County guide · The Castle Rolls
Best castles in Northumberland
16 castles survive in Northumberland - among the highest concentrations of any English county, a legacy of thirteen centuries as the most fought-over border in Britain. Above the village at Warkworth, you enter through an ancient bridge and gatehouse, and the Great Hall keeps the oversized windows visitors single out first. Bamburgh is still in the hands of the Armstrong family, and you can stay there in holiday apartments inside the castle towers.
Map
Every castle on this list - 16 in total, 5 free to enter, 4 you can stay overnight in
Bamburgh Castle
Northumberland
Holiday apartments in castle towers
Photo: Matthew Hartley, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Alnwick Castle
Northumberland
Seasonal opening, spring-autumn
Photo: Clementp.fr, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Warkworth Castle and Hermitage
Northumberland
Photo: Draco2008 from UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Lindisfarne Castle
Northumberland
Tudor fort converted by Lutyens; tidal-island access
Photo: matthew Hunt, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens
Northumberland
Medieval tower house plus Greek Revival hall
Photo: Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Dunstanburgh Castle
Northumberland
National Trust owned, EH managed; coastal walk access; also listed under National Trust
Photo: Tim Simpson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Chillingham Castle
Northumberland
Self-catering apartments in the castle
Photo: TSP, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Langley Castle
Northumberland
Daily battlements tour open to non-residents
Photo: Hadrianus1959, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Etal Castle
Northumberland Free entry
Free entry; shop and museum now closed
Photo: Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Prudhoe Castle
Northumberland Free entry
Free entry, grounds open daily 10am-4pm
Photo: Hadrianus1959, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Norham Castle
Northumberland Free entry
Free; open daily in season; some areas closed
Photo: Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Berwick-upon-Tweed Castle and Ramparts
Northumberland Free entry
Photo: Rosser1954, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Edlingham Castle
Northumberland Free entry
Aydon Castle
Northumberland
Fortified medieval manor house
Photo: Hadrianus1959, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Chipchase Castle
Northumberland
14th-century pele tower absorbed into a 1621 Jacobean mansion; Grade I listed and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Photo: Dr John Wells, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Morpeth Castle
Northumberland
Gatehouse holiday let
Photo: Sarah Clark, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Common questions
How many castles are there in Northumberland?
This roll lists 16 visitable castles, fortresses and tower houses in Northumberland. Of those, 5 are free to enter and 8 charge admission. The other 3 have restricted access.
Which castles in Northumberland are free to visit?
5 of the 16 castles in Northumberland are open-access sites with no admission charge, namely Etal Castle, Prudhoe Castle, Norham Castle, Berwick-upon-Tweed Castle and Ramparts and Edlingham Castle.
What is the best-rated castle in Northumberland?
Bamburgh Castle is among the highest-rated castles in Northumberland on this roll - 4.7/5 from 19,110 Google reviews.
Can you stay overnight in a castle in Northumberland?
Yes - 4 of the castles listed here offer overnight stays, namely Bamburgh Castle, Chillingham Castle, Langley Castle and Morpeth Castle.
Can you reach any castle in Northumberland by train?
4 of the 16 sit within 1.5 miles of a railway station, namely Morpeth Castle (Morpeth, 0.2 miles), Prudhoe Castle (Prudhoe, 0.3 miles), Berwick-upon-Tweed Castle and Ramparts (Berwick-upon-Tweed, 0.5 miles) and Langley Castle (Haydon Bridge, 1.4 miles). Those are straight-line distances from the station to the castle, so the walk on the ground is longer than the figure.
Can you go inside every castle in Northumberland?
Not all of them on the same terms. 3 of the 16 restrict what a visitor can see. Langley Castle and Morpeth Castle are hotels, so there is no way in without booking a room or a table. At Chipchase Castle you get the grounds or a booked tour rather than free run of the building.