Find the nearest History & Heritage in Northumberland
Our History and Heritage category brings all Coast Radar’s Northumberland listings related to looking for something to do or a place to visit together where they offer some form of historic or heritage based activity.
Finding the best things to see and do on a Northumberland day out with your family or friends is easy – simply explore the historic and heritage links below, hit the jump to my location button or use the search bar to plan your next Northumberland activity.
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- Berwick Barracks, among the first in England to be purpose-built. Today the Barracks hosts a number of attractions, including ‘By Beat of Drum’ – an exhibition on the life of the British infantryman. While there, visit the King’s Own Scottish Borderers Museum, the Berwick Gymnasium Art Gallery and the Berwick Borough Museum.
- Harbottle Castle was built in the 12th century. It was a typical Norman motte and bailey castle built of earth and timber. In the 13th century, a stone castle replaced the earlier building. The castle was destroyed and rebuilt many times in the wars with Scotland between the 12th and 16th centuries. Most of the stone from the castle was reused to make later buildings, but the layout of the castle can still be seen from the form of the earthworks that survive. Some good walks to Drake’s Stone and a hilltop lake.
- Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens. Explore a spectacular medieval castle, a Greek Revival villa and thirty acres of stunning Grade I gardens linking the two.
- Etal Castle, built in the mid-14th century on the strategic River Till ford as defence against Scottish raiders.
- Take a journey through the coal town and uncover the life of a coal mining community. Woodhorn also houses 800 years of Northumberland archival artefacts.
- Kielder Castle overlooks Kielder Village, and was the former hunting lodge for the Duke of Northumberland. Now it is home to the Kielder Forest and Birds of Kielder exhibitions as well as local collections of artwork at the Duchess art gallery.
- Wallington, mansion with fine interiors and collections, set in an extensive garden, parkland and Northumberland moorland, the ‘Border Reiver’ territory.
- Berwick Bridge is a grade I listed 17th century stone bridge which spans the River Tweed at Berwick upon Tweed in Northumberland. Also known as Old Bridge, four previous bridges have stood on the same site with the oldest dating back to 1199. The bridge is 355 metres long by 5 metres wide, with 15 arches. Today, the bridge is one-way from east to west. The main road traffic either crosses the river at the concrete Royal Tweed Bridge or uses the Berwick bypass.
- Paxton House is an 18th century country house in Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland. Described as one of the finest examples of neo-Palladian architecture in Scotland, Paxton House was built between 1758 and 1763 by John Adam for Patrick Home. Paxton houses one of the foremost collections of Chippendale furniture as well as other valuable antiques and paintings. Visitors today can tour the house in all its splendour. The gardens are also well worth a visit, as the onsite gift shop and restaurant. Open from March to November.
- Bamburgh Castle is a Norman castle situated on the Northumbrian coast at Bamburgh. The castle is a grade I listed building and was once the Royal Seat of the Kings of Northumbria. Now it is a family home. With its location on a rocky plateau overlooking the sea, Bamburgh has witnessed much turbulent history over the centuries. Owned by the Armstrong family since the late 19th century, the castle is open to the public and has also been used as a film location many times.
- Norham Castle, commanding a vital ford over the River Tweed, Norham was one of the strongest of the border castles.
- Chillingham Castle is a medieval castle situated in the Northumberland village of Chillingham in north-eastern England. Built originally as a monastery in the late 12th century, it was owned by the Grey family and their descendants from the beginning right up until the 1980s. Now owned by Sir Humphrey and Lady Wakefield, Chillingham is open to the public for much of the year. Visitors can wander around this medieval fortress, gasp at its dungeons and torture chambers as well as stroll through the beautiful landscaped gardens.
