The History of Witton Castle, a gem of County Durham and Weardale

Deep to the southwest of County Durham, past Bishop Auckland and far up the River Wear, lies the small village of Witton-le-Wear. In it sits a tremendous stone structure which has stood since the medieval era, which now doubles for a caravan and holiday park, known as Witton Castle. The castle is a tremendous place to visit and a great choice for a family day out. Here, we dive into its history.

Witton Castle was first built in the year 1410 as a property of Sir Ralph Eure, who was a descendant of the prominent Northumberland family and related to the kings of Scotland. The family had held land in Witton-le-Wear for at least a century prior. It was common in this era to construct castles in the North East England due to its proximity to Scotland, where sporadic raids and conflicts often taken place.

The Eure’s continued as one of the most influential families in the North of England, with Ralph becoming “Lieutenant to the Constable of England.” They featured in some of England’s most prominent battles, including Agincourt, as well as supporting the rise of the Tudors to power in the Wars of the Roses. By the era of the English Civil War, the castle was held by Royalist Sir William Darcy. However, he was penalised by parliament for having backed the King, who ultimately lost and was beheaded.

In the 19tth century, the castle was refurbished with a modern interior, with the building having changed somewhat from its 15th century origin. Now owned by Sir William Chaytor, 1st Baronet (who later became a Whig MP for Sunderland) the family latched upon the rise of industrialisation, and of course the rise of coal mining in County Durham, to create a coal mine next to the castle and village known as Witton Park Colliery. However, the colliery did not survive the loss of its workforce amidst the first world war, and ultimately closed in 1925.

Sometime in the late century, the Castle was converted into a tourist resort and Witton Castle Caravan park was created. With it, the facility incorporated children’s play areas, a restaurant and bar, as well as some shops. It remains an impressive area to explore, where you can walk down to the shallow river wear and engage in fishing and other activities, as well as explore the surrounding woods.