Dacre Castle

#188 Dacre Castle
Naworth
Cumbria, England
~1345 and 17th century
This is NOT an official Lego site

There has been a castle on this moated site since shortly after William de Dacre was granted a license to crenellate by King Edward II in 1307. That castle was destroyed by the Scots in 1317, and nothing more is known about it. In 1321, William's son Ralph was summoned to London and created the 1st Baron Dacre. He married the wealthy heiress, Margaret de Multon, 2nd Baroness Multon of Gilsland. When Ralph died in 1339, Margaret undertook to build the current tower house on the same property to protect her family from possible further Scottish raids. It is not known if the moat was created at this time or earlier [see bottom right]. A license to hold Mass at the castle was granted in 1354.

Despite being only 30 miles from the Scottish border, there is no evidence that Dacre Castle was ever attacked again by the Scots. The other major Dacre homestead was Naworth Castle, 30 miles north and right on the border with Scotland. The castle continued in the hands of the Dacre family until 1634, when, upon the death of Randal Dacre, it passed briefly to the Crown. But in 1675 the castle was granted to Thomas Lennard, the 15th Baron Dacre and 1st Earl of Sussex, who did much of the restoration of the current structure

When Thomas Lennard died in 1715, the castle was sold to Edward Hassell. While it remained in the Hassell family for many years, no significant upkeep or repairs were made. The Buck engraving of 1739 [see below] depicts vegetation on the castle roof and ruined outbuildings, and the Gilpin drawing of 1786 depicts a roofless ruin. The ruin was leased in 1961 to Anthony and Bunty Kinsman, who did a careful restoration, converting the old castle into a comfortable home. For several decades it was a rental property, but is now apparently a private home.

Note concerning the Floor Plans I found multiple floor plans for the ground and first floors of Dacre Castle, but none for the second floor (with the Great Hall) or turrets and battlements, so the Second Floor Plan is entirely my own concoction, based on what should be on that level and the current windows.

Engraving by Samuel and Nathaniel Buck	Plan of the Ground Floor	Plan of the First Floor	Plan of the Second Floor

Photos of the Lego Model Under Construction in March-April, 2024

Construction begins on March 29 with the tower laid out.	Scale for the project is 0.88, or 1 stud = just over 10½".	This is a smidge under "minifig scale", but...	...it works wonderfully for construction of the north and south corner angle turrets.	Progress continues on the Ground Floor.


As March 29 comes to a close, the floor of the...	...first story is in place.	The back wall is to be removable, so the kitchen can be viewed.	Only the stair turret on the upper right is not actually filled with rubble.


On March 30 the kitchen walls are defined.	The first floor contains three sleeping areas, presumably for the medieval staff.	I have left the basement openings as arrowslits, rather than the 17th century windows.	The NE view. More after the Easter celebration tomorrow.

Build Your Own If you decide you would like to construct a Lego model of this castle, please contact me. The elevations below are from the actual model, but the plan is the way I should have built it.

Lego Top Down Plan


...observation deck and parapet area together.	In Progress #1	In Progress #2	In Progress #3	In Progress #3


...observation deck and parapet area together.	In Progress #1	In Progress #2	In Progress #3

Photos of the Lego Model Built March 29 -May 1, 2024

Southeast View	South View	Southwest View	West View


Northwest View	North View	Northeast View	East View


Southeast [Front] Elevation	Northeast Elevation	Northwest Elevation	Southwest Elevation