Although there is reason to suppose that the history of Cartington can be traced on the strength of its place-name to the Early Middle Ages, Cartington is not named until the Pipe Roll dated 1233 as Kertindon, a holding of the King's Forester, Ralph Fitz-Main.

It was noted at the time that she was unable to cope with travelling in a horse-drawn litter, so she was instead carried by servants of Lord Dacre.

Cartington remained in his wife's hands, and the family remained loyal to the King's cause, for in 1648 a Major Sanderson, serving under Parliament, made a raid across Northumberland to take by surprise a scattered remnant of a Royalist force, with the final action being at Cartington Castle, where Sir Richard Tempest was surprised and laid siege to for two hours before being captured.

Nearly ten years later, Lord Dacre stationed his troops here on a march north to join the Earl of Surrey.

In 1887 Lord Armstrong partially restored the castle in order to prevent its complete disintegration.