Castles · North East England
Alnwick Castle
In or near Alnwick town walls.
Alnwick Castle — castle and stately home in Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK; seat of the Duke of Northumberland, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
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Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Lionheart · 1.9 km
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Alnwick Castle, the nearest railway station is Lionheart, located 1.9 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is NE66 1NQ. Entry is paid and wheelchair accessibility is limited.
About
Alnwick Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1096. It covers approximately 1,512 km². Heritage designation: Grade I listed building. Address: NE66 1NQ. Wikidata describes it as: "castle and stately home in Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK; seat of the Duke of Northumberland, England, UK". Coordinates: 55.4158°, -1.7061°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Alnwick Castle ( ) is a castle and country house in Alnwick in the English county of Northumberland. It is the seat of the 12th Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman Conquest and renovated and remodelled several times. It is a Grade I listed building now the home of Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland and his family. In 2016, the castle received over 600,000 visitors per year when combined with adjacent attraction the Alnwick Garden.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Summary from the official site
Alnwick Castle is a historic site with over 900 years of history, featuring magnificent State Rooms and ancient battlements. Visitors can engage in various activities such as guided tours, archery, and broomstick training, as well as explore exhibitions and live entertainment throughout the year.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Northumberland Shore SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Northumberland Coast
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Alnwick Castle ( ) is a castle and country house in Alnwick in the English county of Northumberland. It is the seat of the 12th Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman Conquest and renovated and remodelled several times. It is a Grade I listed building now the home of Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland and his family. In 2016, the castle received over 600,000 visitors per year when combined with adjacent attraction the Alnwick Garden.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
of Alnwick Castle, 1866]] by Alexander Francis Lydon, 1870]] Alnwick Castle guards a road crossing the River Aln. Ivo de Vesci, Baron of Alnwick, a nobleman from Vassy, Calvados in Normandy, erected the first parts of the castle in about 1096. Beatrix de Vesci, the daughter of Yves de Vescy, married the Constable of Chestershire and Knaresborough, Eustace fitz John. By his marriage to Beatrix de Vesci, he gained the baronies of Malton and Alnwick. The castle was first mentioned in 1136 when it was captured by King David I of Scotland. At this point, it was described as "very strong". Eustace de Vesci, lord of Alnwick, was accused of plotting with Robert Fitzwalter against King John in 1212.…
Architecture
, c. 1750]] The River Aln flows past the north side of the castle. There is a deep ravine to the south and east, separating the castle from the town. By the 12th century, Alnwick Castle had assumed the general layout which it retains today. It is distinguished as one of the earliest castles in England to be built without a square keep. Within the keep, the arches over the well and the gateway are medieval, while the rest is Salvin's. He added the large Prudhoe Tower with a loggia at the ground level in the north-west corner of the small courtyard inside the keep. This structure is at the centre of a large bailey. As the central block was not large enough to contain all the accommodations…
Visiting
The current duke and his family live in the castle, but occupy only a part of it. The castle is open to the public throughout the summer. After Windsor Castle, it is the second largest inhabited castle in England. Alnwick is the tenth-most-visited stately home in England according to the Historic Houses Association, with 195,504 visitors in 2006. This figure has increased significantly in the subsequent decade. During World War II, the Newcastle Church High School for Girls was evacuated to Alnwick Castle. Since the war, parts of the castle have continued being used by two other educational establishments: from 1945 to 1977, as Alnwick College of Education, a teacher training college; and,…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 55.4158, -1.7061
- District
- Northumberland
- Parish
- Alnwick
- Postcode
- NE66 1NQ
- Parliamentary constituency
- North Northumberland
- Phone
- +44 1665 511 100
- Established
- 1096
- Nearest railway station
- Lionheart — 1.9 km
- Official site
- www.alnwickcastle.com
Sources
- wikidata: Q1320427 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Alnwick Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Castle at Alnwick panorama (27201950193).jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Alnwick Castle?
- Alnwick Castle is in the Scottish Lowlands, United Kingdom (postcode NE66 1NQ), in the parish of Alnwick.
- What is Alnwick Castle?
- Alnwick Castle — castle and stately home in Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK; seat of the Duke of Northumberland, England, UK.
- How do I get to Alnwick Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Lionheart, about 1.9 km away. Drivers can use postcode NE66 1NQ.
- When was Alnwick Castle built?
- Built or established in 1096.
- Who owns Alnwick Castle?
- Alnwick Castle is owned by The 12th Duke of Northumberland.
- Is Alnwick Castle a listed building?
- Alnwick Castle is officially recognised as Grade I listed building listed.
- Is Alnwick Castle a protected site?
- Yes — Alnwick Castle is part of the Northumberland Shore SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Northumberland Coast National Landscape (AONB).
- Does Alnwick Castle charge admission?
- Alnwick Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.