The Alnwick Castle Podcast: Recent Episodes
Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle is one of North East England's top visitor attractions and has been part of British history for nearly 1,000 years. Now, Alnwick Castle has a podcast! Join host Daniel and regular special guests as they discuss fascinating aspects of Alnwick Castle's history, from the people that lived there to its connections with famous events, its place as a filming location, and more. New episodes will be available every two weeks - make sure to subscribe so you don't miss any!
Have you heard the story of Henry Hugh Manvers Percy? This 19th century member of the Percy family won a Victoria Cross for his actions in the Battle of Inkerman, one of the crucial fights during the Crimean War, and his story is told in the book 'A Bearskin's Crimea' by Algernon Percy, newly re-released in an expanded an illustrated edition.
We are joined by the author on this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, where he explains who Henry Percy was, some of his actions in the Crimea, and the origins of the Victoria Cross, among many other things. If you are interested in this period of history, this episode and the book are definitely for you; and if you have not heard anything about the Crimean War beyond names like Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole or the Charge of the Light Bridge, well, we hope this episode and the book are for you too!
You can get a copy of 'A Bearskin's Crimea' now. Buy directly from Alnwick Castle at alnwickcastle.com/shop , or you can also order it online through Waterstones.
And don't forget to look out for Henry Percy's sword on display in the State Rooms next time you visit Alnwick Castle!
Marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and continuing our theme from the last podcast, this month we are looking at some of the connections Alnwick Castle has had with the United States across history.
In this episode, you will hear the stories of George Percy, one of the first English settlers in Virginia; the illegitimate son of the 1st Duke of the Northumberland whose money helped to create a world-famous institution in America; Eustace Percy, who worked in Washington DC during the First World War; and three modern American icons who visited Alnwick Castle or with whom its owners shared a historic moment.
We hope you enjoy this special USA-themed podcast. For more American links, try our most recent episode inspired by the new exhibition at Alnwick Castle, "Earl Percy and the American Revolutionary War".
The US flag has 50 stars ... we would be very grateful if you borrowed five and gave The Alnwick Castle Podcast a five-star review!
Marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence in 1776, this year Alnwick Castle features a brand new exhibition for visitors to see. "The Shot Heard Round The World: Earl Percy and the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)" tells the story of the American war of independence from the perspective of Hugh Percy, known at the time as Earl Percy, who was there fighting on the British side.
Percy arrived in Boston in 1774, saw action in some of the earliest fighting of the American Revolution and continued his role through 1776 in New York before returning to England in 1777. To tell us more about Earl Percy and the American Revolutionary War, we asked our archivist Chris Hunwick to show us around the exhibition for the podcast!
From Chris, you will hear about how the exhibition came together, and get an in-depth exploration of the contents. Chris gives us exclusive insights and readings into many of the documents and items on display, from a sketch map believed to be the first made of the war, to 18th century dollar bills, to Percy's logbooks and letters home.
Use this podcast as an audio guide if you visit the exhibition, or as a way to experience it from wherever you are in the world! If you come to Alnwick Castle in 2026, you will find the exhibition in the Breakfast Room, with other connected displays throughout the State Rooms.
We would love to hear what you think. Email podcast@alnwickcastle.com or leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!
Work In A Castle is the brand new platform for heritage careers from Historic Houses, where you can go to find out about the amazing, and very varied, job roles that a place like Alnwick Castle can offer. As a member property of Historic Houses, we are excited to be part of the platform, and to find out more, we spoke to Sarah Roller, Director of Policy and Public Affairs for the association.
Sarah talks about what makes working in a historic place so special, the unexpected pathways a heritage career can take, and her own way into the sector. If you are interested in working at a castle, or a palace, or a stately home, or a historic garden ... this may be the podcast episode for you!
To find out more, visit workinacastle.com or follow Work In A Castle on Instagram or LinkedIn.
To hear more about the work Historic Houses do, please head into our podcast back catalogue and find episode 67, where you'll find Sarah's first appearance on the pod!
We are delighted to welcome historian, author and broadcaster Tracy Borman back to Alnwick Castle on 24th April to speak about her new novel The House of Boleyn. Tickets are available now at alnwickcastle.com - we hope to see you there.
As a preview for the event, and in fact as a preview for the book, which is published just one day before Tracy returns to Alnwick, we spoke with her about The House of Boleyn. You will hear a little about what to expect from the talk on 24th April, as well as the process of writing and researching the book, discussion of the Boleyn household at Hever Castle, and the what ifs of Anne Boleyn's story.
