A Timeline of Alnwick Castle's History

An account by the Prior of Hexham describes Alnwick as a "heavily fortified castle" ("munitissimum castellum"). The castle was likely established decades earlier, as King Malcolm III of Scotland was killed while attempting to capture it in 1093.

The archway leading into the Inner Courtyard, shown here, dates from this period.

From the 12th century onwards, Alnwick Castle was part of ongoing conflicts between England and Scotland. Just 30km from the border, it was besieged by William the Lion, the King of Scotland,  in both 1172 and 1174. 

William was captured during the second attack and forced to pledge loyalty to King Henry II of England.

A stone plaque outside Alnwick Castle's parkland (pictured) commemorates William's capture.

Henry de Percy became the 1st Lord Percy of Alnwick after acquiring the Castle and barony in 1309. Over the following decades, he and his son transformed it into a mighty border fortress, adding strong towers and a well-defended curtain wall.
 
The 2nd Lord Percy of Alnwick created two tall gatehouse towers that still stand today. Decorated with shields, they also display stone figures, a feature that was recreated elsewhere in the Castle centuries later.

Learn more about the Percy family and their role in the history of Alnwick Castle.

By the 15th century the Barbican (an 'outer fortification') was both the main entrance to Alnwick Castle and a first line of defence, full of obstacles to deter attackers.

Following a series of sieges during the Wars of the Roses, in 1475 the 4th Earl of Northumberland put the finishing touches to the Barbican, adding his badge over the entrance archway.

While tensions and warfare between England and Scotland continued through the 16th century, Alnwick Castle was required less frequently by the Percy family, who were also key parts of the courts of different Tudor monarchs.

In 1567, Thomas Percy, the 7th Earl, had his surveyor George Clarkson write a detailed account of the condition of Alnwick Castle. Clarkson's Survey is a valuable source for our knowledge about the Castle's past.

Around 40 years later, Ralph Tresswell made illustrated plans of the Castle.

A detail of Tresswell's 1608 plan is pictured here.

During the civil wars of the mid-17th century, Alnwick Castle avoided significant damage, though it was used to house thousands of prisoners after the Battle of Dunbar in 1650.

By the end of this century, the male Percy line had died out, and the Castle was no longer actively used. It did not become a ruin, but by the mid-18th century was in need of significant repair.

Image: Late 17th century painting of the castle by Peter Hartover. 

In 1750, heiress Elizabeth Percy and her husband Hugh, who had taken her name, returned to Alnwick and made the decision to restore the Castle as their northern seat, creating a grand palace in the fashionable Gothic style.

Great architects and designers were employed in the restoration, including Robert Adam and Northumberland-born Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, whose work on the landscape around Alnwick Castle can still be seen today.

Venetian artist Canaletto painted the Castle, capturing how it may have appeared before these major works began.

In 1766, Hugh and Elizabeth were made the 1st Duke and Duchess of Northumberland by King George III.

Algernon Percy, the 4th Duke, had very different ideas to his ancestors for the architectural and interior styles of Alnwick Castle. In the middle decades of the 19th century, he employed architect Anthony Salvin to reproduce a more medieval appearance. Among other things, Salvin created the Prudhoe Tower and the Great Kitchen for this restoration.

Inside the State Rooms, the 4th Duke wanted the lavish style of the Italian Renaissance. Italians Luigi Canina and Giovanni Montiroli oversaw the work, which resulted in the stunning spaces visitors see today.

n the years following the First World War, in which members of the Percy family and over 100 Castle staff served, the domestic and servants' areas of Alnwick Castle were used less and less frequently.

As a result, during the Second World War these areas were repurposed. Evacuees from Newcastle used the Castle as a school, and after the war, an emergency teacher training college was set up. This was fully established by the end of the 1940s, and remained in place until the 1970s, when St Cloud State University, Minnesota, USA, took over the spaces.

Ralph Percy, the 12th Duke of Northumberland, inherited Alnwick Castle in 1995. Since then, he and his family have continued to share their home with visitors from across the world.

Over the past few years, the Duke has overseen an extensive programme of conservation to preserve Alnwick Castle as a beautiful place for everyone who visits. 

It now draws thousands of film fans, history lovers, and family groups to its impressive walls every year.