Northumbria’s castles are full of history, ghosts, drama and English eccentricity

Game of Thrones fans will know that England's Wars of the Roses were the original inspiration for George R.R. Martin's fantasy epic. It doesn't take much from there to identify the Percy family as the Starks and their gorgeous castle at Alnwick as Winterfell. 

Fortunately, although winter is coming it's unlikely to feature dragons or ice zombies. And although there is a wall, Hadrian's legacy is stone rather than ice, it's actually below Alnwick and it doesn't take much magic to climb over it along much of its length. There are parallels, however, in how different this country is from the soft, sunnier South, the fact that it was once its own kingdom, and ... though they never sat on the throne ... the Percys cast a Stark-like shadow over all that goes on here. It's been centuries since they played the kind of power politics immortalised in Shakespeare, and which saw family members imprisoned, executed or stripped of their titles. But the Percy’s have been one of the great survival stories of history, and these days provide the hinge on which much of the local economy swings, from tourism to agriculture to agenda setting.

With its dramatic castle, town gates and Georgian centre, Alnwick is charming but it's no capital of the North. I suspect tourists are more likely to stop here on their way somewhere else than make it a touring base. Which is a real shame, since there's an abundance of things to do. My only complaint would be a curious lack of places to eat. Pubs tend to be of the old boozer type, with fruit machines, loud music, limited menus and sticky floors, There are plenty of casual lunch places, and a few cute tea rooms, but the restaurant scene was so uninspiring we ended up eating in our hotel all six nights (which was no sacrifice).

Other than that, I'd heartily endorse Alnwick as the base for a week-long holiday. In my article on the great outdoors I've already told you about the beaches, Hadrian's wall, Cragside and the nearby moors. And when I wrote about gardens I covered what is now the biggest tourist attraction in town by visitor numbers, the Alnwick Garden. If you’re a castle-lover, however, you have some treats in store. I’ll stick my neck out and say that this is the best region in Britain for castle visiting, considered by density, historic significance and variety; better even than castle-studded North Wales.

Alnwick Castle

This is one of the great fortifications of England and, like the similar Arundel Castle on the South Coast, is a popular filming location that can easily stand in for Windsor or other palatial seats. It's been 18 years since Alnwick appeared as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter franchise, but tourists still flock here on that link and can participate in daily broom training sessions on the exact spot in the keep where Madam Hooch first taught Harry and the gang to fly.

The castle complex itself is a fascinating one, dating from just after the Norman conquest and home to Percys since 1253. While it all looks Medieval, it was a derelict ruin by the 18th century so what you see today is the result of major renovations then, and again in the 19th. The most authentic element left of the original defensive castle is the main entry complex, with double gates, portcullis and a variety of booby traps designed to keep out the enemy. (Usually the Scots, but sometimes the other English side in civil wars.) The decorative stone figures that dot the battlements add to the antiquity, unique to Alnwick and just two other, much smaller castles.

It's a lovely exterior to observe from all angles. If you don't want to pay for admission, walk out of town past the lion bridge and turn into the pastures, where you can have a peaceful stroll along the River Aln and see the whole complex reflected in the water. There's another excellent view, and lawns to sprawl upon, between the castle and the Alnwick Garden. (Where you'll also find a field where you can pay to practice some archery.) Pay to get inside, and you'll find two emerald-lawned baileys unfolding like butterfly wings from the main bulk of the castle. 

There are various attractions in the outbuildings, including a family archaeology museum, a chance to see the family's state coach and a stable courtyard where food trucks pull in to offer lunch options. But if you've paid for admission and aren’t taking broomstick lessons, your main objective is probably the state rooms.

They are among the most impressive of any of England's stately homes, and distinctive in their style. I know no other house in the country that looks so ... Italian. The fourth duke was a passionate Italophile and decided that the interior of his quintessentially English castle should look like a late Renaissance palazzo, complete with marble walls, terrazzo floors, intricately carved wooden ceilings and an Italian-heavy old masters collection bought lock, stock and barrel from the Camuccini family. If it weren't for the portraits, the comfortably English library and the fact that everything is in such good repair, you'd be forgiven for thinking you're in Rome. 

Much as I love Italy, I find it hard to warm to these palatial rooms. (Other than the libary.) Though that might be due to unresolved anger at the 4th duke for what he swept away. The 18th century renovations had been by Robert Adam and were that great architect's only foray into the style known as Strawberry Hill Gothick. (Read about my visit to Strawberry Hill here.) I weep for what now exists only in a handful of sketches and plans.

Note that the state rooms had just reopened after their COVID-19 closure when we visited and at that time you couldn't buy tickets in advance. It was first come, first served when you arrive, so lengthy queuing may be in order.

Chillingham Castle

Nearby Chillingham shares a lot with Alnwick: foundations in the Middle Ages (12th century), more than 700 years in the same family (though ownership has sometimes passed through the female line); an illustrious history including royal visits and pesky Scots; a film location (Elizabeth used both); interiors restored from a derelict state; even a shared garden designer in Capability Brown. But Chillingham's interiors are as quirky and eccentric as Alnwick's are grand and traditional, and its restoration came far more recently.