Of course, we also get into the story of Anne and Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland, as well as how the court of Henry VIII was like being in The Traitors!
You might hear a little bit of crackling when you listen to the episode, this is a result of our remote recording but we have done our best to minimise it wherever possible.
We hope this podcast with Tracy Borman whets your appetite for what is sure to be a brilliant talk in April - get your tickets now!
Anne Boleyn may be one of the best-known figures in British history. But how much do you know about her connections to Alnwick Castle and the Percy family?
In this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, we explore the Boleyn-Percy connection in depth with two amazing experts: Natalie Grueninger, from the Talking Tudors podcast, and Owen Emmerson, from Hever Castle. Natalie and Owen explain the origins of the story that Anne Boleyn was engaged to the future 6th Earl of Northumberland, and the effect this would have on both their lives.
They also spend time discussing the Ecclesiasties, an amazing prayer book that survives in the Alnwick Castle archives and that once belonged to Anne Boleyn. Everything about this book, from the bindings to the images and ideas inside, is remarkable, and you will hear all about it.
You can see the Ecclesiastes in person this year at Hever Castle, where it has been loaned for the new exhibition about Anne, called Capturing A Queen. Visit their website for more details.
For more Tudors on the Alnwick Castle Podcast, please explore our back catalogue - there are several episodes to choose from! And look out for next month's episode where we will be joined once again by the brilliant Tracy Borman to discuss her latest book, The House Of Boleyn.
Welcome, and welcome back, to the first Alnwick Castle Podcast of 2026! Whether you are a brand new listener or you have been with us from the start, we hope you will enjoy what we have planned for the upcoming year, with new episodes arriving on the last Wednesday of every month.
We start 2026 with an in-depth biography of one of the most famous former owners of Alnwick Castle. Henry Percy, the 9th Earl of Northumberland, lived through the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, and was connected to many of the key events and people of those times. He was also known as the Wizard Earl for his interest in science, alchemy, and magic.
On this podcast, hosts Daniel and Deborah take you through the life of the Wizard Earl, including:
His early years
His relationships with his mother Katherine and wife Dorothy
His library collection and other "bookish matters"
How he became known as the Wizard Earl, and his scientific (or magical) experiments
His famous friends, rivals and (nearly) opponents in duels
His trial following the Gunpowder Plot, and imprisonment in the Tower of London
His relationships with his children, Dorothy, Lucy and Algernon
His attitudes towards women
And what was happening at Alnwick Castle and in the north during his lifetime.
We reference several other episodes of the podcast during this biography. For more details, please go back into our catalohue and look for the following episodes:
10 - Syon House
22 - The Gunpowder Plot and Alnwick Castle
31 - Women of Alnwick Castle (Part 2)
36 - The Tudors, the Percys and Syon House
43 - The History of Tennis
45 - Strange and Mysterious Alnwick Castle Tales
72 - The Border Reivers
83 - The Stolen Crown
For our final episode of 2025, we recommend grabbing your best wooly jumper and getting cosy as we learn all about the history of ... wool!
Company of Artisans, regular guests on the Alnwick Castle podcast, are experts on many different aspects of medieval craftsmanship, and on this episode, Karen and Charlie explain why wool was so important to the economy of medieval England - creating trade, funding wars, and providing employment across the country and society. You will hear the exhaustive process of how wool clothing was made, and some of the reasons why wool is no longer England's top export. You will also hear some of the stories of the history of wool in Northumberland, and from Alnwick Castle itself.
This is a fascinating deep-dive into centuries of history, and we hope it gives you a new perspective on your clothes!
For more from Company of Artisans, head into our podcast back catalogue, and don't forget to check us out on YouTube as well as our usual platforms!
We will be back with more episodes in 2026. If there's a subject you would like us to cover on the podcast, let us know: podcast@alnwickcastle.com .
Alnwick Castle would not look the way it does today without the work of Anthony Salvin, the principal architect for the restoration of the castle in the Victorian period. Salvin, one of the top architects of his day (especially when it came to castles), created a new entrance to the castle keep, added towers, and designed the Great Kitchen for the 4th Duke of Northumberland.
To find out more about Salvin, his life and his work - especially at Alnwick - we spoke to architectural historian and Country Life editor John Goodall, who explained why Salvin's work has been so significant to the development of Alnwick Castle, adapting to modern needs while calling back to other periods of history, and connecting the domestic space of the Great Kitchen with the grandeur of the State Rooms.
If you enjoyed the episode, you can hear John talk about Alnwick and other castles in Episode 6 of the podcast - or if you visit the castle, you can listen to him talk about the Constable's Tower in our museum!
