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Chillingham Castle facts for kids

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Chillingham Castle
Chillingham Castle north front.jpg
The north front
General information
Type Castle
Location Chillingham, Northumberland, England
Coordinates 55°31′34″N 1°54′18″W / 55.526°N 1.905°W / 55.526; -1.905
Construction started 12th century
Owner Sir Humphry Wakefield, 2nd Baronet
Other information
Number of suites 8

Chillingham Castle is an old castle in the village of Chillingham, in the northern part of Northumberland, England. For hundreds of years, from the 1400s until the 1980s, it was the home of the Grey and Bennett families. Today, it belongs to Sir Edward Humphry Tyrrell Wakefield, 2nd Baronet, whose wife is from the original Grey family.

The castle grounds have a large park where you can find the Chillingham cattle. These are a very rare type of white cattle, with about 130 of them living there.

Chillingham Castle is a very important historic building, listed as Grade I. Many other parts of the castle grounds are also listed as Grade II. These include the West Lodge (a small house at the entrance), several garden walls, and even some old urns in the Italian Garden.

History of Chillingham Castle

Chillingham Castle started as a monastery (a place where monks lived) in the late 1100s.

In 1298, King Edward I visited the castle. He was on his way to Scotland to fight a Scottish army led by William Wallace. A special window with glass was put in just for the king, which was very rare for buildings back then.

The castle was in a very important spot during the Middle Ages (medieval times). It was right on the border between England and Scotland, which were often fighting. English armies used it as a stopping point when going into Scotland. Scottish armies and raiding groups also attacked and tried to take over the castle many times. The castle had a moat (a deep ditch filled with water) around it. In some places, its walls were about 3.6 meters (12 feet) thick!

The building was made stronger over time. In 1344, King Edward III gave permission to add battlements (the notched tops of castle walls). This turned the stronghold into a fully fortified castle with a square shape.

When James I became king of both England and Scotland in 1603, the two countries became more peaceful. The need for a strong military castle in the area went down. The castle slowly changed from a fortress to a home. The moat was filled in, and the battlements were turned into living areas. A large banquet hall and a library were also built.

In the 1700s and 1800s, the castle's gardens and grounds were redesigned. Famous landscape architect Sir Jeffry Wyattville worked on them. The large park that once belonged to the castle is now owned separately.

In 1872, the Prince and Princess of Wales (who later became King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) stayed at Chillingham Castle on their way to Scotland.

During the Second World War, the castle was used as a place for soldiers to live. It is said that much of the castle's beautiful wooden decorations were taken out and burned by the soldiers for warmth. After the war, the castle started to fall apart. Lead was taken from the roof, which caused a lot of damage from the weather.

In 1982, Sir Humphry Wakefield, 2nd Baronet, bought the castle. His wife, Catherine, is related to the original Grey family who owned the castle. Sir Humphry began the careful work of restoring the castle.

In 1997, the castle was used as a filming location for the movie Elizabeth. It appeared as "Leith Castle" and a hunting lodge in the film. The fake fireplaces from the movie are still in the great hall. They cover up the real 18th-century marble fireplaces that came from a different old house called Wanstead House.

As of 2020, parts of the castle are open to the public. You can even go on late-night ghost tours! There are also eight apartments inside the castle and its other buildings that you can rent for holidays.

Chillingham's Ghosts

The current owners say that Chillingham Castle is the most haunted castle in Britain. It has even been visited by the Most Haunted TV show. The most famous ghost of the castle is called the "blue (or radiant) boy." The owners say he used to haunt the Pink Room in the castle.

Chillingham Castle was also featured in episode 2 of the popular "How Haunted?" podcast.

Chillingham Castle in Books

In the novel The Bride of Lammermoor (1819) by Sir Walter Scott, Chillingham Castle is mentioned as a last safe place for an old type of Scottish cattle. The castle and its cattle also inspired Eva Ibbotson's 2005 children's book, The Beasts of Clawstone Castle.

Chillingham Castle is also the setting for the 2019 murder-mystery novel “Ryan’s Christmas” by LJ Ross.

Images for kids

  • Chillingham Castle south front

    The south front

  • Chillingham Castle courtyard

    Inside the courtyard

  • Chillingham Castle Garden

    Italian garden from the battlements

  • Chillingham Castle, Chapel Window (34448467795)

    Chapel window

  • Roman breed of cattle (18703665186)

    Chillingham cattle

  • Mounted statue and woodland ride, Chillingham Castle

    Statue of Viscount Gough

  • Chillingham-symbol

    'Bat' weather vane on top of castle

  • Chillinghamcastlemorris edited

    A 19th-century view of the castle from the south

  • Chillingham Castle from the Italian Garden

    The castle from the east, across its Italian Garden

  • Chillingham Castle great hall

    The Great hall, used as a filming location for the 1998 historical film Elizabeth. The fireplaces are film props.

  • Lady berkeley

    Lady Mary Berkeley, whose ghost is said to be faintly heard in the castle

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Castillo de Chillingham para niños

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