Appleby Castle

One of the Clifford Family Castles, linked to Lady Anne Clifford. Today it is privately owned with holiday cottages, rooms to let and events hire.  It is open to visitors to look around and explore the Keep for a small nominal admission fee.Appleby Castle, like Pendragon, was built by Ranulph Meschines, 3rd Earl of Chester, in the reign of the Norman King Rufus.  It was on the frontline with the regular raids and attacks of the Scots including in 1174 when it was given up without a fight.  In 1203, King John gave this and other castles to Robert de Vieuxpont.Through marriage of the great granddaughter of Robert de Vieuxpont, Isabella, to Roger Clifford (d 1282), the castle became part of the Clifford dynasty in 1264. As with other castles, the Cliffords did much restoration work, and Lady Anne Clifford (1590-1676) made it one of her main homes.  Lady Anne Clifford, along with her mother, Countess Margaret, is buried in St Lawrence’s church in Appleby which sits at the bottom of the hill from Appleby Castle joined together by Boroughgate.Unlike the other Clifford castles, Appleby, because of the Mansion House, remained in good order with numerous renovations and adaptations during the 18th and 19th centuries.  Since 2009 the castle has been owned by Mrs Nightingale, the first female owner since Lady Anne Clifford.