If you visited Alnwick Castle this season (or last), you may have met Tastes Through Time, a living history duo who demonstrate and explore the changes in British domestic and social history - from Tudor crafts and skills to female roles in the Second World War. As their name suggests, they also look at how food and recipes have developed over the centuries.
This August, we spoke to Tastes Through Time - aka Lindsey and Georgina - while they were here with us at Alnwick Castle. They told us about their approach to history, as well as everything from the sumptuary laws on clothing restrictions to the best Victorian meals they would like to try in the Great Kitchen at Alnwick Castle - where they performed earlier this year.
This podcast was recorded "live" outside, in the grounds of Alnwick Castle, on a busy summer day, so you may hear more background noises and sounds than usual.
For more episodes of the podcast where you can hear from historical performers, head into our back catalogue for episode 60, featuring the Silly History Boys, or episode 40, with medieval musicians Trouvere. And we'll see you next month for another look back into history!
On 23rd September, we are delighted to welcome historian and broadcaster Tracy Borman back to Alnwick Castle to speak about her latest book The Stolen Crown: Treachery, Deceit and the Death of the Tudor Dynasty. And to give you a taste of what to expect if you buy a ticket to the event, we spoke with Tracy here on the podcast to find out all about the book.
Inspired by new discoveries made at the British Library, Tracy tells us about the succession crisis in the reign of Elizabeth I, and how the transition from the Tudors to the Stuart was not as straightforward as previously thought. You will hear the reasons why Elizabeth refused to name a successor during her long reign, how ordinary English people felt about the King of Scotland coming to the throne, and the key role that the Earls of Northumberland here at Alnwick Castle played. At the start of the Tudor period, the 5th Earl escorted Margaret Tudor to Scotland to marry James IV; and at the end, the 9th Earl kept up a secret correspondence with James VI in the years leading up to Elizabeth's death. He may have also had a claim to the throne of his own...
And of course, Tracy also tells us what to expect when she visits Alnwick Castle in person on 23rd September! Tickets are available now at alnwickcastle.com or on our page on Eventbrite.
The Stolen Crown is available from all good bookshops from 4th September, published by Hodder - or you can purchase your copy at our event on the 23rd!
At Alnwick Castle, the 4th Duke of Northumberland is probably best known for his restoration of the castle in the 1850s and 1860s, transforming the State Rooms and creating the Great Kitchen. But before all that work began, he had encountered a man named George Shaw, who was able to convince him to buy a number of pieces of antique furniture from old Percy properties. The problem? George had faked this furniture, making it himself, and deceiving the duke about its origins.
To find out more about this story, we spoke to Dr Peter Lindfield of Cardiff University - an expert on George Shaw - and Frances McIntosh of English Heritage, who looks after the Duke's Rooms at Warkworth Castle, where you can still see some of the George Shaw furniture bought by the 4th Duke. We found out just who George Shaw was, what happened when the duke figured out he'd been conned, and why this Victorian rogue might be considered a 19th century Robin Hood!
We hope you enjoy hearing all about it. To visit the Duke's Rooms, please visit the Warkworth Castle website through English Heritage for full information.
250 years ago, the American Revolutionary War effectively began with fighting at Lexington and Concord. Among the British soldiers present was Hugh Percy, eldest son of the 1st Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, and future 2nd Duke.
What was the heir to Alnwick Castle doing in America? What did he think of the country soon to be known as the United States? And what is his connection to Charles Lee (of Hamilton fame), who would become second-in-command to George Washington himself?
To answer these questions, and many more, we spoke to one of our favourite regular guests on the podcast, Bill Openshaw, whose new book The Road To Lexington chronicles Percy's letters and papers from his time in America, studied comprehensively for the first time. (You will also hear about a new discovery, of letters by another man from Alnwick who served in America, William Charleton.)
You can get a copy of the book from major online retailers, or right here at the Alnwick Castle gift shop.
For more about the 2nd Duke and Bill, look in our podcast back catalogue for episodes 'To the Call of Bugles', 'The 2nd Duke of Northumberland', and 'The Percy Tenantry Volunteers'.
Enjoy the episode? Throw us a review or five-star rating!
As well as the Great Kitchen of Alnwick Castle being opened to visitors for the first time in 2025, the suite of larder rooms connected to it are also available to see. One of these was the Game Larder - a very important space in the Victorian period for the types of meat that were stored in there ready to be cooked. And one of the ways that game was procured was the traditional pursuit of falconry!
