Thirlwall Castle Thirlwall Castle is a 12th - century castle in Northumberland , England , on the bank of the River Tipalt close to the village of Greenhead and approximately west of Hexham . It was built in the 12th century , and later strengthened using stones from nearby Hadrian ' s Wall , but began to fall into disrepair in the 17th century . The site is protected by Grade I listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument status . Name and meaning . The origin and meaning of " Thirlwall " , is an old English word " Thirl " derived from the Greek " Thura " ( " θύρα " ) and more familiar English word " wall " , related to nearby Hadrian ' s Wall . The name " Thirlwall " is often pronounced " Thura wall " ( thoo • rah • wall ) . The root and meaning of the name " Thirlwall " is further understood by the following information provided in Strong ' s Enhanced Lexicon . 2374 θύρα [ Thura / thoo • rah / ] n f . A root word [ cf " door " ] ; TDNT 3 : 173 ; TDNTA 340 ; GK 2598 ; 39 occurrences ; AV translates as " door " 38 times , and " gate " once . 1 a door . 1a the vestibule . 1b used of any opening like a door , an entrance , way or passage into . 1c in a parable or metaphor . 1c1 the door through which sheep go in and out , the name of him who brings salvation to those who follow his guidance . 1c2 " an open door " is used of the opportunity of doing something . 1c3 the door of the kingdom of heaven ( likened to a palace ) denotes the conditions which must be complied with in order to be received into the kingdom of God . < br > Sources : TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament TDNTA Theological Dictionary of the New Testament , Abridged in One Volume GK Goodrick - Kohlenberger AV Authorized Version Strong , J . 1996 . Enhanced Strong ' s Lexicon . Woodside Bible Fellowship : Ontario . An article appearing in " Atlantic Monthly " magazine describes " thirl " as " a small passage built into a wall to allow sheep but not cattle to pass through " . This derives from and corresponds to the Greek definition for " Thura " . " Wall " within this name refers to Roman - built Hadrian ' s Wall between Northeast England and Scotland in Northumbria . " History . The home of the Thirlwall family , it was fortified in about 1330 by John Thirlwall . In a survey of 1542 it was reported as in the ownership of Robert Thirlwall and in a ' measurable good ' state of repair . Sir Percival Thirlwall of Thirlwall Castle was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field whilst fighting in the Yorkist cause in 22 August 1485 . He was Richard ’ s standard - bearer in the final charge at Bosworth . He held up the standard even after his legs had been cut from under him ( possible source Bennett , Michael . " The Battle of Bosworth " , 1985 , rev . 1993 . pp . 114 and 116 ) . Post medieval . Eleanor Thirwall , the last of the Thirlwall family line , abandoned the castle as a residence and the estate passed to the Swinburne family by her 1738 marriage to Matthew Swinburne of Capheaton Hall . Swinburne sold the estate to the Earl of Carlisle for £4000 in 1748 . Thereafter the castle fell into decay . In 1832 and again in 1982 there were serious collapses of masonry . In 1999 the Northumberland National Park Authority took over the management of the castle , protecting it from further dereliction . Line notes . The family of prior owner , Eleanor Thirlwall , moved to Canada in the late 1800s where they still reside . It is heard that the Thirlwell descendants plan on reclaiming their rightful property .