Bamburgh Village

The castle dominates the village of Bamburgh as one might expect, however it's not all there is to Bamburgh or its history. Today the village has much to offer the visitor.

The Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh is being replaced click here to visit the Grace Darling appeal web site

Village History

The church of St. Aidans, the current parish church, is the most recent of three churches. Aidan and Oswald constructed the first, in wood, probably on the same site as the present parish church, in about 635 A.D. Aidan died in 651. A shelter was constructed at the west end of the mission church for him while he was ill. A wooden buttress that he rested against was considered to have miraculous powers and survived the church being burnt down, not once but twice. The buttress is supposed to survive today as a beam in the baptistery of the parish church.
In 1121 King Henry I gave the Augustinian's the 'living' of Bamburgh. A hundred years later, across the road and a few hundred yards west of the present church the Dominicans established a monastery in an area now known as the 'Friars'. This existed till the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII. The present day church was constructed principally between 1170-1230 remains of the Norman church can be see in a round headed window in the north transept.

Grace Darling is arguably one of the most famous inhabitants of Bamburgh. With her father she was instrumental in saving many lives from the wreck of the “Forfarshire.” Born in 1815 just up the street from the museum that commemorates her life, she lies just over the road in the churchyard. A memorial to her stands a few yards from the Darling family grave.
Bamburgh Hall is next to the church and occupies the site of the manorial court of the Augustinian priors around the beginning of the sixteenth century. The manor court was still held in Bamburgh Hall during the nineteenth century. Today it is a farmhouse.

The Village today.

History is not the only claim to fame that Bamburgh has. There are miles of sandy beaches for those who like to walk, or just sit and watch the world go by. The relatively quite roads make cycling a pleasant prospect. . Bamburgh, Seahouses and many of the other villages up and down the coast have excellent golf courses. Bird watching at the reserves on the Farne's and at Budle bay often produces some rarities.

There are a number of good hotels and guest houses in the village along with tea-rooms and shops catering for both local needs and those of visitors. Some of these businesses are described and contact information given where appropriate, see the links to Local Businesses and Places to Stay.