With that in mind, who better to tell us about hunting with birds of prey at this time in history than Raphael Historic Falconry? We sat down with Emma and Mike - with an extra special guest appearance from Ella the goshawk, who you will hear at various points! - to learn about how falconry might have played a part in the processes of the castle Kitchens.
You will hear about the restoration of falconry as a fashionable 19th century gentleman's pursuit, and how it pushed the medieval and Tudor traditions of falconry forward. You'll also discover the kinds of birds used, how the game they caught would then be gutted, plucked and hung (skip ahead a minute or two if you have a sensitive stomach) and how Queen Victoria and the Duke of Wellington pioneered the use of birds of prey as pest control!
You can see Raphael Historic Falconry in action at Alnwick Castle this summer, where they'll be performing - hopefully with Ella the goshawk accompanying them! - on select dates in July and August. Please check our website for full details.
And for more from Emma, head all the way back to episode 4 of this podcast for an introduction to falconry and Alnwick Castle's links to this fascinating tradition.
Elizabeth Percy, 1st Duchess of Northumberland, who lived at Alnwick Castle in the middle decades of the 18th century, was a collector, courtier and artistic patron. But did you know she was also a regular theatregoer?
Her many diaries include various mentions of plays she saw, some of which were by William Shakespeare, and her collections include miniature portraits of famous actors and actresses. But what was Shakespeare and the theatre like for Georgian audiences? How did it change during the 1st Duchess' lifetime? And why is the 18th century important in the history of Shakespeare?
To find out more, we spoke to our regular Shakespearean expert, Ronan Paterson, and another special guest. Professor Ryuta Minami, of the Tokyo Keizai University of Economics, is an expert in theatre of the 17th and 18th centuries, and joined us for a fascinating conversation.
Among other things, you will hear how theatre and acting changed during this time, and how Shakespeare was changed for Georgian tastes; stories of the great actors of the 18th century, especially David Garrick, who had a few connections to the 1st Duchess; and Northumberland's own theatre history and traditions.
Speaking of this, we have a Shakespeare troupe visiting us this summer! The Three Inch Fools bring their production of A Midsummer Night's Dream to Alnwick Castle on 22 July. Find tickets on our website, by searching Three Inch Fools At Alnwick Castle, or by visiting https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-midsummer-nights-dream-presented-by-the-three-inch-fools-tickets-1289546200399 . It's one of our favourite plays (even if Samuel Pepys wouldn't agree!)
And for more Shakespeare on the Alnwick Castle Podcast, find our previous annual episodes in our feed - episode 8 for the castle's Shakespeare connections, episode 33 for Henry IV Part I, and episode 58 for Shakespeare's Wars of the Roses.
In the last episode of the podcast, you will have heard the history of the Alnwick Castle Kitchens, created by architect Anthony Salvin in the late 1850s for the 4th Duke of Northumberland. In this follow-up episode, you will find out about what has been happening in the past year to open these amazing spaces to the public for the first time ever.
The Great Kitchen and its larder rooms will be open for visitors from our 2025 season onwards - and a lot of work has been taking place to make this happen.
We are joined by two of the key people involved in 'Project 'Shurlock': Rediscovering the Life of the Great Kitchen at Alnwick Castle' - project head Catherine Neil and one of our favourite recurring guests on the podcast, archivist Chris Hunwick.
Catherine and Chris sat together to discuss the first phase of the project and the discoveries made so far. They look over some of the original photographs that inspired the project, explain the project title, and much more. We hope you enjoy this glimpse behind the scenes before your next visit to the castle - where you will see the results of Phase 1!
For the episode focusing on the history of the Kitchens, look for episode 77 in our podcast archive. Enjoy!
Question: which part of Alnwick Castle was once considered the finest of its kind in the world?
Answer: it was the Victorian Kitchens, which were created in the 1850s to be an architectural, culinary and technological marvel!
In this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, we explore some of the history of the castle kitchens - from the original medieval kitchen area to the developments of the Victorian period. You will hear reports from newspapers of the time, find out about the underground tunnels that delivered food, and hear about a few of the people who worked in these spaces.
The Kitchen spaces have changed over time. In the 20th century, a school, a training college and St Cloud State University have all used the Great Kitchen and the larder rooms nearby. Last year, a long-term project began to rediscover the history of this area within Alnwick Castle - look out for next month's episode to hear more about that!
This episode was recorded in various castle locations, so you may hear the sound levels change slightly as it is playing.
Bon appetit!
The Alnwick Castle Podcast returns for 2025! Before we get into the description of this episode, a quick programming note. New episodes of the podcast will now arrive on the last Wednesday of each month, or every four weeks. Please make sure to stay subscribed so you do not miss any.
