Summary
The North of England’s most influential baronial family, the Dukes of Northumberland (Percy), has governed the area surrounding Alnwick for over seven centuries.
Their descendants continue to inhabit the stunning ancestral residence, Alnwick Castle, which served as a filming location for the Harry Potter series and is replete with invaluable artworks.
The castle’s gardens have undergone a complete transformation in the past two decades, making them a worthy destination in their own right.
By exploring Alnwick, you will gain insights into the illustrious history of the Percys, who still control vast expanses of land in this region.
Alnwick is situated in one of the most remote areas of England, just a few miles from the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Here, visitors can discover sandy beaches, dunes, and historic ruins, such as the ethereal Dunstanburgh Castle.
Let us examine the top attractions in Alnwick:
1. Alnwick Castle
Originally constructed as a Norman fortress, Alnwick Castle has served as the residence of the influential Percy Family, the Dukes of Northumberland, since the 13th century.
Over the past 700 years, various generations have contributed their own architectural enhancements, resulting in Alnwick Castle now standing as the second-largest inhabited castle in the UK, following Windsor.
Much of the complex, including the inner ward, kitchen, luxurious accommodations, and Prudhoe tower, reflects 19th-century renovations by Anthony Salvin and Italian architect Luigi Canina.
The State Rooms showcase the family’s precious collections, featuring masterpieces by Titian, Veronese, Canaletto, Turner, along with Cucci cabinets crafted for Versailles, and exquisite Meissen and Sèvres porcelain.
While the Percys inhabit only a small portion of the estate, visitors are welcomed to explore the remainder.
Guided tours will introduce you to the locations utilized for Hogwarts in the initial two Harry Potter films.
2. Alnwick Garden
Since 1997, Jane Percy has overseen a significant restoration of the formal gardens, which have a history spanning centuries but had experienced deterioration.
Spanning over 42 acres, Alnwick Garden was designed by the Belgian landscape architects Jacques and Peter Wirtz, featuring topiaries and numerous water features, including the grand Grand Cascade.
A tranquil Cherry Orchard, a Bamboo Labyrinth, and a Serpent Garden with otherworldly water sculptures can also be found here.
Moreover, Alnwick Garden boasts one of the largest treehouses in the world, a 560-square-metre complex that includes a cafe.
The striking pavilion/visitor centre, which opened in 2006, features a remarkable barrel-vaulted grid-shell timber roof.
3. Alnwick Poison Garden
Accessible through a set of black iron gates adorned with ominous skull and crossbones warnings, this garden showcases deadly plants and was established within Alnwick Garden in 2005. Described by Smithsonian Magazine as the “world’s deadliest garden,” it cultivates over 100 lethal plants.
Inspired by the notorious poison garden of the Medicis in Padua, it features classic poisonous flora such as hemlock, foxglove, strychnos nux-vomica (producing strychnine), and deadly nightshade, alongside exotic killers like brugmansia.
The garden also includes a coca plant, cannabis, and poppies, the source of opium.
Visitors are advised to refrain from smelling, touching, or tasting any of these plants!
4. Bailiffgate Museum
Situated in one of the oldest sections of the town, the Bailiffgate Museum occupies the former St Mary’s Church, a Gothic Revival structure built in 1836. The museum highlights the rich heritage of Alnwick and Northumberland, showcasing a collection that surpasses its display capacity at any given time.
One notable artifact is a copy of the Davison Bible, named after the progressive reformer William Davison, who published the Holy Bible in 100 parts during the 19th century to enhance accessibility for the general populace.
The museum also features a hand-operated Albion press (1852), akin to what Davison would have utilized, and goggles belonging to a First World War pilot.
An exceptional exhibit includes the Rothbury football, utilized in an inter-village match during the late 19th century.
These matches featured numerous players and were held in open countryside between villages.
Additionally, local contemporary artist Stella Vine, originally from Alnwick, has donated several of her works to the museum.
5. Dunstanburgh Castle
A quintessential picturesque ruin, Dunstanburgh Castle is situated on a prominent cliff on the southern side of Embleton Bay.
Though the castle has been in decline since the 16th century, the silhouetted outline of its twin-towered keep is still discernible from considerable distances.
This formidable fortress was initiated by Earl Thomas of Lancaster in 1313, symbolizing his opposition to his cousin Edward II, with its grand proportions intended to convey a message to the king.
After the failure of his rebellion, he was executed in 1322. Dunstanburgh Castle subsequently played a crucial role in defending against the Scots and was involved in the 15th-century Wars of the Roses, being besieged and captured twice by Yorkists.
You can access the castle from Craster by traversing a spectacular coastal path, recognized as one of the UK’s most favored walks.
6. Howick Hall Gardens
The Palladian Howick Hall serves as the ancestral seat of the Earls Grey.
The name may ring a bell, as one former resident was the Prime Minister Charles Grey, who inspired the name of a notably popular tea.
Earl Grey tea was custom blended in China to complement the spring water found at Howick.
The estate’s primary attraction is the garden, redesigned informally in the 20th century to embody a more natural aesthetic.
Noted for its vibrant bulbs, Howick Hall Gardens is frequently recognized as one of the top gardens to visit in the UK during spring.
A snowdrop festival takes place in February, while March and April showcase brilliant daffodils.
During this period, tulips introduce a vibrant splash of color to Botticelli Meadows.
What better place to enjoy a cup of tea than at The Earl Grey Tearoom, located within the house’s East Quadrant?
7. Hulne Park
The last remaining of three extensive parks on the Alnwick Castle estate, Hulne Park continues to be owned by the Percy family.
Spanning thousands of acres, the park is enclosed by a wall and was historically utilized as the family’s hunting grounds.
In the 18th century, the eminent landscape architect Capability Brown was commissioned to reshape this parkland.
The park is overseen by Northumberland Estates, which has established a network of circular walking trails directing visitors to various points of interest, as will be discussed below.
A significant portion of Hulne Park is dedicated to grazing, providing ample opportunities to observe sheep and highland cattle, as well as a multitude of fallow deer.
It is advisable to verify access online prior to your visit, as Hulne Park is private land and may periodically close to the public at short notice.
8. Brizlee Tower
Within Hulne Park, you cannot overlook this solemn Gothic Revival structure, often regarded as the UK’s most exquisite folly.
Brizlee Tower (1781) was designed by the illustrious Robert Adam, an architect who greatly influenced Western architecture during the Classical revival period in England.
This 26-metre, six-floor edifice was erected in commemoration of Lady Elizabeth Seymour by her spouse, Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland.
Closed to the public for a majority of its history, the tower has undergone restoration since the 2000s and now opens on selected days.
Should you have the opportunity to ascend, the panoramic views of the estate and the landscapes to the east and north are truly remarkable.
You can gaze over the Northumberland coast and its islands, as well as the distant Treviotdale hills, situated 40 miles away in Scotland.
9. Hulne Priory
As you wander through Hulne Park, you will encounter this ruined Carmelite friary from the 13th century.
Hulne Priory, likely England’s first Carmelite priory, was constructed with a defensive wall, a necessity in this tumultuous border region during medieval times.
A defensive Pele tower was added in the 15th century, which remains in good condition today.
The priory and its monastic structures were abandoned following the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII in the 16th century, yet the ruins are extensive and showcase statues of friars intricately carved in the 18th century.
The site is undistinguished but surprisingly intact; in 1991, it served as the domicile of Maid Marian in Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
10. St Michael’s Church
One of the most beautiful examples of Perpendicular Gothic architecture in the north, St Michael’s Church has Norman origins but was largely reconstructed in the 15th century.
The church features broad traceried windows, a hallmark of the style, adorned with mesmerizing 19th-century stained glass, and faux crenellations.
