Naworth Castle
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Naworth Castle, also known as, or recorded in historical documents as "Naward", is a castle in Cumbria, England near the town of Brampton. It is adjacent to the A69 about two miles east of Brampton. It is on the opposite side of the River Irthing to, and just within sight of, Lanercost Priory. It was the seat of the Earls of Carlisle, and is currently occupied by the heir presumptive.
The castle possibly originated in the late 13th century, consisting of a square keep and bailey. It was first mentioned in 1323 and in 1335 a licence to crenellate was granted to Ranulph (or Ralph) de Dacre. Residential quarters were added in the early 16th century by Thomas, Lord Dacre and there were further additions in 1602, for Lord William Howard. It is likely that an 18th century walled garden overlies the filled moat.
Lord William Howard (December 19, 1563 - October, 1640), known as "Belted or Bauld (bold) Will," 3rd son of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk (executed in 1572), and of his second wife Margaret, daughter of Lord Audley, was born at Audley End in Essex.
He married on October 28, 1577 Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas, Lord Dacre, and proceeded subsequently to the University of Cambridge. Being suspected of treasonable intentions together with his elder brother, Philip, earl of Arundel, he was imprisoned in 1583, 1585 and 1589. He joined the church of Rome in 1584, both brothers being dispossessed by the queen of a portion of their Dacre estates, which were, however, restored in 1601 for a payment of £10,000.
Howard then took up his residence with his children and grandchildren at Naworth Castle in Cumberland, restored the castle, improved the estate and established order in that part of the country. In 1603, on the accession of James, he had been restored in blood. In 1618 he was made one of the commissioners for the border, and performed great services in upholding the law and suppressing marauders. Lord William was a learned and accomplished scholar, praised by Camden, to whom he sent inscriptions and drawings from relics collected by him from the Roman wall, as "a singular lover of valuable antiquity and learned withal."
He collected a valuable library, of which most of the printed works remain still at Naworth, though the manuscripts have been dispersed, a portion being now in the Arundel manuscripts in the Royal College of Arms; he corresponded with Ussher and was intimate with Camden, Spelman, and Cotton, whose eldest son married his daughter. He published in 1592 an edition of Florence of Worcester's Chronicon ex Chronicis, dedicated to Lord Burghley, and drew up a genealogy of his family.
He died in October 1640 at Greystock, to which place he had been removed when failing in health to escape the Scots who were threatening an advance on Naworth. He had a large family of children, of whom Philip, his heir, was the grandfather of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle, and Francis was the ancestor of the Howards of Corby.
