Country House Corner – Alnwick Castle
Northumbria is famed for its castles, and unless you insist on a sea view, Alnwick must be the king of them. Thanks to extensive restoration from the 18th century to the present day, Alnwick is no roofless ruin. This English nobleman’s castle is also very much his sumptuous family home.
For visitors there is plenty to occupy a whole family, including children’s activities in the Artisan’s Court, the famed broomstick training for Harry Potter fans and a stunning art collection including works by Canaletto, Titian, Turner and Lanfranco. Enthusiasts will enjoy a tour of locations used for films including Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Downton Abbey and Harry Potter, and everywhere there is a real sense of what a castle is all about.
After a thousand turbulent years of Horrible History, the Percy family have not lost the art of extracting money from the people. So don’t take your English Heritage card, just a healthy credit card. Entry to the famous garden and quirky Lilidorei children’s fantasy attraction are extra. To get your money’s worth remember that your tickets last for a year!
Away from films, fun and fantasy it’s worth reflecting on the real history of the place, the location for so many key scenes from that game of thrones that formed our nation’s history. The wealth and power of the Percy family migrated from Normandy in the aftermath of William’s conquest. Many Percys met their end in murder, execution or battle, including the most famous, Harry “Hotspur”, whose nickname entered our language. Immortalised by Shakespeare, he died in battle at Shrewsbury - as he lived - by the sword.
The interior decoration of the staterooms is fabulous, but for me the most thought-provoking was the Lower Guard Chamber where the walls are covered, not with silk, but with artistically arranged weapons. Power, opulence and violence stick together like a dysfunctional family.
As I returned to the car park after our family day out, I wondered whether history is destined to be governed forever by extreme wealth and violence, or can we break the vicious cycle? Will our human family choose to live together in peace and justice?
Or not? Bob Turner