Tweedmouth Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Tweedmouth Tower; Tiefort

In the civil parish of Berwick upon Tweed. In the historic county of Durham; North (Modern Authority of Northumberland, 1974 county of Northumberland).

Approximate site of castle started in 1203 by Philip of Poitiers, Bishop of Durham and continued by King John. Twice attacked duing it's building by the Scots and razed to the ground. In 1209 King William of Scotland and King John of England met and signed a peace treaty in which William paid £4000 for the demolition of the works and Johm agreed 'to desist for ever from attempting to erect any fortress at Tweedmouth' but in 1215 the Scottish attacked England and the English replied by burning down Berwick and rebuilding the castle. However, the Scottish finally destroyed it for the last time. Another suggested location is Knowe Head at NT976517

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NT99685211

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 4172
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is N2430; N2717 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N2430
    http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N2717
• Books
  • Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Keepdate Publishing) p51
    Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p175
    Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Malvern) p99
    Jackson, M.J.,1992, Castles of Northumbria (Carlise) p118
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p355
    Graham, Frank, 1976, The Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham) p329
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker) p335-6
    Long, B., 1967, Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p164
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p849
    Bates, C.J., 1891, Border Holds of Northumberland (London and Newcastle: Andrew Reid) p6
    Hodgson, J.C., 1858, History of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) pt1 p237
    Raine, J., 1852, History and Antiquities of North Durham (London) p244-5
    Ridpath, G., 1848, Border History of England and Scotland p79-80
• Journal Articles
  • Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 p249-280 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p90-121] http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8266%28195904%2974%3A291%3C249%3AALOC1%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P
    Brown, R. Allen, 1955, 'Royal Castle-building in England 1154-1216' English Historical Review Vol70 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] pp19-64
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • Payne, Naomi, 2003, The medieval residences of the bishops of Bath and Wells, and Salisbury (PhD Thesis University of Bristol) Appendix B: List of Medieval Bishop's Palaces in England and Wales [available via http://ethos.bl.uk ]