Northumberland Castles

There are more historic castles in Northumberland than any other county in England. Our tour of these castles will take in fantastic coastal views, Holy Island and fascinating collections of medieval arms, art and furniture.

Alnwick Castle & Gardens

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The first stop on our tour of Northumberland Castles is Alnwick Castle and Gardens.

The castle is second largest inhabited Castle in England, the first being Windsor Castle, and has been the home of the Percy’s, Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309.

The castle contains one of the best privately owned art collections in Britain, focussing on Renaissance art and including works by Titian, Van Dyke and Canaletto, as well an exquisite collection of Meissen China.

Warkworth Castle

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Standing on a hill and dominating the village of Warkworth are the dramatic ruins of Warkworth Castle, which provides an evocative image of medieval strength and an excellent spot for our second stop.

The large and impressive bailey is enclosed by a ruinous curtain wall, which is flanked by 13th century square and semi-octagonal towers and an attractive twin-towered gatehouse.

Norman in origin, the castle was taken over by the Percy family (of Alnwick Castle) in 1332. Later that century, Henry Percy, the first Earl of Northumberland, allowed the castle to be the home of his eldest son, Harry Hotspur.

Lindisfarne Castle

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Perched atop a rocky crag upon Holy Island and accessible over a causeway at low tide only, Lindisfarne Castle presents an exciting and alluring venue for the third stop on our tour. The island played a significant part in the development of Christianity in England. In 635 AD, the Irish evangelist, St Aidan, founded a monastic community that became one of the most important centres of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England. Viking raids finally forced the monks to abandon the island in 875 AD, but in 1082 St Cuthbert rebuilt the Priory, the remains of which can still be visited.

Bamburgh Castle

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Our fourth and final stop on the tour takes us to what is probably the finest castle in England, Bamburgh Castle. The Castle is perched on a basalt outcrop on the very edge of the North Sea at Bamburgh, Northumberland.

It commands stunning views of the Farne Islands, Holy Island and inland to the Cheviot Hills.

 

If you would like to book one of our Northumberland Castles tours, or you would like a little more information about any of our alternative tours then please contact us by calling on 07780 958679.