Warkworth Castle and Hermitage

A Northumbrian Stronghold
Warkworth Castle and Hermitage form one of the most unusual pairs of medieval monuments in Britain. The castle was probably laid out in its present form in about 1200 and was the favoured residence of the powerful Percy family from the 14th to the 17th centuries. As the Earls (and later Dukes) of Northumberland, they were among the greatest landowners in northern England.
 
The castle and town of Warkworth occupy a naturally fortified site in a loop of the river Coquet, less than a mile from the Northumberland coast. The castle developed around two main elements - a high artificial mound, or motte, and a fortified enclosure, or bailey.
 
 
A Hermitage
On the banks of the nearby river Coquet, and accessible only by boat, are the remains of a chapel known as the hermitage, carved directly out of the cliff rock.
 
The Hermitage is reached by boat and was almost certainly established in about 1400 by the 1st Earl. Rather than a secluded dwelling for a religious recluse (hermit), it was in fact probably a chantry, or private chapel, where a priest performed services in return for a stipend.

The chapel, with three vaulted bays, was carved directly out of the rock. To the right of the altar is a cluster of worn sculptures forming an almost life-size Nativity scene. The inner chamber was probably a closet from which the earl and his retinue could view the service, as there are viewing slits and windows cut in the wall adjoining the chapel.