Sarah Rodrigues sits down with Claire to discuss her role as 'custodian' of Bamburgh Castle.
As a teen, Claire Thorburn had already - unbeknown to her - ‘met’ her future mother-in-law over the phone.
“I had a holiday job in the village shop and I took a call from a lady asking for two clean eggs,” she recalls. “I was a bit confused, and explained that we only sold eggs in boxes of six or twelve. She said that either six or twelve would be fine.”
The caller was Lady Armstrong, the then-châtelaine of Bamburgh Castle, a 12th century Norman Keep, which overlooks a glorious stretch of Northumbrian beach. When the fifteen-year-old Claire went to her boss to relay the details of the order, she remembers, he exclaimed, “Ye daft tatty, she means Kleenex - tissues, not eggs!”
Sadly, the glamorous and Italian-born countess passed away before meeting the naive store assistant, and never had the opportunity to welcome her into the family as her daughter-in-law.
When she married Francis Watson-Armstrong in 2020, Claire became the châtelaine of Bamburgh - although she prefers to think of herself as a ‘custodian;’ the nickname ‘Lady Châtelaine’ was once given to her by a journalist in a teasing reference to D.H.Lawrence’s 1928 novel.
Growing up just down the road in Seahouses, Bamburgh Castle has always been in Claire’s sphere of existence - indeed, there are photos of her as a child sitting on the property’s cannons. “I’ve always been a homebird,” she says. “Other than a year in Australia, I’ve always been based in Northumberland.
That’s not to say, however, that she hasn’t brought a wealth of imagination to making the castle alive and accessible to visitors.
“Francis calls me his Swiss Army Wife, because I’m such a meddler,” she laughs, “but as a former NCTJ-trained journalist, I love storytelling and identifying opportunities. Bamburgh Castle is such a beautiful place to visit, so the question for me was: other than its history, what else can we do to make people want to visit?”
Her passion for creativity can clearly be seen in the fact that the castle used to close over the winter; now, it’s the busiest time of year after summer. Working with designer Charlotte Lloyd Webber, Claire has transformed Bamburgh’s staterooms into a Christmas wonderland each year since 2021. The theme this year is “A Christmas Carousel,” an installation inspired by favourite carols, and running from 14 November until 3 January.
Claire’s playfulness came to the fore once again during lockdown, when the castle was necessarily devoid of visitors. “This incredible space wasn’t meant to be empty,” she says. “It was almost as if the castle was crying. Of course we need visitors to remain viable, but the castle does, too.”
She worked with her stepdaughter to keep the property open, virtually, with weekly videos starring a dragon called Hope, which saw engagement all over the world. People were also encouraged to send in birthday greetings, or messages of support, which Hope read out online.
Next year, The Year of the Normans, will see this summer’s ‘warrior school’ being adapted to a Norman theme. Sand artworks, by sand artist Clare Eason, will also be in place on the seaward side of the castle - a reference to the classic tale of William the Conqueror first landing on the beach and grabbing two handfuls of sand with the cry “By the splendor of God I have taken seizen of my kingdom; the earth of England is in my two hands!” Claire is also quite keen on the idea of a slide down to the castle lawn from a new rooftop visitor viewing platform, but whether that one passes health and safety remains to be seen.
As a female, Claire is eager to recognise the influences of the women who have gone before her and, thanks to extensive research, a permanent exhibition, 'Her Story', gives those key figures a voice and place in the history of Bamburgh Castle.
This year, Claire is also honouring her own mother by taking on the 3 km swim from Bamburgh Beach to the Farne Islands. It’s a cold North Sea swim with strong currents to contend with and, although Claire completed it ten years ago, she did so wearing a wetsuit. The twist this year? She’s going topless and raising money for the North Northumberland hospice, which provided end of life care for her mother, who died of breast cancer last summer.
“I’m still the same person I always was,” says Claire, who is also an ambassador with Save The Dogs UK. “I married my soulmate, and he just happens to own a castle. I’m so fiercely proud to play a role in the history of this extraordinary building, but ultimately, we are just stewards: we’re here to look after it, and to pass it on to the next generation - hopefully in an even better state.”
As well as being open to day visitors, Bamburgh Castle has two self-catering holiday rentals in two of its towers.
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