Situated on the shore of England’s northeast county of Northumberland, Bamburgh Castle stands on an outcrop of volcanic stone along the coastline. With origins that date back as far as the 3rd or 4th century, Bamburgh Castle may have been the capital of the kingdom ruled by the native Britons known as Din Guarie. The core of present castle was built by the Normans in the 11th century, and it’s believed that Henry II ordered the construction of the castle keep.
In 1894, the Victorian industrialist William Armstrong purchased the castle and restored it. It remains the Armstrong family home today, but 16 rooms are open to visitors. Some rooms have been converted into exhibit halls for artifacts like Medieval armor, including the famous 7th-century Bamburgh Sword excavated from the site during an archaeological dig.