On this episode, we travel to Rome during the Italian Renaissance to explore one of the most impressive parts of the Alnwick Castle art collection. The Visitation by Sebastiano del Piombo catches the eye of every visitor who walks through the Ante Library in the State Rooms. But who was Sebastiano? What was the argument he had with Michelangelo? Why are these fragments of an unfinished artwork important? And how did they end up in Alnwick?
To answer all these questions and many more, we spoke to an expert - Dr Piers Baker-Bates of the Open University, who has a book soon to be published about Sebastiano, one of the most pioneering painters in 16th century Italy.
We hope you enjoy learning more about Renaissance art, Sebastiano, and The Visitation. To see the images Piers describes in our conversation, please check our social media feeds - pictures of The Visitation will accompany the posts about this podcast.
We'll see you at the end of February for the next episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast!
In our final episode of 2024, the Alnwick Castle Podcast presents a timeline of the entire history of the castle ... or, at least, the most significant moments in the history of the castle.
Join our hosts Daniel and Deborah as they run through the story of Alnwick Castle in chronological order, from the arrival of the Percy family in England in 1067 to the use of the castle as a filming location in the first Harry Potter movie in 2000.
We hope the timeline is a useful and entertaining help for getting the history of Alnwick Castle in order, and for showing its connections to so many famous figures and moments in wider history.
Several of the subjects mentioned have their own dedicated podcast further back in our feed. Just look for:
Wars of the Roses
Thomas Percy and the Gunpowder Plot
The Dunbar Prisoners
The 1st Duke and Duchess of Northumberland
Percy Tenantry Volunteers
St Cloud State University
to find out more.
We will return with more podcasts in 2025 - if there is any subject you would like to hear us talk more about, just get in touch and let us know. We will see you then!
You may have visited Alnwick Castle this year, or last year, or before that, but did you know there is a beautiful park just west of the castle with a history almost as long?
In this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, join hosts Daniel and Deborah for a brief history of Hulne Park - from the two groups of monks that lived there in the medieval period, to its restoration in the Georgian period, to the modern day.
You will hear about the transport of cattle from Northumberland to London in the 15th century; the decision made in the Victorian period to open the park to the public; and how Hulne Park connects Alnwick Castle to Russian empress Catherine the Great!
This episode is just a quick taster of the history of Alnwick parkland. For more, we recommend the book 'A History of Alnwick Parks and Pleasure Grounds', by the castle's former archivist Colin Shrimpton.
And of course, for many days of the year Hulne Park is still available for visitors to enjoy. Please go to northumberlandestates.co.uk to find out more.
For more brief histories from the Alnwick Castle podcast, head into our feed and go all the way back to episodes 1 and 2 - or more something more specific, look for episode 54, focusing on the Wars of the Roses, or episodes 30 and 31 exploring the lives of notable Percy women. Enjoy1
During summer time at Alnwick Castle, we love to invite historical musicians to play music of the past for our visitors in the castle grounds. New to Alnwick this year were the duo Pearl in the Egg (a.k.a Karen and Liz), who play melodies from the 11th century Saxon period to the 16th century Elizabethan.
We joined them at the end of their final day of performances at the Castle to find out more about them, their instruments, and the kind of music you might hear at a castle like Alnwick - or a nearby tavern.
The first part of the episode took place outside in the grounds, so you may hear various background noises. For this part of the podcast, we had an audience of castle visitors, including the Kaye family, who had some questions of their own to ask! You will hear some short excerpts of medieval music too.
The second part of the episode happened inside, and also features excerpts of music, including an extended piece with vocals at the conclusion of our conversation.
For more musical episodes of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, look in our feed for podcasts about medieval music with Trouvere, Tudor music, and the Northumbrian pipes. And head to pearlintheegg.co.uk for more about this great musician duo!
Alnwick Castle, for hundreds of years, was a border fortress, part of the defensive line protecting England from Scottish attacks. But throughout the medieval period and into the Tudor and Elizabethan periods, families on both sides of the border were known as reivers - thieves, raiders and criminals who took every opportunity to attack their rivals.
We spoke to our resident master longbowman, Andy Rice, who also happens to be a bit of an expert on the reivers! Andy tells us who they were, when reiving was at its peak and when it died out, and the Percy family's role as wardens on the border, based at Alnwick Castle, trying to restore order where they could.
You will also find out about the great rival to the Percys in Elizabethan times, Sir John Forster; what led the Archbishop of Glasgow to write "the great cursing" against the reivers, and their connection to Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon!
