Castles in the Lune Valley
Thurland Castle
Thurland Castle is located on low ground just north of the confluence of the river Greta with the Lune ( see map ). This site is perhaps the least likely of the three sites under consideration to have supported an earthwork castle. It comprises a circuit of walls and towers, surrounded by a moat and, true to its 14th century origins, it does not posses a freestanding keep. Sir Thomas Tunstall obtained a licence to fortify the site from Henry IV but the building was besieged and at least partially demolished during the Civil War of 1643. The ruins were rebuilt as a country house in 1809 and 1829 but following a large fire was extensively rebuilt in the 1880s. The castle has recently been refurbished and converted into a series of luxury apartments.
