The Kingdom of Northumbria

The walking tour of Durham will help you discover this beautiful 1000 year old city. Whilst strolling along cobbled streets and riverside footpaths, you will view some of the world's best architecture and encounter gripping tales of the Kings, Prince Bishops and local people who have made Durham one of England's most fascinating and historically significant cities. Take in spectacular views of Durham Cathedral and Castle, which are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  During the Saxon, Norman and Medieval periods, the Prince Bishops of Durham had ecclesiastical and political sovereignty over County Durham. Their influence touched all aspects of the county’s life and left a fascinating legacy, which can still be traced today. 

The oldest part of Crook Hall was built by Peter del Croke in the first half of the 14th century. It's likely to have replaced an earlier building. Following the del Croke family residency, Crook Hall had a series of short-term tenants until 1372, when Alan de Billingham took ownership.  Wander through a series of interlinked gardens, each with its own character. Intriguing paths lead you to blooming borders, secluded walled gardens, an orchard and a tranquil moat pool. Sheltered spots tempt you to sit a while and soak up your surroundings. Views of Durham Cathedral are a reminder that this green oasis is close to the heart of the city.  The gardens complement each other, while differing in age and personality. Formal areas with neat lines and topiary hedges border traditional English cottage gardens, boasting a colourful medley of roses, wisteria, perennials, trees and shrubs. The serene moat pool is planted with water lilies, hosta and iris. The gentle sound of running water and views towards fields and woodlands beyond the gardens enhance its peaceful appeal. The gardens are a haven for wildlife, alive with bees and butterflies collecting nectar from flowers, ducks and moorhens on the pond and songbirds in the trees,  

Cragside is a Victorian Tudor Revival country house near the town of Rothbury in Northumberland. It was the home of William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong, founder of the Armstrong Whitworth armaments firm.  An industrial magnate, scientist, philanthropist and inventor of the hydraulic crane and the Armstrong gun, Armstrong also displayed his inventiveness in the domestic sphere, making Cragside the first house in the world to be lit using hydroelectric power.  In the grounds, Armstrong built dams and lakes to power a sawmill, a water-powered laundry, early versions of a dishwasher and a dumb waiter, a hydraulic lift and a hydroelectric rotisserie.  In 1887, Armstrong was raised to the peerage, the first engineer or scientist to be ennobled, and became Baron Armstrong of Cragside. The original building consisted of a small shooting lodge which Armstrong built between 1862 and 1864.  In 1869, he employed the architect Richard Norman Shaw to enlarge the site, and in two phases of work between 1869 and 1882, they transformed the house into a northern Neuschwanstein.  Armstrong filled the house with a significant art collection.  Cragside became an integral part of Armstrong's commercial operations: honoured guests under Armstrong's roof, including the Shah of Persia, the King of Siam and two future Prime Ministers of Japan, were also customers for his commercial undertakings.    

Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England, which constitutes the civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. In 635AD Saint Aidan came from Iona and chose to found his monastery on the island of Lindisfarne.  The monastery was destroyed during the Viking invastions but re-established as a priory following the Norman Conquest of England. Other notable sites built on the island are St Mary the Virgin parish church (originally built 635 AD and restored in 1860), Lindisfarne Castle, several lighthouses and other navigational markers, and a complex network of lime kilns. In the present day, the island is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a hotspot for historical tourism and bird watching.  As of February 2020, the island had three pubs, a hotel and a post office.  

Bamburgh is a village on the coast of Northumberland. The extensive beach by the village was awarded the Blue Flag rural beach award in 2005. The Bamburgh Dunes, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, stand behind the beach. Bamburgh is popular with holidaymakers and is within the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Beauty.

Alnwick Castle is a castle and country house in Alnwick in the county of Northumberland. It is the seat of the 12th Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman conquest and renovated and remodelled a number of times. Within the imposing castle keep, are the beautifully decorated State Rooms. Home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, the rooms are filled with treasures and stories from Alnwick Castle’s history. Its State Rooms house an outstanding collection and  paintings include works by Titian, Canaletto, Van Dyck, and William Dobson. Furniture highlights are two Baroque cabinets made for Versailles, 18th-century chairs and tables by John Linnell, Regency furniture by Nicholas Morel and Robert Hughes and a marquetry table by Blakes of London. The collection also comprises porcelain by Meissen, Sèvres and Minton. The Alnwick Garden is a complex of formal gardens adjacent to Alnwick Castle in the town of Alnwick.  Alnwick Garden, designed by the Duchess of Northumberland, is a unique contemporary landscape where you can lose yourself in the mysterious Bamboo Labyrinth, explore the Poison Garden and discover the Grand Cascade.  The gardens have a long history under the dukes of Northumberland, but fell into disrepair until revived at the turn of the 21st century.