Lindisfarne Castle

Holy Island, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland TD15 2SH


Lindisfarne Castle is a 16th century castle located on Holy Island, near Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England. The island is accessible from the mainland at low tide by means of an ancient causeway.

Holy Island derives its name from the priory of St Aidan built in 635 but abandoned in 875 and the later Benedictine monastery founded in 1082.

Despite the island's suitability as a coastal defence it was not until 1542, five years after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, that the first fortification was begun. The castle was built on the rocky craig using material from the abandoned priory. Work was completed in 1550 and the castle was used to defend the harbour of Holy Island against the Scots and their allies the French.

However, the only attack came in 1715 when the castle was briefly seized by the Stuarts.

In the early 19th century it fell into disuse and in 1819 the guns were removed. In 1902 the castle was bought by Edward Hudson, the founder of Country Life, and he employed Sir Edwin Lutyens to restore and improve the fortress.

After 1968 the castle was no longer inhabited and was taken over by the National Trust. The Trust has preserved the castle as if it was still lived in, creating an air of timelessness.