Wandering along Alnwick Castle's extensive walls and terraces is a great way to appreciate its impressive setting, with fantastic views over the surrounding countryside of rural Northumberland and the 'Capability' Brown-designed landscape. The impenetrable stone towers around the Inner and Outer Baileys are home to several fascinating museums and exhibitions.
Percy Tenantry Museum
During the Napoleonic Wars with France from 1803 to 1815, England faced a very real threat of invasion. No single act in Percy history demonstrates better the workings of a great landed estate, the interplay of characters and events, and the fusing of national and local concerns, than the raising of the Percy Tenantry Volunteers in 1798 to defend Alnwick from the French.
The stories told in this fascinating exhibition, housed in the Constable's Tower, are based on the real-life personal histories of some of those involved, found in the surviving records.
The Castle Museum
The Postern Tower houses an important collection of British and Irish archaeology which provides a window into Northumberland's ancient past. It has been a museum since 1826, when the 3rd Duke of Northumberland opened it to the public to share his passion for archaeology. The 3rd Duke financed many important archaeological digs.
The Fusiliers Museum of Northumberland
The Abbot's Tower is the home of the Fusiliers Museum of Northumberland, founded to celebrate the history of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers as part of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
The Fusiliers have fought in various campaigns since they were raised in 1674, including the American Revolutionary War and both World Wars. Discover a fascinating collection of uniforms, medals, weapons, paintings and memorabilia from various historical campaigns.
Visit www.northumberlandfusiliers.org.uk for more information.
Entry to the museums is included in the admission charge for the castle. There is limited access to the first and second floor displays, and wheelchair access to the ground floor only.