We recorded this episode in Artisans Courtyard, on quite a windy day, so you may hear various microphone popping sounds background noises at certain times. (We have tried to remove these wherever we could.)
We hope you enjoy this look into reivers (especially if you've only heard the word before on sci-fi shows like 'Firefly'!) and also hope you can leave us a rating or review if you did!
If you are a subscriber to the Alnwick Castle Podcast (thank you!) or you follow us on social media, you will be aware of the Library Project that has been taking place throughout 2024, restoring and reimagining this vital part of the State Rooms.
As part of our podcast mini-series following the progress of the project, we were joined for a third and final time by Project Conservator Ellin Belton and Household Controller Andrew Jarman as work in the Library reached its final stages. They reflect on the developments since we last spoke in the summer, and on the project as a whole, as well as pay tribute to the members of the project team who have devoted time and effort to the Library since February this year.
We hope you enjoy hearing from Ellin and Andrew again, but if you missed their other podcast appearances, head to episodes 59 and 62 in our podcast feed to catch up on the Alnwick Castle Library Project so far.
If you enjoyed the episode, we would be grateful for any five-star ratings and reviews you can leave us on your podcast platform - and we hope to welcome you to the beautiful, newly-restored Library in 2025!
What can 500-year-old tiles tell us about the rise and fall of a noble family in the Tudor period? Quite a lot, as it turns out! Join us for this historical detective story, as we look into the mystery of why the survival of Percy family tiles is such a rare occurrence, and what the building of a Victorian chocolate factory has to do with their rediscovery...
To explain this intriguing history, we are joined (for her fourth appearance on the podcast) by Karen Slade from the Company of Artisans, an expert on medieval tiles who has spent years researching and recreating the Percy tiles from the fragments that remain. It is always fascinating listening to Karen and we hope you think so too!
The book Karen refers to during the episode is 'Medieval Floor Tiles of Northern England' by Jenny Stopford, published by Oxbow books.
For more from Karen, head into our podcast archive for episode 47 about illuminated manuscripts and the scriptorium, or episode 15 for an introduction to the subject of tiles.
And, of course, don't forget to make a tile of your own on your next visit to Artisans Courtyard at Alnwick Castle!
Did you know there was a Duke of Northumberland two centuries before the Percy family of Alnwick Castle were given the title? And that the person who held the dukedom also spent time here at Alnwick? He was John Dudley, part of one of the most important families of the Tudor period and one of the people who features in The House of Dudley, a fascinating book by Dr Joanne Paul that explores this family and their history.
We were very lucky to get to speak to Dr Paul about John Dudley and his connections to Alnwick Castle and Northumberland, as well as many other things, from the first rise of the Dudleys around the time of the Wars of the Roses to their connection with Syon House - now another Percy family property.
You will also hear about the relationship between Robert Dudley and Queen Elizabeth I, the 7th Earl of Northumberland and his dislike of Robert, and the story of how a single "and" changed the life of Lady Jane Grey (who was a Dudley through marriage) and the course of English history.
The House of Dudley is available now from all good bookshops - highly recommended for anybody interested in the Tudors!
You can follow Joanne Paul on Instagram or Threads, or visit her website at joannepaul.com .
The Burnings is the debut novel from author Naomi Kelsey, and tells the story of some of the women accused of witchcraft during a period of intense persecution in 16th century Scotland.
We were lucky enough to be joined at the castle by Naomi, who told us all about the history behind the book from early modern medicine to Stuart court intrigue, her process of researching characters and other historical details, and much more. The Wizard Earl of Northumberland, one of our favourites here on the podcast, was lord of Alnwick Castle while the North Berwick witch trials were ongoing, and he is discussed in this episode as an apparent magic user who seemed to be immune from suspicion.
We also talk about literary and historical inspirations with Naomi, from Tracy Borman to Terry Pratchett!
You can find The Burnings in hardback or paperback now from all good bookshops and you can follow Naomi on Twitter and Instagram.
If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to follow us too! You can find Alnwick Castle on all major social media platforms - why not leave a post to tell us you're a fan of the podcast - we'd love to read it!
What do Alnwick Castle, Chatsworth House, Blenheim Palace, Castle Howard, Muncaster Castle and over 1400 other places across the UK have in common? They are all part of Historic Houses, an organisation that for over 50 years has been a voice for independent heritage.
To find out more, we spoke to Historic Houses' Policy & Education Manager, Sarah Roller. Sarah explains the history of the organisation, what they do, and what makes all these great places so special - whether they are well-known or a hidden gem. She also tells us about her own fascinating role and background in history, and there are quite a few mentions of the importance of a good historic house slice of cake!
