Alnwick Castle has over 950 years of history to discover, and the origins of the Castle date back to the Norman period. Since 1309, its story has been intertwined with that of the Percy family, a family with a history as illustrious as the castle’s own.
Alnwick Castle featured as Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films, as well as appearing in Downton Abbey, Transformers: The Last Knight, Elizabeth & Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. When you see it and feel like you’ve seen it before somewhere, you know why!
Bamburgh Castle has stood guard above the spectacular Northumberland coastline for over 1,400 years. Spanning nine acres of land on its rocky plateau, Bamburgh Castle is one of the largest inhabited castles in the country.
Visionary inventor, industrialist and philanthropist William George Armstrong bought Bamburgh Castle in 1894. He set about transforming it into his vision of the archetypal castle. The castle houses his unique collection of artwork, ceramics and objets d’art that Armstrong loved and brought him joy.
This ancient and remarkable fortress is the family home of Sir Humphry Wakefield Bt. and The Hon. Lady Wakefield. Since 1246, the castle has been owned by one continuous bloodline relating back to the Earls Grey. Grand state rooms juxtapose alarming dungeons and torture chambers. There are beautiful parklands, lakes, gardens by historic designers, statues and fountains.
Today, the castle thrives with day-to-day family life along with music and drama, and even mountain rescue, child welfare and other local interests.
Illuminated by hydro-electricity and powered by hydraulics, this pioneering home was filled with Victorian gadgets for efficient modern living. Man-made lakes, tumbling waterfalls and swathes of rhododendron combine to form the surrounding fantasy mountain landscape imagined and engineered by inventor and arms manufacturer William Armstrong and his wife Margaret.
You can wander amongst the towering trees in the Pinetum, explore the weaving paths and tumbling cascades in the Rock Garden and witness the changing seasons in the Formal Garden. See the whole estate by car on the Carriage Drive where way-marked walks and wildlife are waiting to be discovered. Families can adventure through the labyrinth, building a grand design in the den building area and swoop and slide at play area too.
The fishing village of Craster, with its charming harbour, is set within the Northumberland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is a popular destination for those seeking peace and quiet in a spectacular setting. Dunstanburgh Castle and Howick Hall & Gardens are close by and there are intersting walks inland as well as beautiful coastal walks to the north and south.
The beautiful scenery is a haven for photographers, artists and those simply wishing to get away from it all.
From Bea’s Cottage is a beautiful walk to the nature reserve at Druridge Bay a stunning un-spoilt part of the Northumbrian coast.
Cresswell has a beautiful beach and ice cream shop with views up the coast to Coquet Island. Bea’s Cottage is located within reach of all the top tourist attractions throughout this friendly diverse county. Just over a mile you have a good pub serving food and some local amenities in Ellington. Only 8 miles away is Morpeth, a pretty market town with some excellent shops and restaurants, popular on a weekend with locals.
Built on the most magnificent scale, Dunstanburgh Castle stands on a remote headland in Northumberland.
The castle was built at a time when relations between King Edward II and his most powerful baron, Earl Thomas of Lancaster, had become openly hostile. Lancaster began the fortress in 1313, and the latest archaeological research indicates that he built it on a far grander scale than was originally recognised, perhaps more as a symbol of his opposition to the king than as a military stronghold.
Unfortunately the earl failed to reach Dunstanburgh when his rebellion was defeated, and was taken and executed in 1322. Thereafter the castle passed eventually to John of Gaunt, who strengthened it against the Scots by converting the great twin towered gatehouse into a keep.
The focus of fierce fighting during the Wars of the Roses, it was twice besieged and captured by Yorkist forces, but subsequently fell into decay.
National Nature Reserve home to an internationally important breeding colony of thousands of seabirds and grey seals.
The Farne Islands are possibly the most exciting seabird colony in England with unrivalled views of 23 species, including around 43,000 pairs of puffin.
It’s also one of the most important grey seal pupping sites in England, with more than 2,000 pups born every autumn.
Inner Farne is home to dive-bombing terns, a medieval chapel and Victorian lighthouse.
Historically, the islands also have strong links with Celtic Christianity and St Cuthbert, who lived here in the 7th century.
A short journey to a different world!
Hadrian’s Wall is an epic World Heritage Site, marching 73 miles from sea to sea across some of the wildest and most dramatic country in England
Hadrian’s Wall was built to guard the wild north-west frontier of the Roman Empire. Discover the remains of the forts, and towns that once kept watch over the Wall. See rare Roman artefacts and take in spectacular views of the rugged landscape.
The site at Howick was discovered when amateur archaeologists found flint tools eroding from a cliff edge 3km south of Craster on the Northumberland coast. The discovery prompted an investigation by ARS Ltd and the University of Newcastle which took place in the summers of 2000 and 2002.
The main feature on the site was one of the best-preserved Mesolithic huts so far discovered in Britain. The radiocarbon dates from the hearths inside the hut have shown that it was constructed around 7800 BC (cal.), making Howick the earliest occupation site in Northumberland, and also a key site for our understanding of Stone Age settlement across Britain. In addition to the Mesolithic hut, a cemetery consisting of five Bronze Age cists was found on the site.
A long history of fishing makes the popular village of Seahouses both fascinating and beautiful.
This colourful fishing village has a bustling harbour, a number of shops, some of the best ‘takeaway’ fish and chips in Northumberland and plenty of ways to see the local wildlife. A huge attraction to Seahouses is its boat trips to The Farne Islands, where you can see puffins during spring and summer, grey seal colonies and an array of other wildlife throughout the year.
Locally the island is rarely referred to by its Anglo-Saxon name of ‘Lindisfarne’. Its local name of ‘Holy Island’ is probably derived from the ensuing observations of Durham monks: ‘Lindisfarne: truly a Holy Island, baptised in the blood of so many good men… after the murderous and bloodthirsty Viking attack on the monastery in 793ad. Its more appropriate title is, ‘The Holy Island of Lindisfarne’ – a little lengthy for most maps!
Lindisfarne is internationally famous both for its medieval religious heritage and also its more recent picturesque 16th century castle. These, together with most of the community, are located on the Southern part of the island – the main focus for tourists and holidaymakers. Many are also attracted by the peace and tranquillity which pervades the Island and the remote Northern conservation area, with more than its fair share of quiet beaches and unique natural history.
Warkworth Castle and Hermitage form one of the most unusual pairs of medieval monuments in Britain. The castle was probably laid out in its present form in about 1200 and was the favoured residence of the powerful Percy family from the 14th to the 17th centuries. As the Earls (and later Dukes) of Northumberland, they were among the greatest landowners in northern England. Nearby, on the banks of the river Coquet and accessible only by boat, are the remains of a chapel known as the hermitage, carved directly out of the cliff rock.
