DISCOVER a castle rich in history and treasure on the banks of the River Tipalt.

Thirlwall Castle is a 12th-century castle in Northumberland located on the river's banks. 

You can’t go far in the north of England without happening across a bastle or ruined castle.

Until the 17th century, the English and Scottish were involved in many disputes so there was always a battle or border reiving going on.

Thirlwell CastleThirlwell Castle (Image: Fabulous North) John Thirwall built Thirwell Castle near Gilsland in the 1330s and may have chosen this site as all the materials he needed to build it were close by, especially neatly dressed sandstone blocks from the nearby Hadrian's Wall.

READ MORE: Explore hidden pottery gem on outskirts of Tyne Valley village

The castle passed through various family members including Sir Percival Thirlwall who was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 whilst fighting for Richard III.

Thirlwall is a middle age word and roughly translates to “perforated wall” meaning a small opening in the wall such as a door, or a passage to let sheep through, but not cattleThirlwall is a middle-age word and roughly translates to “perforated wall” meaning a small opening in the wall such as a door, or a passage to let sheep through, but not cattle (Image: Fabulous North) In 1748, the whole Thirlwall Castle Estate was sold for the grand sum of £4,000 to the Earl of Carlisle, but the Earl was just interested in the land so the castle was left to decay into ruin.

However, the more interesting tales about the castle are about “Legends And Spells”.

It was said that Baron John was at war and returned to Thirlwall Castle with treasure including a solid gold table. So valuable was the table that it came with a guardian - a 'hideous dwarf with skin the colour of pitch'.

The Scottish Chiefs were keen to have this table for themselves that they planned and executed many raids, but were generally unsuccessful. When they finally triumphed and went to claim their prize, they found the chamber it was in was empty, with both table and dwarf nowhere to be found.

One of the Scottish soldiers claimed to have seen the dwarf struggling to carry the table to the castle well where he flung it in, then jumped in after it, before magically sealing the well.

If you believe the legends, the dwarf is still in the well, guarding his treasure in an underground cavern below the castle foundations.

There is a small car park outside the castle if you wish to visit.

Source - https://fabulousnorth.com/thirlwall-castle/.