After a ‘Northern Adventure’, on the way home we often stop off for lunch at Brough ice cream parlour and tea room. The food is delicious with the added bonus of views of the castle.

If there is time I am always tempted to walk up to the castle to take in the scenic views and contemplate the history of the ruin.

• The history of the site can be found on the English Heritage website.

Morihei Ueshiba

I have now come to the end of my Newcastle and Crookham posts and will be moving onto my recent adventures in Mechelen.

The name ‘Brough’ comes from ‘Burg’ or ‘Burgh’ meaning fort, as the castle stands on the site of a Roman fort.

In 1092, King William 11, nicknamed William ‘Rufus’, conquered the northern half of Cumbria for England.  Around this time an earthwork castle was built here on the site of Brough’s ancient Roman fort.  The earlier defensive ditches were deepened and banks were formed on the line of the Roman walls.  These banks and ditches remain visible today.

This are of England was in constant danger of attack from Scotland and a stone keep and curtain walls were added to defend Brough’s inner bailey.

In 1203 King John gave Brough to Robert de Vieuxpont,, as part of much larger estates in the area.  The Vieuxponts held it until 1268 when most of their Westmorland estates passed by marriage to the Clifford family.  The Cliffords rebuilt the castle, maintaining it as a residence up to 1521.  Lady Anne Clifford, last of her line, restored the castle in 1689-62.  After her death in 1676 it fell out of regular use before finally being abandoned in 1713. *

*From a signboard next to the castle.

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
consider all the works thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
thy power throughout the universe displayed:

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God; to thee,
How great thou art, how great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God; to thee,
How great thou art, how great thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander,
and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
and hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze;

But when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
sent him to die-I scarce can take it in
that on the cross, our burden gladly bearing,
he bled and died to take away our sin;

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
and take me home-what joy shall fill my heart!
Then shall I bow in humble adoration,
and there proclaim: My God, how great thou art!