Alnwick Castle
Home of the Mighty Percys

All those who loved "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", "Braveheart", "Elizabeth", "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves", "Becket", "The Spaceman and King Arthur" or "Mary Queen of Scots" will immediately recognize Alnwick Castle.

It's been the location for these movies and many other movies. But Alnwick Castle is much more than just a movie location:

• It's a home for the Percy family, who have been Earls of Northumberland for hundreds of years
• It's a place where history is carefully preserved and proudly displayed
• It's a major business employing over 1000 people
• And it's one of only a few places in England where children can attend a Knight's School!

The name Alnwick hints at Saxon or Viking origins for the town, making it older than than the castle, which has guarded a crossing over the River Aln, ever since Gilbert Tyson (de Tesson), the standard bearer to William the Conqueror, built a wood and earth fortification in the eleventh century.

When Tyson joined an ill-fated rebellion in 1093, the property passed to Yvo de Vescy and he began the construction of a stone castle. His daughter married Eustace Fitzjohn. And when he completed the construction in 1137 the castle looked much like it does today.

12th and 13th century Northumberland was an unquiet place, with near constant wars between the English and the Scots. Alnwick Castle also faced its share of attacks and sieges - he most famous perhaps being the attacks by the Scottish king William the Lion in 1172 and the one by William (Braveheart) Wallace in 1297.

Alnwick remained in the de Vescy family until 1309, when Henry de Percy purchased both the castle and estate. He immediately began a major rebuilding program to improve the castle's fortifications. He also appears to have had an eye for business, because on his death the Percys had become one of the most powerful and influential families in Medieval England.

And where Henry de Percy brought the family influence and wealth, his great great grandson Harry Hotspur added fame.

Hotspur, who was immortalised by Shakespeare, was a gallant, courageous soldier.

He won is nickname at the siege of Berwick and cemented it at the Battle of Otterburn.

But as his nickname also implies, Hotspur was not the most thoughtful of men, and after helping Henry Bolingbroke to the English throne, he soon fell out with the man who was now King of England and met his death at the Battle of Shrewsbury, still as courageous as he'd always been.

Hotspur was not the only Earl of Northumberland to die fighting. On of his descendants fell leading the vanguard at the Battle of Towton, another was beheaded for this Roman Catholic beliefs. But through all these events, the Percy family held on to Alnwick Castle and remain its proud owners to this day.

Today, Alnick Castle is the second largest occupied castle in England, after Windsor Castle, of course. It's open to visitors and there's usually much going on. And while you're at the castle make sure you visit the Alnwick Gardens too.

Unlike the castle that's open from late May to October, the gardens are open all year round and make an excellent day out, where you can admire the water sculpture, the Poison Garden, and the world's largest tree house made of wood.

There are restaurants close by if you tire and want a bit of lunch after winding your way through the Bamboo Labyrinth. And don't even try to count the over 16,500 plants in the ornamental garden! There's so much beauty and fun that the entrance fee of £8 for adults is a bargain, especially when you can bring as many as four children in free.

Don't forget to spend at least the night in Alnwick. It's a friendly, welcoming town (like most places I've visited in Northumberland!), with cobbled streets and narrow alleys. Many of the stone buildings in the centre remain intact and are home to speciality shops and small businesses. If you're a book lover, you can visit the largest second hand bookstore in England.

You'll be spoilt for choice when deciding where to stay or where to eat. Alnwick offers an array of hotels, Bed and Breakfasts, self-catering and camping facilities.

You could stay in the beautifully renovated former Corn Exchange right in the historic centre of Alnwick and close to Alnwick Castle.

Or you could treat yourself and your family to a stay in a 18th century former stately home just outside Alnwick that has been carefully converted into the most beautiful holiday cottages.

Dating back to 1703, this secluded country hall boasts its own grounds, a walled garden, croquet lawn, and even waterfalls. An ideal location for spending a week exploring Northumberland!

If you like your food local, there's a farmers market the last Friday of every month. And on the entertainment side of things, Alnwick hosts a multitude of events throughout the year ranging from the International Music Festival to the Alnwick Fair.

So there's really no reason not to check out Alnwick Castle and the delights of Northumberland!

Other Northumberland pages you might find interesting:

• Where to Stay: Holiday Cottages in Northumberland
• Berwick-upon-Tweed
• The Holy Island of Lindisfarne
• Warkworth Castle
• Dunstanburgh Castle
• Images of Northumberland

And if you want to explore more of Northumberland and its martial history, check out this Northumberland Castle Tour.