Ravensworth castle, Lamesley, Gateshead. By drone.

[@martinreavey8419]

My great grand father worked here in 1904 as a groom. And his brother in law was the game keeper. My father remembers the fire works display in the 1930s. What a shame its ended up like this.

[@assessorjohn]

Thanks for another little piece of history to go with the place Martin. I think the problem lay with coal mine owners whose workings caused subsidence. Thanks for watching.

[@janetorman2411]

My grandmother was Margaret Liddell. She was born in 1880, and although she did not live at Ravensworth, she did remember visiting there as a child - but that was long ago. Her father's name was Edward Liddell. I think they were cousins of the Liddell family that once lived there. I always wanted to visit there, so it's nice to see this. I have seen pictures of how it looked before it fell to ruin.

[@assessorjohn]

Thank you Janet, it's always a great pleasure to hear for anyone connected to these old places. Earlier someone sent me this link about the castle and even shows pictures of Alice Liddell which you might find interesting, apireloaded.wordpress.com/2016/08/25/ravensworth-castle-alice-was-here/

[@keithdude30]

@@assessorjohn thanks for linking this blog about Alice and Ravensworth Castle. It's very interesting and on the same site there's a report from a "ghost hunt" at the Castle back in 2005, very interesting whether you believe in ghosts or not. Also thanks for posting your fantastic drone footage from a few years back. It's fascinating reading about Ravensworth Castle and its history going back to Saxon/Viking times. I'd only heard of it in passing and had no idea this was on my doorstep growing up (I'm from just up the road in Whickham originally).

[@virgilrytaar9083]

Outstanding, I haven't been in the grounds since the day of my Grandma's funeral in 1994, I drank myself into a stupor and in an effort to sober up took Sam the black Labrador for a walk from the family seat on Lobley Hill bank towards Street gate, somewhere near the Marquis he decided to turn left and led me through the darkness to the castle, an odd experience, I stood in the middle of the ruin as the clouds broke and beautiful moonlight gave the place an amazing glow, Sam just sat while I took it all in. We found our way down to the coach Rd from there and went home. I had a 3 day hangover. Sam never mentioned it again

[@assessorjohn]

Thank you, so pleased you enjoyed it. What a great story! The drone flight is as close as I ever got.

[@geordienufc3132]

We all used to play in ravensworth castle ruins way back in late '50's and early 60's.

[@assessorjohn]

Geordie NUFC Thanks for watching and leaving a message. Was the place in better condition at that time?

[@geordienufc3132]

John Twist The stables and house unit were fairly intact and had a family living in there but the towers were perilous and in ruin. We used to go into what we called the dungeon which had big hooks set in the ceiling. They were more than likely meat hooks in a cold room for storing beef but to us kids they were dungeons and there for torturing people, lol. There were also two lakes quite close that don't show on the video and may have disappeared over the last 55 years.

[@bencookson9482]

Lakes are still there, just under good covering from the trees.

[@alneal100]

@@geordienufc3132 Are you from Lobley Hill, too? I grew up on Alwinton Gardens.

[@alneal100]

I grew up in Lobley Hill. I loved playing around this castle, when I was a kid.

[@assessorjohn]

Thank you for watching. It's a bit of a surprise to find anyone played there, it's so hidden away.

[@alneal100]

@@assessorjohn When I was a kid, I could just walk across the woods, and over a couple of fields, to Ravensworth. Lobley Hill is only a mile or so away.

[@christinehearne2287]

Brilliant footage. I used to play in the ruins of the castle when I was a child. It was still a beautiful intact building as late as the 1930's. (Long before my time!) So sad that it was allowed to fall into ruin.

[@assessorjohn]

Thank you Christine, you were very lucky to have enjoyed the place back then, it's a huge shame that it's pretty much hidden from everyone now, and I understand there is subsidence caused by mining activities too which presumably accelerate it's demise..

[@christinehearne2287]

@@assessorjohn Yes - and I was also told that when Lord Ravensworth died, the death duties meant that there wasn't enough money for the castle's upkeep. Not sure how accurate that is, but It may have been a combination of the two. I lived not far from the castle as a child, and we often went up there to play, and catch newts in the lake. It's all private land however and you are not allowed to go there without permission.

[@alexanderproudlock2328]

It’s been 10 years since I last visited the estate with owners permission. I also was invited to a visit arranged by the council which took you through the whole estate and ruin. There’s a not a lot left, but if you do your research the bricks and stones were repurposed. Also Ravensworth started in the 2002 BBC shows Restoration.

[@assessorjohn]

Thank you for watching and leaving a comment. I could spend what's left of my life and another lifetime researching the history of this area, it's really amazing.

[@janicegilchrest1904]

This makes me cry it's so beautiful, what a shame the countryside is slowly been destroyed when I lived at Lady park, the whole area coach road and the castle were lovely wild and natural in the late thirties to possibly to the fithties of the 😓😩

[@hawkpie9]

Hi Alexander, do you remember who you asked for permission? Would love to have a visit there, but not sure where to go to ask. Thanks

[@bigfoot-g4i]

who would have thought there would be so much open countryside so close to gateshead city centre.

[@mlne15159]

Wow , thanks for that John . My dad was born in one of the rooms in your video . His grandad Arthur Stockton lived in the castle yard were you have filmed , he was the caretaker there well into the 60’s . We still want to go back for a visit with permission . We used to go up a lot in the late 70’s and 80’s as kids . We grew up in the the cottage near the coach road , Rose Cottage . Up until 2003 . It’s such a shame to see the castle going to ruins , we have some amazing pictures of how it was in it’s day , it was huge , with a big lake were my dad used to play . Thanks for you video John .

