|
NU 219-360 Northumberland England
Prior Castells Tower was originally a four storey stone tower house, founded by Thomas Castell, Prior of Durham. Built in 1494 to 1519, it appears to incorporate earlier work and its southern round-arched doorway leads to a keeled tunnel-vaulted basement. From 1559 to 1637 the tower was garrisoned, when used as a coastal fortification and from 1673, the tower acted as a lighthouse, when King Charles II, granted a license to erect a beacon. In the mid 19th century, the Venerable Charles Thorp, Archdeacon of Durham inserted Gothic windows and redesigned the interior, to make a three storey tower.
Prior Castells Tower is located on Inner Farne Island, off the Northumberland coast, at Seahouses.
The site is owned by The National Trust and Inner Farne can be visited daily, April, August to October 10:30-6:00pm, May to July 1:30-5:00pm. Boat trips leave from Seahouses harbour, weather permitting.
The car park is opposite the harbour and the National Trust information centre is on Main Street.
and a castle map
of the area 