle.  Upon Ida’s death, Bamburgh fell into the hands of his grandson, the King Aethelfrith, whose children Oswald and Oswi were sent to Iona to be educated and baptised by the monks.  Oswald returned to Bamburgh, becoming a Saint King of Northumbria.  He lay the very foundations for Bamburgh and Lindisfarne’s title as the cradle of Christianity, bringing St. Aidan from Iona to Bamburgh, giving him land on Lindisfarne to build the monastery - Lindisfarne Priory, where the Lindisfarne Gospels were created.

In 993 Vikings ransacked Bamburgh seizing war booty and burning buildings.  The fortress of Bamburgh fell into disrepair.

In 1095 forces sent by William Rufus, son of William the Conqueror, arrived at Bamburgh and took power from the Northumbrian Kings.  Being so close to the border with Scotland, Bamburgh became an important border garrison, serving as a stronghold and base of forays into Scotland. A huge Keep was erected which remains the heart of the Castle today.

In 1963 Richard Burton came to Bamburgh to film Becket and brought Elizabeth Taylor with him.