Key facts
- Operator
- English Heritage
- Condition
- Ruin
- Access
- Free, open access
Pinpoint
B6341, Edlingham, Alnwick NE66 2BW
Telephone 0370 333 1181
Possible Opening hours
Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
A small ruin that began as a 12th-century manor house for the de Edlingham family before border troubles with Scotland forced it into a proper fortification by the 14th century. It sits at the end of a short, grassy path from a free car park by the parish church, which is itself worth a look.
Worth the trip
The setting - reviewers repeatedly describe the walk down through the church and along the path to the ruins as more memorable than the castle's remaining fabric.
Before you go
The path from the car park can be soggy and uneven after rain, so wear boots rather than trainers; it's free to park and enter, and most visitors are done within half an hour.
Reviewers consistently enjoy Edlingham as a quiet, free, off-the-beaten-track ruin, reached by a short walk from a small car park past a medieval church. The leaning solar tower is mentioned as a distinctive and memorable feature. There's no significant criticism across these reviews, beyond a couple of notes that there are no toilets on site.
“The most beautiful place to visit.. free entry..walk down the lane past the church.. very well maintained.. couldn't believe I was the only one there!”— David Bates, visitor review
