Royal seal of approval for Dilston Castle and Chapel

Jul 14 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

A HISTORIC site which has been transformed into a major visitor draw will be given the royal seal of approval tomorrow.

Dilston Castle and Chapel, overlooking the Devil’s Water near Corbridge in Northumberland, was the seat of the Radcliffe family who held the title of Earl of Derwentwater.

The 3rd Earl, James Radcliffe, was executed in 1716 for his part in leading the Jacobite rebellion in Northumberland.

Tomorrow, the Princess Royal will unveil a plaque to mark the completion of work totalling over £550,000.

A former carriageway has been restored to take visitors down from the high ground on which the castle sits to the Devil’s Water, a tributary of the Tyne. A feature of the idyllic spot is the Lord’s Bridge, built in 1616, and which has been restored during the project, backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

A floor in the 15th Century castle has been restored and a staircase extended, allowing visitors to reach the top, and the gallery in the Roman Catholic Chapel has been reconstructed and displays historic items.