Brough: Discover the castle and Roman history

Brough has a clear historical focus: Brough Castle and the Roman fort of Verteris, St Michael’s parish church and the market offer different perspectives on the town. When looking for a hotel in Brough, you can consider which aspect you would like to focus on during your trip: the castle’s architecture, the Roman past, the regional exhibition or market day. These themes differ in their building history, connection to the landscape and recurring date.

Brough Castle: location and building history

Brough Castle stands on a ridge above the strategically important Stainmore Pass and on the site of a Roman fort. This location links the castle to the pass and the Roman use of the site. The main Roman road through the Pennines ran through the pass. Brough can therefore be explored both in terms of its position on a transport route and its surviving structures.

Three features are central to Brough Castle: the tall keep dating from the late 12th century, Clifford’s Tower with its D-shaped ground plan, and the hall range from the 14th century. All three are standing almost to their full height. Different features lend themselves to comparison: the keep and hall range can be dated, while Clifford’s Tower stands out for its ground plan. A D-shaped ground plan describes the shape of the structure from above; it gives the tower a distinctive architectural outline that differs from the other two features. Height, construction date and ground plan thus offer different ways of looking at the castle.

Verteris and Stainmore Pass

Verteris was built on the highest part of a ridge on the south bank of Swindale Beck. It lies at the western end of Stainmore Pass, through which the main Roman road across the Pennines ran. These location details connect elevation, the stream bank and the pass as points of reference for Roman history. Here, the focus is more on the site and the historic transport route than on individual architectural features. Compared with the keep, tower and hall range, Verteris adds a geographical perspective to the building history.

Exhibition and market day

There are also practical details to help with planning your trip. The Brough Farmers’ and Makers Market takes place at Brough Memorial Hall on the third Saturday of every month. If market day is important to your trip, check the specific date before travelling. St Michael’s parish church hosts an exhibition about the region; exhibition details may change. The market and exhibition answer different planning questions: the market is tied to a recurring date on the calendar, while the exhibition offers a regional theme.

Discover more destinations: Shap, Embleton, Camerton, Dalston, Appleby-In-Westmorland, Ivegill, Bowness-on-Solway, Crook

For the broader travel guide: Cumbria.