Editing Barnard Castle (section)

==History==
Before the [[Norman Conquest]], in 1066, the upper half of [[Teesdale]] was combined into an Anglo-Norse estate, which was centred upon the ancient village of [[Gainford, County Durham|Gainford]], and mortgaged to the Earls of Northumberland. 

During Norman times, in 1080, the first Norman Bishop of [[Durham, England|Durham]], [[Bishop Walcher]], was murdered. This led to the surrounding country being attacked and laid waste by the Norman overlords. Further rebellion, in 1095, caused the king, [[William II of England|William II]], to break up the [[Earl of Northumberland|Earldom of Northumberland]] into smaller baronies. The Lordship of Gainford was given to [[Guy de Balliol]].

The earthwork fortifications of the [[Barnard Castle (castle)|castle]] were rebuilt in stone by his successor, [[Bernard I de Balliol]], during the latter half of the 12th century, giving rise to the town's name.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lilley |first=Charles |url=http://www.stenlake.co.uk/books/view_book.php?ref=133 |title=Old Barnard Castle |publisher=Stenlake Publishing |year=2000 |isbn=9781840331059 |location=Catrine, Ayrshire |page=3 |access-date=28 March 2013 |archive-date=2 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102104402/http://stenlake.co.uk/books/view_book.php?ref=133 |url-status=live }}</ref> The castle passed down through the Balliol family (of which the Scottish king, [[John Balliol]], was the most important member) and then into the possession of [[Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick]]. [[Richard III of England|King Richard III]] inherited it through his wife, [[Anne Neville]], but it fell into ruins in the century after his death.

The remains of the castle are Grade I [[Listed building|listed]],<ref>{{NHLE|grade=I|desc=The Castle|num=1218822|date=24 February 1950}}</ref> whilst the chapel, in the outer ward, is Grade II listed.<ref>{{NHLE|grade=II|desc= Former chapel at north west corner of garden to number 7 former chapel in outer ward of the castle, with wall attached |num=1282722|date=22 May 1973}}</ref> Both sets of remains are now in the care of [[English Heritage]] and open to the public.

[[John Bowes (art collector)|John Bowes]] lived at nearby [[Streatlam Castle]] (demolished in 1959). His Streatlam stud never had more than ten breeding mares at one time, but produced no fewer than four Derby winners in twenty years. The last of these, "[[West Australian (horse)|West Australian]]", was the first racehorse to win the [[Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing|Triple Crown]], in 1853.

Bowes and his wife [[Joséphine Benoîte Coffin-Chevallier]] founded the [[Bowes Museum]], which is of national status. Housed in its own ornate building, the museum contains an [[El Greco]], paintings by [[Francisco Goya|Goya]], [[Canaletto]], [[François Boucher|Boucher]], [[Jean-Honoré Fragonard|Fragonard]] and a collection of decorative art. A great attraction is the 18th century [[Silver Swan (automaton)|silver swan automaton]], which periodically preens itself, looks round and appears to catch and swallow a fish.

Although never a major manufacturing centre, in the 18th century industry centred on hand loom wool weaving, and in the early 19th century the principal industry was spinning and the manufacture of shoe thread.<ref>All in due time: the collected essays and broadcast talks of Humphry House By Humphry House p283</ref>