Alnwick Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alnwick Castle |
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| Alnwick, Northumberland | |
Alnwick Castle
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 Alnwick Castle
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| Coordinates | 55°24′57″N 1°42′22″W / 55.4158°N 1.7062°W |
| Site information | |
| Owner | The 12th Duke of Northumberland |
| Site history | |
| Built | 11th century |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Alnwick Castle The Castle, Stable Court and Covered Riding School including West Wall of Riding School | |
| Designated | 20 February 1952 |
| Reference no. | 1371308 |
| Official name: Alnwick Castle | |
| Type | Grade I |
| Designated | 1 January 1985 |
| Reference no. | 1001041 |
Alnwick Castle (pronounced Ann-ick) is a famous castle and large country house in Alnwick, Northumberland, England. It is the main home of the Duke of Northumberland and his family. The castle was first built after the Norman conquest in the 11th century. Over the years, it has been changed and updated many times. Today, it is a very important historic building. In 2016, Alnwick Castle and the nearby Alnwick Garden welcomed over 600,000 visitors.
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History of Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle was built to protect a road crossing the River Aln. The first parts of the castle were built around 1096 by Ivo de Vesci, a Norman nobleman. The castle was first mentioned in history in 1136. At that time, King David I of Scotland captured it, and it was described as "very strong."
The castle was attacked two more times in 1172 and 1174 by William the Lion, who was the King of Scotland. During the Battle of Alnwick, King William was even captured right outside the castle walls.
The Percy Family Takes Over
The castle was originally owned by the de Vesci family. However, in the late 1200s, their property was sold to the Percy family. Since then, Alnwick Castle has been the home of the Percy family, who later became the Earls and then the Dukes of Northumberland.
When Henry Percy bought the castle, it was quite small. He immediately started rebuilding it to make it a much stronger fortress. This was important because Alnwick was located along the border between England and Scotland. His son, also named Henry, continued the building work. Parts of the castle you can still see today, like the Abbot's Tower and the Middle Gateway, were built during this time. The castle was designed to be both a strong military fort and a comfortable home for the family.
Battles and Changes Over Time
The Percy family became very powerful in northern England. Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland even rebelled against King Richard II and helped to remove him from power. Later, the Earl and his son, Harry Hotspur, rebelled against King Henry IV. In 1403, the castle had to surrender to the king's forces.
During the Wars of the Roses (a series of wars fought in England), Alnwick Castle was one of the few castles that was actually attacked. It changed hands several times between the different sides. Eventually, the castle was returned to the Percy family.
After 1572, Alnwick Castle was not lived in much. For over a hundred years, there wasn't a main Percy family member living there. In 1650, Oliver Cromwell even used the castle to hold prisoners after the Battle of Dunbar.
Modern Renovations
In the 1700s, the Percy family returned to Alnwick Castle and began to make many changes. Elizabeth Seymour and Hugh Smithson became the first Duke and Duchess of Northumberland in 1766. They hired famous architects like Robert Adam to update the castle. The inside of the castle was decorated in a "Strawberry Hill Gothic" style, which was popular at the time.
However, in the 1800s, Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland, decided to change much of what Adam had done. He hired Anthony Salvin to remove the Gothic style and create new designs. Salvin designed the kitchen, the Prudhoe Tower, and many of the grand living spaces. Today, the main rooms that visitors see are decorated in a rich Italian style from the Victorian era.
Alnwick Castle Today
The current Duke of Northumberland and his family still live in a part of Alnwick Castle. The castle is open to the public during the summer months. It is the second largest castle in England where people still live, after Windsor Castle. Alnwick Castle is also one of the most visited historic homes in England.
During World War II, a girls' school from Newcastle was moved to Alnwick Castle for safety. After the war, parts of the castle were used for education. From 1945 to 1977, it was a college for training teachers. Since 1981, St. Cloud State University from Minnesota, USA, has used a part of the castle for its international study program.
Castle Exhibitions
You can find special exhibitions in three of the castle's towers:
- The Postern Tower shows exhibits about the Dukes of Northumberland and their interest in old things like archaeology. It also has ancient frescoes from Pompeii, items from Ancient Egypt, and objects from Roman Britain.
- The Constable's Tower has military displays. It tells the story of the Percy Tenantry Volunteers, who were local volunteer soldiers. They were formed to help protect England from Napoleon's planned invasion between 1798 and 1814.
- The Abbot's Tower is home to the Regimental Museum of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. This museum shows the history of a local army regiment.
Harry Potter Connection
Alnwick Castle became even more famous when it was used as a filming location for the Harry Potter movies. The castle was used for the outside and some inside scenes of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Its appearance in the films has helped many people imagine what a real castle should look like. Alnwick Castle is in excellent condition, unlike many other castles in the country that are now ruins.
How Alnwick Castle Was Built
The River Aln flows along the north side of the castle. To the south and east, there is a deep valley that separates the castle from the town. By the 1100s, Alnwick Castle already had the basic shape it still has today. It is special because it was one of the first castles in England built without a square main tower (called a keep).
The castle has two main areas of buildings. The inner area is built around a small courtyard and holds the most important rooms. This part is in the middle of a large outer area called a bailey. Since the central part wasn't big enough for all the rooms needed later, more buildings were added along the south wall of the bailey. These two main living areas are connected by another building.
There are towers placed regularly along the walls of the outer bailey. Some parts of the bailey wall have been made lower to create nice views into the park. Outside the main castle walls, there are stable and service areas. These would not have been there when the castle was used for military purposes.
Castle Parks
Alnwick Castle has two parks. Right next to the castle, to the north, is a smaller park that crosses the River Aln. This park was designed in the 1700s by famous landscape designers like Lancelot Brown (also known as "Capability Brown"). It is called the Pastures by local people. Nearby is a much larger park called Hulne Park, which has the remains of an old monastery called Hulne Priory.
The castle is kept in very good condition and is used for many things. It is the home for the Duke and his family, and also has offices for Northumberland Estates, which manages the Duke's large farms and properties.
The castle's battlements (the tops of the walls with gaps for defense) have carved figures on them. Some of these carvings are very old, from around the year 1300. Many of the figures you see today were made in the mid-1700s for the first Duke and Duchess.
Alnwick Garden
Right next to the castle is the Alnwick Garden. This is a beautiful, formal garden with a huge cascading fountain as its main feature. The garden was started by Jane Percy, Duchess of Northumberland. It is run by a charity that is separate from the Duke's estates, but the Duke donated the land and some money to help create it.
The garden was designed by Jacques Wirtz and Peter Wirtz from Belgium. The first part of the garden opened in 2001, which included the fountain and the first plants. In 2004, a very large "treehouse" complex was opened. It includes a café and is considered one of the biggest treehouses in the world! In 2006, a large building called a pavilion and a visitor center were also opened, which can hold many people.
Filming Location
Alnwick Castle has been used many times as a place to film movies and TV shows.
- Films: Prince Valiant (1954), Becket (1964), Mary, Queen of Scots (1971), Ivanhoe (1982), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), Elizabeth (1998), Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Your Highness (2011), Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), and Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves (2023).
- Television Programmes: The Black Adder (1983), Robin of Sherwood (1984-6), Antiques Roadshow (1995), The Virgin Queen (2005), The Hollow Crown (2012), and Downton Abbey (2015-6).
See Also
In Spanish: Castillo de Alnwick para niños
Images for kids
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The altar in the castle Chapel
