Alnwick Castle: A historical timeline

The first written record of Alnwick Castle is found in 1138 where it is described as a ‘most heavily fortified’ structure. 

Over the centuries, it has undergone numerous expansions, renovations, and restorations, becoming the impressive structure we see today.

In the 12th century, Alnwick Castle was caught up in the conflict between England and Scotland. Located just 30 miles from the border, it was besieged by William the Lion, King of Scotland, in 1172 and again in 1174.

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

In the early 14th century, Henry Percy purchased Alnwick Castle and spent the next 40 years transforming it into a formidable border fortress.

Along with his son, Percy added towers, watch posts, and a strong gatehouse. They also built a secret back gate for emergencies and reinforced the central gateway with two large octagonal towers. Decorative stone figures placed on the walls may have been used to give the illusion of a more heavily defended castle.

By the mid-to-late 1400s, the impressive barbican protecting Alnwick Castle was in place—and it still stands today. Though its origins may trace back to Henry Percy’s work, historians are not certain.

What is known is that the 4th Earl of Northumberland updated the barbican in 1475, adding his badge and reinforcing it following multiple sieges during the Wars of the Roses. The barbican remained the castle’s main entrance and first line of defence until the 1700s.

During the Tudor period, castles like Alnwick became harder to defend as cannon and artillery became more powerful, and were less comfortable as residences for families like the Percys. In 1567, the 7th Earl of Northumberland hired George Clarkson to survey his northern properties, including the castle.

Clarkson’s detailed survey is one of the most useful sources for understanding how Alnwick Castle operated centuries ago.

By the late 1600s, Alnwick Castle had fallen into disuse, suffering from  the Percy family’s focus on their southern estates and the effects of civil war.

After the Battle of Dunbar in 1650, thousands of Scottish prisoners were kept overnight in the castle grounds on their forced march south from the battlefield to Durham. 

A late 17th century painting depicts the castle in disrepair, with a chapel in decay and trees growing from the stonework.

In 1766, King George III elevated the Percy family to a dukedom. The 1st Duke and Duchess chose to restore Alnwick Castle, transforming it from a military fortress into a grand residence.

Architects Daniel Garrett, James Paine, and Robert Adam redesigned it in Gothic style, while Lancelot "Capability" Brown transformed the surrounding landscape.

See if you can spot the characteristic features of Capability Brown's work here at Alnwick Castle on your next visit.

Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland disliked the ‘fairytale gothic’ style his ancestors had instilled on Alnwick Castle. He employed the architect Anthony Salvin to restore Alnwick Castle’s exteriors, creating a more medieval-looking appearance once again.

For the State Rooms, however, Algernon embraced his love of the Italian Renaissance style, giving the rooms the lavish style of a palazzo with an art collection to match.

By the time Hugh Percy inherited the dukedom in 1940, the castle no longer had the large team of live-in servants it once had. Instead, a school of evacuees from nearby Newcastle upon Tyne took up residence in the areas once used by domestic staff.

From the late 1940s to 1977, these spaces became home to Alnwick Teacher Training College, and from 1981, they provided accommodation and classrooms for St. Cloud State University of Minnesota.