First entering written history in the sixth century AD as the stronghold of the Saxon kings of Bernicia, Bamburgh Castle rises above a dramatic basalt rock crag, 150 ft above the North Sea and presents a breathtaking addition to the skyline of the bleak and exposed Northumbrian coastline. Unsurprisingly,   Archaeology has uncovered evidence of military fortification on this site that spans at least 2500 years. Iron Age warriors, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Normans & Scots have all taken advantage of, or tried to overcome, this formidable location. Mediaeval legend links Bamburgh with the Dark Ages and the ‘Joyous Garde’ of Sir Lancelot. The oldest part of Bamburgh that survives today, probably survives from around 1095 when it is appears in records of revolt of Robert de Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland.