The Percy family’s home for more than 700 years, with medieval walls outside and gloriously over-the-top Italianate State Rooms within.
We’d passed it for years and thought we knew it. The State Rooms proved us wrong.
- Good for: History · Art and interiors · Harry Potter fans · Families · Rainy days
- Allow: 3–4 hours. We arrived almost by accident and stayed far longer than we meant to.
- Don’t miss: The State Rooms — the library, the staircase and those ceilings. Tom would add the Fusiliers of Northumberland Museum.
- Dogs: Only assistance dogs are allowed on site. Give yours a walk by the River Aln first, as we did with Meg.
- Season: Open late March to late October, closed over winter.
- H&S tip: Book online, even if you’re standing at the gate. You save 10% and your ticket becomes a 12-month annual pass.
- We’d go back: We’re already planning it. Midweek, late afternoon, quiet State Rooms.
Alnwick Castle — A Brief History
Rising above the River Aln, Alnwick Castle has stood for more than 900 years. From medieval battles and powerful noble families to Hollywood films, it remains one of England's most impressive inhabited castles.
Around 1096 — The Norman Fortress
Alnwick Castle is established during the Norman period, probably by the de Vesci family, to defend England's northern frontier against Scottish invasion.
1093 — A Scottish King Falls
King Malcolm III of Scotland is killed near Alnwick while attempting to capture the stronghold, confirming the castle's early importance in border warfare.
1174 — A King Taken Prisoner
William the Lion, King of Scotland, is captured near Alnwick during his second attempt to besiege the castle. His defeat becomes a defining moment in Anglo-Scottish history.
1309 — The Percy Family Arrives
Henry de Percy purchases Alnwick Castle, beginning a remarkable family association that continues more than 700 years later. The Percys transform it into one of northern England's most formidable fortresses.
1403 — The Fall of Harry Hotspur
Henry Percy, better known as Harry Hotspur, is killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury while rebelling against Henry IV. Born at Alnwick, he later becomes one of Shakespeare's most memorable historical characters.
1475 — Strengthening the Defences
Following the Wars of the Roses, the 4th Earl of Northumberland completes improvements to the castle's Barbican, creating an imposing fortified entrance that survives today.
1750 — A Grand Restoration Begins
Elizabeth Percy and her husband Hugh return to Alnwick and begin transforming the ageing fortress into a magnificent family residence. Celebrated landscape designer Capability Brown helps reshape the surrounding parkland.
1766 — The Dukedom of Northumberland
King George III creates Hugh and Elizabeth the first Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, establishing the title still held by the family today.
1854–1865 — Victorian Grandeur
The 4th Duke commissions extensive restoration work. Architect Anthony Salvin restores much of the castle's medieval appearance, while its State Rooms receive lavish Italian Renaissance-inspired interiors.
1940s — A Castle Becomes a School
During the Second World War, Alnwick Castle accommodates evacuated children from Newcastle. It later becomes home to a teacher training college.
2001–2002 — Welcome to Hogwarts
Alnwick Castle finds a new generation of admirers when its courtyards and grounds feature as Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films.
2015 — Downton Abbey Comes to Alnwick
The castle appears as Brancaster Castle in the popular television drama Downton Abbey, introducing its magnificent interiors to an international audience.
Today — Still Home to the Percy Family
Alnwick Castle remains privately owned by Ralph Percy, the 12th Duke of Northumberland, who inherited the title and castle in 1995.
Together with his wife Jane, Duchess of Northumberland, he has helped develop the castle and neighbouring Alnwick Garden into major visitor attractions.
Remarkably, after more than seven centuries, Alnwick Castle remains both a family residence and a living piece of Northumberland's history.