If you would like to become a Historic Houses member and get, among other things, free entry to hundreds of houses, castles, and gardens - including Alnwick Castle! - visit historichouses.org .
And if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating or review, share with your friends (perhaps over cake), and subscribe so you don't miss any future podcasts!
It was ten years ago this summer that global hit drama Downton Abbey first filmed at Alnwick Castle, for their 2014 Christmas special. The show returned to the Castle the following summer for what would be their final episode before transferring to the big screen (and Alnwick makes a small cameo in the first Downton movie as well).
To mark the anniversary of Downton Abbey at Alnwick - or Brancaster - Castle, we gathered two of our team members, Film Tour Guide Brad and Downton fan Jody, to talk all things Downton. You will hear a freewheeling conversation with memories and stories from the episodes that were filmed at Alnwick - co-host Daniel was at the Castle at the time! - discussion of favourite characters and moments and what makes Downton so special - co-host Deborah is an expert! - and even some speculation about the upcoming third movie, which sadly does not feature the Castle but that we are very excited about all the same.
Do you remember watching the Alnwick Castle episodes of Downton? Were you visiting the Castle during the filming ten years ago? We would love to hear from you! Get in touch by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com .
To hear more Brad on the Alnwick Castle podcast, check out episode 42, about the most recent film made at the Castle, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves. And for more Jody, head to episode 24, all about working at Alnwick Castle!
On Friday 11th October, Alnwick Castle welcomes historian and broadcaster Nicola Tallis to speak about her new book. Young Elizabeth is the story of the early years of Queen Elizabeth I, and is a fascinating, comprehensive biography of this part of Elizabeth's life - from the execution of her mother Anne Boleyn to her becoming the last Tudor monarch.
We were lucky enough to be joined on the podcast by Nicola Tallis to tell us about the process of writing the book, her thoughts on the relationship (or not) between Anne Boleyn and Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland, Elizabeth's complicated relationship with her final stepmother Katheryn Parr, and much more.
You can hear Nicola speak in person about Young Elizabeth at Alnwick Castle this autumn. Please go to alnwickcastle.com or visit our page on Eventbrite to get your tickets now!
Young Elizabeth is available in hardback now in all good bookshops. Or, you can pick up a copy when you attend our evening with Nicola Tallis!
For more, follow Nicola on Twitter at @nicolatallis or on Instagram @historiannicola. We'd also be very happy if you followed us @alnwickcastle and @alnwickcastleofficial - and of course, if you subscribed to the podcast!
We return to the Wars of the Roses for the latest episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, for an exclusive audio tour of the new exhibition inspired by Lions of the Red Rose, the story of the Percy family and their involvement in the Wars.
We were lucky enough to be shown around every part of the exhibition by Alnwick Castle Archivist Chris Hunwick, who explains the stories behind the documents on display - who they belonged to, what they mean, and how they have survived to the present day. You will hear about seals, coins, 15th century fingerprints ... and a rat named Cedric.
This episode gives you a level of access to Lions of the Red Rose you won't get anywhere else. We are very grateful to Chris for his time and his incredible knowledge, and hope you enjoy it to - whether you have visited the exhibition already or not!
If you plan to visit, the exhibition is found within the State Rooms of Alnwick Castle. Lions of the Red Rose, the new book by the 12th Duke of Northumberland, is available from the Castle gift shops.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Chris, head back into our podcast archive for episode 12, about the Alnwick Castle Model, or episode 37, about the Crowns and Coronets exhibition created in 2023.
When master medieval archer Andy Rice was last on the Alnwick Castle podcast, we were introduced to some of the principles and the importance of archery in the Middle Ages. For our latest episode, Andy returned for a live interview in Artisans Courtyard - with a live audience listening in!
You will hear Andy explain how the bow and its arrows were made. Continuing our 2024 theme of the Wars of the Roses, he describes how archery made a difference (or didn't) in battles like Towton in 1461. And then we get a little bit gory with the story of the arrows during the Battle of Shrewsbury - one that was fatal for Alnwick Castle's own Harry Hotspur, and one that Prince Hal, the future Henry V, survived.
C/W: This last section of the episode (16:42-28:08) contains references to medieval surgery and may not be for the queasy or faint-hearted!
This was a live episode recording in Artisans Courtyard, so you will also hear various background noises as Andy speaks.
See Andy demonstrate the medieval longbow in person at Alnwick Castle this July and August. Check our website for all the dates and details.
Finally, if you missed Andy's first podcast about archery, head into our podcast archive where you will find it and every other episode of the Alnwick Castle podcast!
