Naworth

Naworth Castle
Brampton, Cumbria, England
Aerial photograph of Naworth Castle
Naworth Castle
Coordinates	54°57′20″N 2°41′20″W / 54.95556°N 2.68889°W / 54.95556; -2.68889Coordinates: 54°57′20″N 2°41′20″W / 54.95556°N 2.68889°W / 54.95556; -2.68889
Grid reference	grid reference NY559625
Site history
Materials	Stone

Naworth Castle, also known as, or recorded in historical documents as "Naward", is a castle in Cumbria, England, near the town of Brampton. It is adjacent to the A69 about 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Brampton. It is on the opposite side of the River Irthing to, and just within sight of, Lanercost Priory. It was the seat of the Barons Dacre and is now that of their cognatic descendants, the Earls of Carlisle. It is a grade I listed building.

The castle is thought to have late 13th-century origins, in the form of a square keep and bailey. It was first mentioned in 1323, and in 1335 a licence to crenellate was granted to Ralph Dacre.

Thomas Dacre (1467-1525), who commanded the reserve of the English army at the Battle of Flodden and was known as "the Builder Dacre", built the castle's gateway and placed over it his coat of arms with the Dacre family motto below: Fort en Loialte (Norman-French: "Strong in Loyalty"). There were further additions in 1602, for his successor Lord William Howard. It is likely that the 18th-century walled garden lies within the boundaries of the original moat.

Howard purchased back the Dacre family estate from King James and took up residence with his children and grandchildren at Naworth Castle. He restored the castle, improved the estate and established order in that part of the country. He had a large family of children, of whom Philip, his heir, was the grandfather of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle, and his younger son Francis was the ancestor of the Howards of Corby.