Brougham Castle
- Brougham, Nr. Penrith, Cumbria (EH)
The site now occupied by Brougham Castle had been used as a defensive and
strategic stronghold since at least Roman times. The Roman fort of Brocavum, which
provided ready cut building materials for the castle, stood to the south and like its
later counterpart, commanded the crossing of the river Eamont. By 1214, the land had been
acquired by one of King John's most important agents in the troublesome North, Robert de
Vieuxpont. The earliest building was a stone keep and service buildings, surrounded by a
wooden palisade. Robert was to defend his lands, and those of the King, against John's
enemies and their Scottish allies. Robert's great-granddaughter, Isabella, married Roger
Clifford in 1268 and Brougham was absorbed into the important Clifford family's estates.
By 1300, a stone curtain wall had been built and Robert Clifford, Roger
and Isabella's son, also set about building the gatehouse complex, the upper storeys of
the Keep and the Tower of League as further defences against the Scottish raids. By the
1380's, Robert's grandson, Roger, had further increased the size and luxury of Brougham,
providing a new Great Hall along the south curtain wall. The carved stone presently over
the entrance to the gatehouse with the legend 'Thys made Roger', was originally
over the door to the new Hall. Despite the new improvements, Broughton was raided and
sacked by the Scots in 1388. Re-occupation is not documented until 1421.
During the Wars of the Roses, the Lancastrian Cliffords were dispossessed
of Brougham by Edward IV after John Clifford was killed fighting for Henry VI. His son
Henry Clifford regained the estates and the family prospered again under the Tudor
monarchs. His son George was made Earl of Cumberland in 1525 and the family spent time at
Brougham once again.
During the third Earl's time, however, the castle was neglected and fell
into decay. When George died, his widow was granted Brougham as a dower-house and
Brougham's fortunes were revived for the last time. Their only child, Anne Clifford, after
years of struggle to claim her rightful inheritance, was granted the Clifford estates and
money on the death of her cousin and set about repairing her castles in the north of
England. Anne worked tirelessly to reclaim the glory days of medieval nobility and made
almost regal progressions around her castles, repairing and refurnishing at Carlisle, Brougham, Brough, Pendragon,
Appleby, Skipton and Barden. Although she was a hard landlord,
she was a generous employer and patronised local craftsmen and shopkeepers whenever she
could. An eccentric lady, she was also a devoted mother and grandmother and a pious
Christian. Wherever she could she repaired her castles in what she took to be their
original style, erecting inscriptions quoting passages from Isaiah. On some of her
properties, it is now difficult to ascertain which parts are original and which belong to
Lady Anne's repairs.
Lady Anne Clifford died at Brougham in 1676, having almost bypassed the
Civil War, but her passing was the end of the road for Broughton's fortunes. Her heir, the
Earl of Thanet, made Appleby Castle his home and gradually sold off the contents of his
other castles. By the middle of the nineteenth century, the picturesque ruins were
considered important enough for the last Earl of Thanet to carry out repairs, but the vast
expense proved too much and in 1928, Broughton came into the care of the Ministry of
Works, thence to English Heritage.
