Eden Valley & North Pennines
Penrith Castle

The ruins of Penrith Castle have an intriguing history. The castle dates back to around 1400, when William Strickland, later to become Bishop of Carlisle, added a stone wall to an earlier pele tower. This was intended as a defence against Scottish raids as were many of the battlements in the far north of England. Only the outside walls remain - its stones were taken in the 16th century to be used as building materials.