The first written reference to the castle dates from AD 547 when it was captured by the Anglo-Saxon ruler Ida of Bernicia. At this point, the fortifications were made of wood. The early name of the site, Din Guyardi, predates Ida. Bamburgh was subsequently the seat of the kings of Northumbria, possibly taking its later name of Bebbanburgh from Bebbe, the second wife of Ida’s grandson King Aethelfrith of Bernicia (593-617). King Oswald of Northumbria, son of Aethelfrith and his first wife Acha, was the ruler who invited Saint Aidan to preach nearby and so brought Christianity to the kingdom. Oswald granted land to Aidan to create the religious foundation at nearby Lindisfarne. After his death in battle, Oswald became patron saint of Northumberland, with a cult that extended far beyond the region.

June 8th 793, a fateful day for Northumbria, Viking raiders attacked the monastery of Lindisfarne. Viking raids on wealthy targets continued, the balance of power shifted, and kingdoms elsewhere on the island became dominant.In 1095, the massive Norman keep at Bamburgh was constructed and the next stage of the history of Bamburgh began. Bamburgh was temporary home – and sometimes prison – to members of the Scottish aristocracy. During the Wars of the Roses, Bamburgh was a Lancastrian stronghold that came under fierce attack. By the early 1600s, Bamburgh was ruinous and in private hands, those of the local Forster family. It later became a hospital and a school, before being bought by the wealthy local industrialist, Lord Armstrong, who began the work of restoration but died before it was completed. The castle is still owned by the Armstrong family and is open to the public.