Langley Castle, in fact, was never the chief seat of the early mediaeval family of de Bolteby, though they were, indeed, Lords of the Manor of Langley amongst others. TPB describes the somewhat complicated marriage transaction involving thetransfer of Langley Manor to the Lucy family.

    The castle was built circa 1350 by the Sir Thomas Lucy, who fought at the Battle of Crécy (1346). In 1405 it was gutted by fire by the forces of King Henry IV engaged in putting down a Percy rebellion. However the walls stood and it is believed that some part remained, or was rendered habitable, possibly for a steward for the collection of manorial rents. In later years it was owned by various northern noble families. In 1715 it was sequestered from Lord Derwentwater because of his support for the Jacobite rising and given to the Naval Hospital at Greenwich. The Hospital sold it in 1882 to Cadwallader Bates, the Northumbrian historian, who completely restored it.

    It is a large tower-house fortified as a refuge from Scottish Border raids (it is only five miles south of Hadrian's Wall) and is oblong in plan with rectangular towers at each corner. A projection was added soon after 1350 between two towers to house an additional staircase, with portcullised door at ground level, leading up to the original entrance at first floor level. There were vaulted guardrooms to each floor, and one tower had multi-seated garderobes (latrines) on every floor.

    In recent times, unlikely though this may seem, it was a girls' school until 1972. Subsequently it became a hotel and restaurant, which it was when one of the Editors visited it in 1976.

    It is certainly worth a visit as an excellent example of a small mediaeval castle -- the restoration was of a very high standard -- and for its, albeit very tenuous, family connection.
(See also the Editorial notes in Appendix 1.)