Sir Humphry Wakefield married into Chillingham's Grey family in 1974 and bought the castle off of them in 1982. A track record with Christie's in London, and then as director or chairman of various antique dealing firms, made him an ideal candidate to restore and furnish a crumbling pile, and what you see today is a hotch potch of family knick knacks and items he's collected. The variety and density is almost overwhelming; those familiar with Snowshill Manor in the Cotswolds will feel they've found its larger, Northern twin. Elephant armour and a full-sized horse and rider in a mix of Indian and Arabic armour grace the dining hall. 

A collection of dog collars and spurs fills a landing. Old hats, walking sticks, sports equipment, hunting trophies and bits of Asian temples fill corners and landings. A French bathtub once owned by Mick Jagger serves as a bar. In a two-bedroom semi, this would be chronic clutter; in a castle it’s maximalist luxe.

Many of the rooms you tour don’t seem particularly liveable, between the exposed stone walls, the eyes and horns of many a deceased creature and more than a hint of damp, though there are a couple of panelled and carpeted drawing rooms at the top of the house that approach a more traditional look. That is, before you notice that bathtub, or the glass eyes of the taxidermised leopard staring at you from the back of the sofa. It is a delight, full of distinctive personality. There’s even a family museum with hand-written explanations from Sir Humphry of why the ephemera is worthy of notice.

Though you get to clamber around much of the building, when you return to the courtyard and look up at the four wings of the castle around you, you’ll realise that you’ve missed a lot. My guess is that there’s much warmer and dryer family accommodation in other wings, and a look at the web site’s promotion of the eight holiday apartments on site shows a less eccentric, more liveable space if you want to pay to spend some evenings here. Something that may be of interest to those interested in the paranormal, as Chillingham markets itself as one of the most haunted castles in England.

Outside, there is a very pretty walled garden originally planted to impress the visiting King Louis Philippe of France. Somewhere in the grounds there’s also a famous herd of Chillingham cattle, supposedly the last truly wild breed left in the world. Wild means potentially belligerent with dangerous horns, so they can only be visited with their warden in pre-booked tours. Political junkies may also be interested to know that this is the home of Dominic Cummings’ in laws. Which may or may not evoke parallels to his policies. I’ll leave that to the reader to ponder. 

Bamburgh Castle

As with both Alnwick and Chillingham, Bamburgh was restored from a ruin. But there was much less of the original structure to work with, so of the three this is the one that seems most decidedly modern. Sir William Armstrong (who we’ve already met on this trip as the owner of Cragside), bought Bamburgh in 1894 and essentially built new on old foundations. It is an Edwardian house in the shape of a castle, built with modern technology to suit modern tastes.

That doesn’t take away the place’s history. Bamburgh is far older than either Alnwick or Chillingham, starting life as a Celtic fort and reaching its apogee as the seat of the Anglo-Saxon Northumbrian Kings. It passed into Viking hands, becoming the imagined home of Bernard Cornwell’s hero Uhtred of Bebbanburg, was destroyed and then rebuilt by conquering Normans. It is the epitome of the maxim “location, location, location”, occupying a rocky spur on an otherwise fairly flat stretch of coast. Thus it looms over its village and all around it, visible for miles on a clear day. 

Those external views, and the overall atmosphere of the place, are arguably far more interesting than the interior. Which is big, functional, has a few interesting decorative objects but no real star sights.

 The most interesting bit for me was a museum room full of bits Armstrong had excavated while working on the castle, including what’s thought to be pieces of the ancient throne of the kings of Northumbria. There’s a modern copy outside the main keep where you can have a seat, and get a feel for being a monarch of mystic ages.

What we missed

A week in Northumberland simply wasn’t enough. At least not if, like us, holiday includes sleeping in, leisurely breakfasts, and being back at your boutique hotel by 5pm for a nap or a cocktail. Or both. And, of course, Covid-19 was still cramping everyone’s style. 

I would have liked to have seen the interiors at Cragside, which ... from photos and videos available on the internet ... seems to be where Armstrong put most of his decorating attention. Bamburgh, clearly, was the pared back beach hut. Dunstanburgh Castle, just south of Bamburgh on the coast, is an atmospheric seaside ruin and also allows a wander around Craster, famous for its kippers (traditional smoked herring). We made it to the smokehouse to buy some fish, but the day’s dense fog blocked any view of the castle. 

A boat journey to the Farne Islands to see nesting seabirds would have been grand. Lindisfarne wouldn’t have even needed a boat to reach it, but you do need to get your timings right to get on and off the island when its causeway is revealed by low tide, something we didn’t manage. Once there, you can see the ruins of the monastery that created the famous gospels and another castle restored by Edwardians, this one by the founder of Country Life magazine so I assume decorated in exquisite taste.

Not far over the Scottish border is Abbotsford, Sir Walter Scott’s home. I visited on my first trip to Britain and remember thinking that only a writer of historic fiction could create such a romantic fairy tale of a house. There are miles of quiet beaches to explore, and still-working fishing villages with historic pubs and chippies that, my Northern friends tell me, dish up the best fried fish in England. Something we never managed to indulge in because the breakfasts at our hotel were so lavish. For that story, read on ...