... One of my favourites is Warkworth castle in Northumberland. If you like visiting castles or have children who are fascinated by knights and battles then this is one for you!
How to get there.
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Warkworth castle is situated in the village of Warkworth 71/2 miles south of ... Read review
...One of my favourites is Warkworth castle in Northumberland. If you like visiting castles or have children who are fascinated by knights and battles then this is one for you!
How to get there.
***************
Warkworth castle is situated in the village of Warkworth 71/2 miles south of Alnwick. If you are driving I suggest you go to the AA route finder site to get a route. The castle is well sign posted from Warkworth and ... ...you my experiences of visiting Warkworth castle I thought a little history would help to set the scene.
The original castle was built by Henry earl of Northumberland, the son of David 1st, king of Scotland in the mid 12th century. The original castle would have been a wooden structure of the motte and bailey design. In the mid 12th century Northumberland was part of Scotland.
In 1157 Northumberland was taken by the Henry ... more
Since joining English heritage a few years ago we have discovered some great places to visit. One of my favourites is Warkworth castle in Northumberland. If you like visiting castles or have children who are fascinated by knights and battles then this is one for you!
How to get there. *************** Warkworth castle is situated in the village of Warkworth 71/2 miles south of Alnwick. If you are driving I suggest you go to the AA route finder site to get a route. The castle is well sign posted from Warkworth and very easy to find.
The Arriva bus number 518 from Newcastle to Alnwick goes through Warkworth, for times phone Arriva on 0870-6082608.
The nearest train station is at Alnmouth 4 miles away.
A potted history. ************** Before I tell you my experiences of visiting Warkworth castle I thought a little history would help to set the scene.
The original castle was built by Henry earl of Northumberland, the son of David 1st, king of Scotland in the mid 12th century. The original castle would have been a wooden structure of the motte and bailey design. In the mid 12th century Northumberland was part of Scotland.
In 1157 Northumberland was taken by the Henry 11 of England, and the castle given to Roger FitzRichard.He immediately set about rebuilding the castle using stone. The castle remained in the hands of the FitzRichard family until the mid 14th century.
In 1292 King Edward 1st paid a visit to Warkworth castle showing that is was highly regarded. In 1332 the castle was given to the king mainly due to the increasing bill for its upkeep.
During this period there were numerous skirmishes with the Scots. Warkworth castle was captured several times although was always won back by the English. Due to its important position close to the boarder troops were garrisoned at Warkworth.
In 1337 King Edward 11 gave the castle to the influential Percy family who also owned Alnwick castle to the north. The Percy family were responsible for building the magnificent keep you can see today.
The son of the first Percy, earl of Northumberland, Harry Hotspur was the hero of many boarder raids. He is a dominant character in Shakespears Henry 1V
The catholic Percy family owned the castle until 1537 when the 5th earl Percy of Northumberland left the castle to Henry V11 in his will. The castle was given back to the Percy's by the catholic queen Mary when she came to the throne.
When the protestant Queen Elizabeth 1st came to the throne the Percy family were no longer in favour. Following the northern uprising in which Percy fought against the Queen. He was executed and the castle fell into disrepair.
In 1648 parliamentarian forces were garrisoned in the castle causing further damage. Like many historic buildings stone from Warkworth castle was taken by locals and used to build homes in the surrounding area.
In the mid 19th century the then Duke of Northumberland undertook some restoration work of the castle. It was handed over to the office of works who then cared for ancient buildings, in 1922. Later it was given to English Heritage who owns the castle to day.
My experience. ************* Warkworth castle is situated in beautiful surroundings in the village of Warkworth. The castle overlooks the river Coquet and the sea. Although a partial ruin the castle is very imposing and can be seen for miles around.
The first thing to say is that parking is plentiful and free. The parking area is at the front of the castle on a grassy area. There is a small, clean toilet block at the end of the car park.
The entrance into the castle is as it should be, through the drawbridge and over the moat. The moat is now dry but you still get the feeling of entering an ancient castle.
