Brough Castle lies next to the village with the same name in the county of Cumbria in England.

Brough Castle was built in the corner of a Roman fort in about 1090, and was one of the first castles in England to be constructed in stone. Some of the walls are of this early date.

There are two main buildings separated by a cobbled courtyard; a broken square keep of four storeys, which dates from the late 12th century, and a residential building that incorporates a large round tower in one corner known as 'Clifford's Tower'.

The castle was gutted by fire in 1521 after a 'great' Christmas celebration after which it lay ruined. In 1659 it was restored by Lady Anne Clifford only to fall into neglect after her death.

In the 18th century roofs and fittings were sold and a lot of stone was taken away for repairs of nearby Appleby Castle; the manor of Brough and a mill.

In 1920 the south-west corner of the keep fell down. The castle is now in the care of English Heritage.

Back to top.