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Chapel of St Mary, Belford

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Chapel Crag

In the civil parish of Belford.
In the historic county of Northumberland (Modern Authority of Northumberland, 1974 county of Northumberland).

An account of 1725 refers to St Mary's Chapel, possibly a domestic chapel of the Muschamp family circa 1220. The rectangular foundations are visible as raised turf at the end of Chapel Crag. According to Tomlinson this chapel had been fortified, or enclosed, 'by some high mounds', although it has apparently been built within existing prehistoric earthworks. Certainly the position is defensible and it commands an excellent view of the coast, although its history is obscure. In the survey of 1415, there is named a 'Castrum de Belfurth' belonging to one Dom de Dacre, which by 1509 was recommended for a garrison by 40 horsemen; this may have been this site or, more probably, Westhall Tower (qv).

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle
Fortified Ecclesiastical site
.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Masonry footings remains.


The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NU10463449

Modern Map fromOrdnance Survey logo

Good for landscape form and features

Modern Map from streetmap logo

Good for general location

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 7680

County Sites and Monuments Record number; N5112

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This record last updated on Friday, April 6, 2007

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