Funding for this endeavor was provided by King Henry IV, who granted Alnwick a fair and market in 1464 and instituted tolls on exports from the nearby port of Alnmouth.
Outdoors, look for the small turret on the southeast corner of the church, part of a network of towers designed to warn against cross-border incursions.
Additionally, the aisle walls contain ledger stones dating back to the 13th century, alongside two statues of either St Sebastian or Maurice and another of Henry IV. These were unearthed during restoration efforts in 1818 and were affixed with new heads.
11. Alnmouth Beach
Regardless of the season, it’s essential to appreciate the natural beauty of the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Within five miles is the charming village of Alnmouth, fronted by a vast sandy bay.
The extensive nature of this bay means that the beach in front of the village seldom feels crowded, even when throngs of sunseekers arrive on the hottest days in July and August.
An even quieter stretch of sand lies south of the River Aln’s estuary, and both the estuary and the surrounding dunes are classified as Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Historically, Alnmouth was a port that lost its prominence when a fierce storm severed its connection to the coast in 1806. Later in the century, with the advent of railways, Alnmouth emerged as a seaside resort, and the Alnmouth Golf Club (1869) is the fourth oldest course in England.
12. Embleton Bay
Another stunningly beautiful undeveloped beach, Embleton Bay is characterized by the dramatic ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle perched on its southern promontory.
The sand is a rich gold hue, and the bay stretches over a mile, bordered primarily by dunes that serve as an essential breeding site for fulmars, shags, kittiwakes, and elder ducks.
During warm summer days, families flock to Embleton Bay to bask in the sun and construct sandcastles, and when the tide recedes, you can explore the rock pools along the dark reefs.
For the remainder of the year, you can enjoy its unspoiled beauty while walking the scenic trails before finding refuge in the charming local pub.
13. Warkworth Castle
This hilltop fortress overlooking the River Coquet originated as a modest wooden structure in the early 12th century.
However, due to the contentious relationship between England and Scotland, it quickly evolved into a more fortified establishment.
Warkworth Castle was fortified in the early 13th century, with notable historical figures like King John and Edward I staying here during the 1200s, while the stronghold successfully repelled two Scottish sieges in 1327 before being acquired by the Percys.
Following the English Civil War, the castle fell into disrepair, but the 4th Duke of Northumberland undertook restoration of the cross-shaped keep in the mid-19th century and conducted archaeological excavations, revealing ruins of structures like the collegiate church.
Now an engaging English Heritage site, Warkworth Castle maintains an almost complete circuit of towered walls along with its intact keep.
As you explore, take note of the Percy family’s lion insignia, prominently displayed throughout the site.
14. White Swan Hotel
A distinguished venue for dining in Alnwick, the White Swan Hotel located on Bondgate Within is a remarkable Baroque coaching inn that is over 300 years old, featuring a stunning arcade and elaborated pedimented windows.
However, the most intriguing aspect lies within the Olympic Suite.
Here, you can dine surrounded by the elegant wood paneling, stained glass windows, mirrors, and carved ceilings salvaged from the transatlantic ocean liner RMS Olympic (1911). This vessel, which was nearly identical to the Titanic, saw these fittings auctioned off during its dismantling in Jarrow in 1936.
15. Stargazing
In one of England’s least populated areas, Alnwick stands out as an ideal location for observing the celestial skies.
Here, you are in proximity to the eastern edge of the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park, a 572-square-mile area free from light pollution, recognized as the largest of its kind in Europe.
Designated in 2013, the park is acknowledged by the International Dark Sky Association, allowing you to witness approximately 2,000 stars even without any form of enhancement on a clear night.
Numerous apps are available to aid in identifying stars, planets, satellites, and even entire galaxies such as Andromeda, all visible to the naked eye.
The park represents the premier destination in the country for marveling at the Milky Way, along with astronomical events such as the aurora and meteor showers.
