Aydon Castle

Aydon Castle is a exceptionally well-preserved medieval fortified manor near Corbridge in Northumberland, featuring multiple domestic and ancillary buildings arranged within three courtyards surrounded by a curtain wall. Constructed between 1293 and 1296 as a stone manor by Robert de Raymes, a Suffolk merchant's son, the castle originally lacked defensive features before receiving permission to fortify with crenellations in 1305. The site reflects the Anglo-Scottish border conflicts, evidenced by the capture during 1315 Scottish raids despite its new fortifications. Restored to its medieval appearance in 1966, Aydon Castle stands as one of England's finest preserved examples of medieval military domestic architecture.