[@assessorjohn]

Mark Littlemore Thank you so much for your message Mark, it’s amazing to hear from someone with a connection to the place. I would dearly love to have included some copies of your pictures and a bit of your grandads history in the video. I have the original footage which I can re-edit if you fancy showing the world!

[@mlne15159]

John Twist hello again . The pictures I have you can actually get on google of the castle back in it’s day . There is also a video on KZbin called northern command tattoo . I have a few I took when we went up there in 2006 with a lot of the family . Not sure if You’d want them though. . Did you get a lot more of the castle with your drone john ?

[@mlne15159]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKnQh6qvfc6nbLc

[@mlne15159]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z169e6tjrcl6jqc It’s also involved in this restoration program in 2005

[@assessorjohn]

@@mlne15159 Thanks Mark. I looked at the pictures and watched the video, very interesting! I'm sure there's more of the original video that I shot, I generally cut a lot out in the edit. It'll tend to be more of the same though, I couldn't get any lower with the drone, the trees interrupt the control signal and there's a 50m distance rule.

[@ricozepplin]

I really wish this was open to the public, instead of letting it fall into further ruin.

[@KimDiscoveringHistory]

Beautiful flight John as always and very captivating which you seem to be very good at my friend. These places I would never know existed until seeing your wonderful flights. Bravo chap, bravo. 😀👍👍👍👍👍

[@assessorjohn]

Thank you very much Kim. A lot of people don't know about the existence of this place, I only found out because someone watching another video left a comment and suggesting I give it a look over. It's a beautiful old place but no public access at all.

[@RODPIKERDRONESUK]

Very nice indeed great footage and flying well done thanks for sharing cheers 👍👍🇬🇧

[@assessorjohn]

RODPIKER DRONES UK Thank you for watching and leaving a comment, wish I could’ve gotten a bit lower.

[@RODPIKERDRONESUK]

John Twist looks good to me well done cheers 👍👍🇬🇧

[@assessorjohn]

@@RODPIKERDRONESUK Thank you very much for watching and for leaving a comment. I had no idea it was there until quite recently.

[@alneal100]

Alice Liddell, was the Alice, in Alice in Wonderland. Written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson ( using the pen name of Lewis Carroll).

[@assessorjohn]

Thank you, is that linked to the castle?

[@alneal100]

@@assessorjohn Ravensworth Castle holds a special interest for fans of the author Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) and his Alice in Wonderland series of stories. The character of Alice was based and modeled upon a real girl named Alice Liddell, who was the great-granddaughter of Sir Henry Liddell, 5 th Baronet of Ravensworth.

[@alneal100]

@@assessorjohn apireloaded.wordpress.com/2016/08/25/ravensworth-castle-alice-was-here/

[@assessorjohn]

@@alneal100 Wow Photos of Alice too! thank you again, I'll edit this URL into the video description.

[@samurai_castle]

Excellent video！！Great !　Like１

[@assessorjohn]

Samurai_castle Okajou Thank you very much for watching, I’m very pleased that you enjoyed the video.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

I had no idea this existed and I have a friend who lives near it. I think I shall be paying this a visit :o)

[@assessorjohn]

You'll have to sneak in, I don't think they like visitors!

[@user-lf3wr8rh7r]

Cut through the woods on the road down from gatehouse as the dont like visitors as its all a grousing estate up there!

[@billycummings4145]

it is in good hands with my friend barry coats

[@assessorjohn]

Thanks Billy, is he the new owner?

[@tynewearlocaltv]

We'd love to show this on Tyne and Wear TV on our regular segment showcasing great local videos from social media. Would you be happy to let us broadcast this with a credit to you?

[@assessorjohn]

Hi, Thank you, feel free to use the footage :)

[@littlebull8881]

Nice one

[@assessorjohn]

Thanks for watching

[@gaving321]

Where exactly do you find this John

[@assessorjohn]

Type 54 55 35N 1 38 16W into Google Earth.

[@damonord]

Was thinking about flying this site did you need permission only 5 mins from me

[@assessorjohn]

I really couldn't say, I wouldn't know who to ask, I had to walk quite a bit to get near enough and stay fairly high. If you can get permission to inside the grounds you'll be able to do a far better job.

[@damonord]

@@assessorjohn thanks think I might give it a shot be great to fly through arches and around tower

[@xShorty8282]

What shame no access could you not go closer to ground ?

[@assessorjohn]

No, I didn't have permission to go in, so I had to keep the drone above the trees where I could see it from outside the grounds.

[@seanwheatley3540]

Curious to know what the rules and regulations are when flying a drone over private property actually are as from what Iv been reading the drone has to stay in eyesight but clear this footage was not taken with the drone kept in eye sight also what permission is required to fly over private property thanks

[@assessorjohn]

Property owners do not own the airspace above their property. so no permission is required. 50m from dwellings, 150m from congested areas. visual line of sight, 5 miles from airports, no overflying crowds of 1000 people or more, maximum altitude 400ft above ground level.The footage WAS taken with the drone in line of sight. You're welcome.

[@mackstan1]

great video, always wanted to go here but the owners where actually trying to shoot my friend, also chased off the dogs

[@assessorjohn]

Exploring The North Sad when people are like that, no one owns the view, before long it will be gone forever.

[@ZestySea]

It's terrible there should be a way for people to see this heritage. Also - did you mean you were chased off with dogs? Or that you brought dogs onto the property?

[@mackstan1]

Ria my friend was getting shot at and also chased by the land owners dogs, had to run through swamps and stuff to get away

[@ZestySea]

@@mackstan1 That's pretty bad - guns and dogs. The guy sounds really anti-social

[@assessorjohn]

@@mackstan1 That's shocking! Did you call the police?