Brough Castle

Brough Castle is a striking ruined fortress in Cumbria, commanding the strategic Stainmore Pass on the site of a Roman fort called Verterae. Built around 1092 by William Rufus as a motte and bailey within the Roman fort's walls, it was destroyed by Scots in 1174 and later rebuilt in stone with a square keep. A devastating fire in 1521 nearly destroyed the castle; it remained abandoned until Lady Anne Clifford inherited and restored it in 1643. Now in the care of English Heritage, the castle stands impressively on a ridge protecting a key Pennine route and offers insights into Norman military engineering and Border castle history.