BAMBROUGH-CASTLE, a township in the parish, and northern division of the ward, of BAMBROUGH, county of NORTHUMBERLAND, 5 miles (E. by N.) from Belford, containing 62 inhabitants. This township is principally distinguished for its castle, built about the middle of the sixth century, by Ida, the first Anglo- Saxon king of Northumbria. In 642, it was besieged by Penda, King of Mercia, who, after an unsuccessful attempt to set it on fire, was compelled to retreat. In the beginning of the eighth century, Berthfrid, guardian of Osred, the young Northumbrian king, defended it against the usurper Eadulph, who was taken prisoner and put to death. It was plundered and almost demolished by the Danes, in 993, but was soon afterwards restored. After the Norman conquest, it was held by Robert de Mowbray, on whose insurrection against William Rufus it was besieged, and, after an obstinate defence, surrendered to that monarch, who threatened, unless it were given up, to put out the eyes of Mowbray, who had been taken prisoner. During the war between Stephen and the Empress Matilda, and the protracted struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster, this castle sustained repeated sieges, and at length became dilapidated, in the reign of Henry Vil. The castle and manor were granted, in the reign of James II., to John Forster, Esq., one of whose descendants having joined the Pretender, they were confiscated to the Crown, and purchased by his relative, Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham, who, in 1720, devised this estate to trustees for charitable uses. Under the direction of Dr. Sharp, Archdeacon of Durham, the castle was repaired in 1757, and apartments were prepared, in which one ol the trustees, who superintends the establishment, constantly resides. It is situated on the summit of a steep rock, which projects into the sea, and rises perpendicularly to the height of one hundred and fifty feet above low water mark, and is accessible only on the southeast side, where is the ancient gateway, flanked with a circular tower on each side, and formerly defended by a trench cut through a narrow isthmus communicating with the main land. Within a short distance of this is a more modern gateway, with a portcullis; and a little further on is a round tower. The keep, which is of Norman architecture, and the most ancient part of the building, is a lofty square structure. In 1773, the ruins of a church, or chapel, erected in the castle by King Oswald, were discovered, and the font, richly carved, is preserved, among other curiosities, in the keep. In the upper part of the building are granaries, in which corn is stored to be sold to the poor in times of scarcity: a market is opened every Tuesday and Friday, when the industrious poor are supplied with meat and grocery at the cost price. In another part of the castle is an infirmary, with a resident surgeon; the average annual number of in-patients is about thirty-five, and of outpatients upwards of one thousand. There are also two schools, in which about one hundred and sixty children of both sexes are taught on Dr. Bell's system; thirty of the girls are clothed and lodged in the castle till they are fit for service. In 1778, the trustees founded a library in the castle, to which the late Dr. Sharp bequeathed the whole of his valuable collection of books, including the greater part of the library of Dr. Sharp, Archbishop of York. But the principal object of this charitable establishment is to afford assistance to shipwrecked mariners, for whose reception, apartments comfortably furnished, and containing thirty beds, are always kept in readiness; patrols are constantly stationed along the coast in stormy nights, and when vessels are observed to be in distress, signals are made from the summit of the tower to the fishermen at Holy Island, who are rewarded for their services by the trustees.