Near a city · The Castle Rolls
Castles near Newcastle
21 castles sit within 40 miles of Newcastle, including its own city-centre keep and the Northumberland coast fortresses a little further out.
Map
Every castle on this list - 22 in total, 3 free to enter, 8 you can stay overnight in
Newcastle Castle
Tyne and Wear · 1 mi away
Keep and Black Gate
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Hylton Castle
Tyne and Wear · 8 mi away
Free pre-booked tours with Hylton Castle Trust; also listed under Hylton Castle Trust
Photo: FropFrop, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Tynemouth Priory and Castle
Tyne and Wear · 8 mi away
Castle gatehouse and priory on headland
Photo: Thenorthmannn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Lumley Castle
County Durham · 9 mi away
Dining and events open to non-residents
Prudhoe Castle
Northumberland · 10 mi away Free entry
Free entry, grounds open daily 10am-4pm
Photo: Hadrianus1959, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens
Northumberland · 13 mi away
Medieval tower house plus Greek Revival hall
Photo: Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Morpeth Castle
Northumberland · 13 mi away
Gatehouse holiday let
Photo: Sarah Clark, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Durham Castle
County Durham · 14 mi away
Guided tours; B&B during university vacations
Photo: Tim Green from Bradford, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Aydon Castle
Northumberland · 15 mi away
Fortified medieval manor house
Photo: Hadrianus1959, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Brancepeth Castle
County Durham · 17 mi away
~76 open days yearly; castle holiday flat
Photo: Jo Turner, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Auckland Castle
County Durham · 22 mi away
Former bishops' palace-castle, restored 2019; self-catering Auckland Palace Stays cottages sit yards from the gates
Photo: Paul Buckingham, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Chipchase Castle
Northumberland · 24 mi away
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
Warkworth Castle and Hermitage
Northumberland · 25 mi away
Photo: Draco2008 from UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Langley Castle
Northumberland · 25 mi away
Daily battlements tour open to non-residents
Photo: Hadrianus1959, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Raby Castle
County Durham · 28 mi away
Photo: GlenBowman, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Walworth Castle
County Durham · 29 mi away
16thC castle hotel near Darlington
Photo: Worldfootage, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Edlingham Castle
Northumberland · 29 mi away Free entry
Alnwick Castle
Northumberland · 30 mi away
Seasonal opening, spring-autumn
Photo: Clementp.fr, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Barnard Castle
County Durham · 32 mi away
Photo: Worldfootage, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Dunstanburgh Castle
Northumberland · 35 mi away
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
Bowes Castle
County Durham · 36 mi away Free entry
Massive Norman keep ruin
Photo: Gordon Hatton, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Chillingham Castle
Northumberland · 39 mi away
Self-catering apartments in the castle
Photo: TSP, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Distances are straight-line ("as the crow flies"), not driving or train time - check the operator's own site for real travel options before you go.
Common questions
How many castles are there within 40 miles of Newcastle?
This roll lists 22 visitable castles, fortresses and tower houses within 40 miles of Newcastle. Of those, 3 are free to enter and 11 charge admission. The other 8 have restricted access.
Which castles within 40 miles of Newcastle are free to visit?
3 of the 22 castles within 40 miles of Newcastle are open-access sites with no admission charge, namely Prudhoe Castle, Edlingham Castle and Bowes Castle.
What is the best-rated castle within 40 miles of Newcastle?
Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens is among the highest-rated castles within 40 miles of Newcastle on this roll - 4.7/5 from 2,677 Google reviews.
Can you stay overnight in a castle within 40 miles of Newcastle?
Yes - 8 of the castles listed here offer overnight stays, including Lumley Castle, Morpeth Castle, Durham Castle and Brancepeth Castle.
Can you reach any castle within 40 miles of Newcastle by train?
7 of the 22 sit within 1.5 miles of a railway station, the closest being Morpeth Castle (Morpeth, 0.2 miles), Prudhoe Castle (Prudhoe, 0.3 miles), Newcastle Castle (Newcastle, 0.3 miles) and Durham Castle (Durham, 0.3 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 within 40 miles of Newcastle?
Not all of them on the same terms. 8 of the 22 restrict what a visitor can see. Lumley Castle, Morpeth Castle, Langley Castle and Walworth Castle are hotels, so there is no way in without booking a room or a table. At Hylton Castle, Durham Castle, Brancepeth Castle and Chipchase Castle you get the grounds or a booked tour rather than free run of the building.