Visit to Alnwick Castle- seen in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey

One moment you are a wizard, the next a medieval knight. You can do all these and more at the Alnwick Castle, an 11^th century castle in the town of Alnwick in the Northumberland county, England.

The castle has been home to the Percy family for the past 700 years, and had seen many changes. It was once a humble motte and bailey castle, which was essentially a fortified wooden/ stone keep on a raised hill. Years of transformation turned it into the palatial residence you see today. A visit to the Alnwick Castle includes a tour of the lavish state rooms, the impressive  towers and the network of dungeons.

The real draw of the Alnwick Castle, however,  are the activities you can do here. The quintessential medieval look of the castle makes it a perfect location for film and TV productions and two of the most famous productions shot here are the Harry Potter series and Downton Abbey.

Downton Abbey

The castle was featured in both the 2014 and 2015 Downton Abbey Christmas Special- the series finale. Filming took place in the state rooms, the castle grounds and the Hulne Abbey, so you might find some familiar sights here at Alnwick if you’re a faithful Downton Abbey fan.

There’s another bonus for Downton Abbey enthusiasts. The castle just started a Downton Abbey exhibition, complete with photographs, costumes and props from the filming of the two episodes. If you visit in groups, there’s an exclusive Downton Abbey State Rooms tour that you can register for (call local line 01665 511 184 to book or register your interest).

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Aspiring wizards can visit Alnwick to practice their broomstick flying skills. The castle grounds was the filming location of the scene where Harry and friends took their first flying lesson. If you remember, poor Neville Longbottom was figuring out what was in his memory ball when Draco Malfoy decided to grab it from him and take it on a flying spree, prompting Harry to go after him. At the same spot in the movie, there are resident “wizarding professors” teaching the increasingly popular broomstick training sessions. Trainees get to mount the broomsticks and get into positions for their take-off, or rather, to create that realistic take-off pose for the camera for impressing friends on social media.

There are daily sessions for Broomstick training, but do check out the What’s On board when you arrive at the castle for the times, because they’re different every day. Don’t go looking for the charges though, because it’s absolutely free with your admission ticket. And don’t be embarrassed if you’re not a kid, there’s no age limit for broomstick training.

Tip: Broomstick training sessions are popular, so if you’re visiting on a weekend or during the school holiday, you will need to collect a time-slot ticket upon your arrival from the Knight’s Quest professor.  Otherwise, you might be heading home without this basic wizarding skill.

Knight’s Quest

You have seen this in a million movies, courageous knights in shining armor saving the day. Now, you can be one by taking part in Knight’s Quest, based on the late medieval English Nobleman Harry Hotspur, who was born in Alnwick Castle and was known as Harry Hotspur. The quest was set in 1389, and visitors can dress up in all medieval costumes to get into character. There are outfits for both adult and children. Don’t be shy about feeling dressing up, the outfits really help to hurtle you back to centuries past.  You can then wander the castle and mingle with other “knights” and “ladies” in the castle and experience the medieval life you’ve seen in movies so many times.

The little ones can learn to create medieval crafts, taught by costumes artisans in the castle. There are different crafts being shown each day, ranging from creating pots, medieval tiles to writing an illuminated manuscript.

Perhaps the most exciting of Knight’s Quest is the Dragon Quest. Dressed as a courageous knight, you have to enter the dragon’s lair and go through a series of challenges (both mental and physical) to come up close with Northumberland’s most terrifying dragon and show your bravery.

Tip: Again, there isn’t any additional charge for you to live out your Medieval Knight’s fantasy, but do visit early so you get to pick and choose the medieval finery you fancy.

Arts and Collections

The Alnwick castle isn’t just all activities or lavish state rooms. It is also home to one of the country’s best private collection of art, furniture and ceramics.  You can also find a sizeable collection of Italian Renaissance art, including paintings and sculptures.

When you tour the state rooms, do look closely at the furniture, most with ornate craftsmanship with unique designs. Also don’t forget to look up, the wooden ceilings were artfully crafted by Alnwick’s School of Carving, as are the doors and window shutters. Word is that just one panel of the shutter took one craftsman a year to complete. That’s painstaking work, and also to illustrate how much effort took into perfecting the design.

If pretty porcelain is your thing, then Alnwick will set your heart into palpitations. Featuring mostly European pieces, there are ceramics collection here dates back centuries ago, with extensive services from the Meissen, Chelsea, and Paris factories.

Exhibitions

There are more than a handful of exhibitions at Alnwick for different interests. There’s an exhibit on the first World War and how the castle played a part in it, an exhibit on Harry Hotspur that showcased the life of Alnwick’s most famous resident, a peek into the castle’s cellars, where the Keeper of the Lost Souls leads you on a journey down the mysterious cellars and more.

Safe to say, you need to spend at least half a day at Alnwick Castle to wander around and partake in the activities here. If there’s a castle you absolutely have to visit, Alnwick is a pretty good pick. Not only does the castle structure itself appeals, but the activities, exhibits and its usage as a filming location. Throughout the year, there are also different events and activities, You can join The Knight’s School, Catch the Goblin Queen and Dragon, Or enroll in Archery Class. It’s like visiting multiple attractions in one place.

Tip: Alnwick Castle typically closes for the winter, so make sure you check that it’s open before you visit.

Adult tickets to the castle costs 14.95 pounds, while senior citizens get in at 11.95 pounds. Child tickets are at 6.97 pounds and those under five enter for free.

Tip: if you book your tickets online at AlnwickCastle.com, you enjoy a 10 percent discount.

 

Picture Sources: Wikipedia, AlnwickCastle.com, Warner Brothers, Dailymail.co.uk