There are four castles in Tyne and Wear, a metropolitan county in North East England. One is a gatehouse, one is a keep, one is an enclosure and one is an artillery fort.
All four of Tyne and Wear's castles are Scheduled Ancient Monuments. A Scheduled Ancient Monument is a "nationally important" archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change.
The purpose of a castle was not simply militaristic, but was also considered to be a stamp of authority over the population of an area and a status symbol. Some would have acted as centres of trade and administration for a manor. The earliest castle in Tyne and Wear is Tynemouth Castle.
Read more about Castles In Tyne And Wear: List of Castles
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