Once over the bridge you come to the pay desk. To the right and up a small flight of stairs is a small shop. My children bought a wooden sword and shield here and had a great time playing knights.
The castle keep is a truly magnificent sight. It is reached by a wooden staircase .I like the fact the steps are wide and there is a safety handrail. Once inside it is very clear to see the original medieval layout. The keep is still roofed and almost complete. The keep dates mostly from the 14th century. Stairways lead to various chambers. There is a kitchen, chapel, storage rooms, great hall with fireplaces and other rooms to explore. I love the stone window seats overlooking the bailey below. It is easy to imagine a raid! Once inside the keep you are free to explore where ever you like. My children love this part of the castle and have had lots of fun playing knights!
It is fun to try to spot the Percy lion carved in several different places around the castle.
The castle has a very interesting light well that rises above the keep. This enables light to flood into the otherwise dark rooms. The well also collected water from the roof and channelled it down through the garderobes keeping them clean.
There is a well-preserved gatehouse with views to the drawbridge and moat.
For stunning views take a walk around the virtually intact circuit of towered walls. There are great views of the sea and the river below.
There is no catering at the castle but we always prefer to take a pic- nic anyway. I would advise you to pack a rug, as there is only grass to sit on. You are allowed to pic-nic inside the bailey or there is an extensive grass area to the front and side of the castle. As the car park is right at the front of the castle it is easy to return to your car for your lunch to save carrying it with you!
In the summer there are often re-enactments that really help to bring history alive. Harry Hotspur is usually featured! I have been to several now and would highly recommend them. For details check on the English Heritage web site.
Cost ****** Entry is free for English Heritage members.
Non-members.
Adult- £4.
Child (over5) £ 2.
Family ticket- £10.
There are concessions available-just ask!
Opening times. ******************
21st march-30th September daily from 10 am-5pm.
1st-31st October daily 10am-4pm.
1st November-31st march sat-mon 10am-4pm.
Other information. ******************** The castle keep is not suitable for anyone using a wheelchair although the bailey is suitable. There are audio tours available for those with sight difficulties from the shop at no charge.
Dogs are allowed inside the castle on a lead. There is plenty of space surrounding the castle to walk.
We normally allow about 2 hours to visit the castle and eat a pic-nic. If the sun is shinning you may want to stay longer!
Once you have explored the castle then I recommend you walk the short distance along the river to visit the hermitage. The hermitage is a fascinating place and well worth a visit. It is only accessible via boat. Once at the well sign posted landing place you will need to ring the bell to summon the boatman. The hermitage was inhabited by a solitary holy man who used to pray for the Percy family. The cave he lived in consists of a few small rooms and a chapel with an altar.
English Heritage also owns the Hermitage and you can buy a combined ticket for both the castle and Hermitage.
The hermitage is open from21st march until 30th September from 11am until 5 pm.
The small pretty village of Warkworth is also worth a visit. I love the small craft shops. There are several good cafes too.
The beach is a bit of a hike from the village so I suggest you take your car. There is a car park at the beach.
As you will have guessed I really love Warkworth castle and would recommend a visit if you are in Northumberland. A great day out!
...for a few years, and Warkworth Castle was on my list of places to re-visit. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHERE IS WARKWORTH CASTLE? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Warkworth Castle sits proudly on top of a hill overlooking the River Coquet in the historic village of Warkworth on the coast of Northumberland. Visitors in the springtime will see the hill covered with hundreds of daffodils. As the River Coquet joins the sea, you will find this picturesque ... ...In the 12th century Warkworth was known as 'Werceworde' - that is the home of a woman called Werce, but its first entry in the history books was in 737 when Coelwulf, King of Northumbria, bestowed it to the monks of Lindisfarne. Warkworth Castle is easily accessed from the A1, by turning off on to the A1068. It is approx 7.5 miles south of Alnwick. The nearest train station is Alnmouth, 3.5 miles away. Buses run from Newcastle to Alnwick. (Arriva ...
JEFFJEN 11.10.2009
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