Twizel Castle

Twizel Castle is a lovely little find and also linked to the crucial Battle Of Flodden too. Located in the parish of Duddo, it stands on the banks of the River Till and also overlooks the even older Twizel Bridge.

Although a medieval ruin, there is still lots of the castle left over to see.

Let's delve into a bit of history.

A medieval house once stood in these grounds belonging to Sir John Heron, but this was destroyed by the Scottish army commanded by King James IV of Scotland back in 1496. Subsequently the grounds were then abandoned.

A few years later in 1511 the nearby Twizel Bridge was then built providing the only dry crossing over the River Till between Etal and the Tweed.

This bridge has huge historical significance as both the English and the Scottish army crossed this bridge at the Battle Of Flodden in 1513.

A survey was done in 1561 and it noted “there has been one tower, or pele, which is of ancient time decayed and cast down, and there remains one part or quarter thereof, and a barmkin about it”.

A chap called Sir Francis Blake then bought the estate in 1638 for a grand sum of £1,944 and he lived there with his family until 1738 when they moved to Tillmouth Hall.

From 1770 Sir Francis Blake (I assume it's a different Sir Francis) attempted to rebuild the castle into a five level mansion with the assistance of James Nesbit of Kelso. It is considered to have been an example of Gothic Revivalism.

However, it was never finished and in 1882 the Blakes built a new mansion in Tillmouth Park using stone from the demolished castle.

The above picture shows Twizel Bridge in the background.

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as Twyzell; Twysill; Twizel; Twisle.