Bowes Castle

#5864 among destinations in the United Kingdom

Forts and castles

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Facts and practical information

Bowes Castle is a medieval castle in the village of Bowes in County Durham, England. Built within the perimeter of the former Roman fort of Lavatrae, on the Roman road that is now the A66, the early timber castle on the site was replaced by a more substantial stone structure between 1170 and 1174 on the orders of Henry II. A planned village was built alongside the castle. Bowes Castle withstood Scottish attack during the Great Revolt of 1173–74 but was successfully looted by rebels in 1322. The castle went into decline and was largely dismantled after the English Civil War. The ruins are now owned by English Heritage and run as a tourist attraction. There is free admission during daylight hours. ()

Alternative names: Coordinates: 54°31'0"N, 2°0'49"W

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EnglandUnited Kingdom

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Day trips

Bowes Castle – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Teesdale, Bowes Museum, Sleightholme Beck Gorge – The Troughs, Egglestone Abbey.

4 miNE
Nature, Natural attraction, Valley
Teesdale, Barnard Castle
102 min walk • Nestled in the historic market town of Barnard Castle, Teesdale is a picturesque valley in the heart of the Durham Dales, part of the United Kingdom's scenic North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This tranquil area is defined by the River Tees, which...
4.3 miNE
Specialty museum, Fashion museum, Art museum
Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle
110 min walk • The Bowes Museum has a nationally renowned art collection and is situated in the town of Barnard Castle, Teesdale, County Durham, England.
1.9 miSW
Nature, Natural attraction, Canyon
Sleightholme Beck Gorge – The Troughs
48 min walk • Nestled in the rugged landscape of the North Pennines in the United Kingdom, Sleightholme Beck Gorge – also known as The Troughs – is a hidden gem that offers a tranquil escape into nature's embrace. This picturesque canyon, carved by the relentless flow of...
4.5 miE
Ruins, Monastery, Romanesque architecture
Egglestone Abbey, Barnard Castle
114 min walk • Egglestone Abbey is a ruined Premonstratensian abbey on the southern bank of the River Tees, in northern England, 1+1⁄2 miles south-east of Barnard Castle.
6.4 miNW
Lake
Grassholme Reservoir, Middleton-in-Teesdale
163 min walk • Grassholme Reservoir is a large reservoir in County Durham, England. It is situated in Lunedale, which is a side valley of the River Tees, about 2 miles south of Middleton-in-Teesdale.
4.1 miN
Nature, Natural attraction, Forest
Baldersdale Woodlands
104 min walk • Baldersdale Woodlands is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Teesdale district of south-west County Durham, England. It consists primarily of ancient, semi-natural woodland growing on steep valley slopes, including scree, on both banks of the River Balder over a stretch of some 3 km, upstream of the village of Cotherstone.
4.9 miN
Nature, Natural attraction, Forest
Shipley and Great Woods
126 min walk • Shipley and Great Woods is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Teesdale district of south-west County Durham, England. It occupies a steep ravine in the valley of the River Tees, just north of the village of Cotherstone.
2.2 miW
Arch
God's Bridge
57 min walk • God's Bridge is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the County Durham district of south-west County Durham, England. It is a natural limestone bridge over the River Greta, just over 3 km upstream from the village of Bowes.
4.4 miNW
Nature, Natural attraction, Valley
Baldersdale
114 min walk • Baldersdale is a dale, or valley, on the east side of the Pennines in England, northwest of Barnard Castle. Its principal settlements are Hury and Briscoe. Baldersdale lies within the traditional boundaries of the North Riding of Yorkshire.
4.7 miS
Nature, Natural attraction, Valley
Arkengarthdale, Yorkshire Dales National Park
120 min walk • Arkengarthdale is a dale, or valley, on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire, England. Running roughly north-west to south-east, it is the valley of the Arkle Beck, and is the northernmost of the Yorkshire Dales.
4.1 miNW
Nature, Natural attraction, Lake
Hury Reservoir
105 min walk • Hury Reservoir is a reservoir in County Durham, England situated in Baldersdale. The reservoir is located about four miles south of Middleton-in-Teesdale and about three miles west of Cotherstone.