Alnwick Castle Grounds

Alnwick Castle’s Grounds are a blend of history, natural beauty, and peaceful spaces to explore. Stretching from the River Aln to the Castle’s ancient walls, the Grounds provide a perfect setting for gentle walks, picnics, photography, or simply enjoying the scenery.

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The Pastures and the Lion Bridge

The Pastures, the grassy area to the north of Alnwick Castle, were carefully designed in the 1700s by the famous landscape architect Capability Brown. His work created sweeping views across the grounds and peaceful reflections of the Castle in the River Aln.

The Lion Bridge, designed by the renowned architect Robert Adam in the 1770s, is one of the most iconic features of the Alnwick landscape. Topped with a lion representing the Percy family, the bridge has remained a striking landmark for over two centuries.

Spanning the River Aln, the Lion Bridge provides stunning views of the Castle, making it a favourite spot for photographers.

The Baileys and Courtyards

The Inner and Outer Baileys are at the heart of Alnwick Castle. The Inner Bailey surrounds the keep and once housed a brewhouse, bakehouse, and chapel, traces of which remain today. The Outer Bailey, next to the Courtyard, was home to stables for 160 horses and the Exchequer House — and it’s now famous as the setting for broomstick lessons in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The Castle’s Courtyards linked these key areas and today welcome visitors with the Courtyard Café, gift shop, and the Artisans Courtyard amid historic walls and towers.

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Gun Terrace & Falconer’s Tower

The Gun Terrace and Falconer’s Tower offer some of the most spectacular panoramic views of Alnwick Castle and the surrounding Northumberland countryside. Historically, the terrace was part of the Castle’s defences and would have been lined with cannons to protect the estate. Today, visitors can enjoy the same vantage points used by soldiers centuries ago, making it a perfect spot for photography, spotting the River Aln, or simply taking in the dramatic landscape.

Fun fact: Falconer’s Tower was once associated with the Castle’s birds of prey, used for falconry displays, giving the terrace its name.

Castle Towers & Structures

The Barbican

The Barbican is a fortified entrance to the castle and its strongest medieval defence. Finished in 1475, it extends 19 metres from the walls and was designed to slow down attackers with various obstacles.

Despite many attempts, Alnwick Castle was never taken by force.
Lion Arch

Built in the 1800s, the Lion Arch replaced an earlier gateway from the 1700s that led to the castle’s gardens and parkland. It created the first entrance on this side of the grounds and now connects to The Alnwick Garden. Its grand look has made it a popular filming location, appearing in productions like Harry Potter, Downton Abbey, and Transformers.
Curtain Wall

The curtain wall is a defensive wall around the perimeter of the castle. Curtain walls had to be strong enough to withstand sieges and high enough to make them difficult to scale with ladders. The defence of a castle could be conducted from the curtain walls.

As well as large towers on each corner, the curtain wall of Alnwick Castle includes several smaller watch towers, called guerites or garrets.
The Prudhoe Tower

This square tower was built in the 19th century; its foundation stone was laid in 1854. The name comes from the title of Baron Prudhoe, which the 4th Duke of Northumberland was known by before he inherited the dukedom.

The Prudhoe Tower includes the Front Hall, Upper Guard Chamber and Library. The tower shows a Percy lion and heraldic symbols of the family. A chapel was also built next to the Prudhoe Tower at this time.
Octagonal Towers

The Octagonal Towers were built in the 14th century during the time of the 2nd Lord Percy. They are decorated with 13 shields of notable medieval families, topped with eight stone figures.

The archway leads to the main entrance of the Keep, so the towers act as a form of defensive gatehouse. The ground floor of the right tower contains a guard room, and below it, an underground chamber which may have been the castle prison.
The Constable’s Tower

Built in the 14th century, the Constable's Tower has remained largely unchanged. The Constable managed the castle, especially when the Percy family was away. In the late 1700s, it became an armoury for the Percy Tenantry Volunteers. Today, you can explore an exhibition about the regiment upstairs and see a 3D model of the castle from 1608 in the basement.
The Postern Tower

Named after a secret gateway used for surprise attacks or escapes, the Postern Tower now houses the Castle Museum. Opened in the 1820s by the 3rd Duke of Northumberland, it still displays centuries of archaeological finds collected by the Percy family.