{"id":8512,"date":"2003-05-26T22:07:02","date_gmt":"2003-05-27T04:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wend.ca\/?p=8512"},"modified":"2021-12-29T19:28:54","modified_gmt":"2021-12-30T00:28:54","slug":"castle-garth-and-black-gate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wend.ca\/?p=8512","title":{"rendered":"Castle Garth and Black Gate"},"content":{"rendered":"

The New Castle<\/em> built by the illegitimate son of William the Conqueror (Robert Curthose) was made of earth and timber and was situated on a defended plateau overlooking the River Tyne. These material were hardly made to last and the castle was taken in 1095 by Norman barons during a rebellion against William. The king, in his rage, sent an army to retake the castle and was successful. In 1172 during the reign of King Henry II the castle was rebuilt using stone, which still stands today as Castle Garth. The Black Gate was added in 1250.<\/p>\n

We spent a large portion of the day wandering around the Castle. It’s breathtaking in it’s size and evidence of its brutal history. It’s occupants could be locked in the castle for a long time and still have access to water, toilets and food storage; as would be the case in a siege. The stairs leading to the top are treacherous and should only be undertaken by someone who is nimble enough to navigate the steps. However, once you get to the top the view of Newcastle is worth the trek.<\/p>\n