We last told you all about the Alnwick Castle Library project in April this year, on episode 59 of the podcast. On that episode, we spoke to Project Conservator Ellin Belton and Household Controller Andrew Jarman and found out the plans for restoring this amazing state room within Alnwick Castle.
The project has continued its progress since then, so we went back to the Library to find out the latest updates. This time, Deborah was joined by Ellin and Andrew, as well as Buildings manager for Alnwick Castle, Robin Smeaton - making his long-awaited debut on the podcast.
Together, these key members of the project team tell us all about the work cleaning the Library ceiling, the discoveries made during that process, and how amazing it will look when it is revealed to people once again. We also hear news and details on the Library's silk wall hangings, its 200-year-old chandelier and the challenges of following plumbing instructions in 1899's 'The Book of the Bells and the Book of the Flues'!
We recorded this episode just below the incredible Library ceiling, at the top of the scaffolding in place within the room - so you may hear background noise that reflects this.
If you enjoyed the episode - please let us know! We will visit the Library again before the end of the project and if there is anything you want to know, we would love to ask your questions to the team. Thank you!
Cecily, the debut novel from Annie Garthwaite, told the story of Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, through to the triumph of her son Edward in the Battle of Towton in 1461. In her new book, 'The King's Mother', Annie follows Cecily in her new role as King's Mother to Edward - a position virtually unique in English history. But she is not the only woman vying for that position...
The book is a brilliant read, and we are very lucky that Annie Garthwaite will be joining us in person at Alnwick Castle to speak about it on Tuesday 9th July.
Before that, our host Deborah spoke to Annie about the book, how she approached the history of the Wars of the Roses, and her depictions of Cecily, Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort. You will also get an exclusive sneak preview as Annie reads a short excerpt from 'The King's Mother'.
The book will be available from all good bookshops from Thursday 11th July. If you want to get hold of a copy two days before publication, tickets for our evening with Annie Garthwaite are available now - check alnwickcastle.com or visit our EventBrite page for all the details!
In our silliest, most anarchic episode yet, the Alnwick Castle Podcast has crossed over with the Silly History Boys Show! This band of hilarious historical performers will be joining us at Alnwick Castle this May half term holiday (and again later in the summer) for a series of brilliant interactive shows... so our hosts Daniel and Deborah met Tombo, Billbo and Uncle Bob-Bob (a.k.a Tom, Will and Rob) to find out just how silly history can be.
In the interview - which you'll join in media res, another first for us! - you will find out how the Silly History Boys work, learn new words like "funducation" and "mythtory", and get a preview of just how the group will recreate the entire Wars of the Roses in half an hour when they appear at Alnwick Castle.
The Silly History Boys Show is available on all major podcast platforms - we recommend giving it a listen. We also suggest you see them in person this half term, and this summer, at Alnwick - check our website for all the dates.
And if you found this episode funducational, please share it and recommend it to your friends!
2024 sees the undertaking of a huge project within the Library of Alnwick Castle. Created to house the collection of 14,000 books in the 19th century, in recent years the Library has been a main living space for the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland and their family - as well as a favourite room for many of our visitors (and staff). This year, it is being transformed, and conserved from top to bottom, in preparation for the family returning to live in the castle over the winter months.
To find out more about the project, Deborah spoke to Ellin Belton, the Project Conservator, and Andrew Jarman, Household Controller for the Duke and Duchess. They explain the thinking behind the project, the work that goes into the smallest of details, and the amount of scaffolding required to reach the beautiful carved ceiling of the Library - as well as much more.
We hope to return to the Library later this year for an update on the project, but if you would like to find out more, visitors to Alnwick Castle can still visit the room during our open season, where you might see Ellin and her team at work!
If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know by leaving us a five-star rating and review wherever you get your podcasts.
Every April, we like to devote an episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast to William Shakespeare, so as part of our 2024 series of podcasts about the Wars of the Roses, we thought this year's edition could focus on how Shakespeare treated this part of English history in his plays.
We were joined once again by expert and scholar Ronan Paterson to discuss the sources Shakespeare used for his histories - from Richard II to Richard III via several Henrys - and many other things, including the character of Richard III (and how he differs from the historical figure), the women in the plays like Joan of Arc and Margaret of Anjou, and why the Henry VI plays deserve a better reputation within the Shakespeare canon. Naturally, the Percy family turn up too, as the Earls of Northumberland play a role in Shakespeare's retelling of the Wars of the Roses, just as they did in reality.
If you enjoyed this episode, there are two more Shakespearean podcasts to enjoy - look for episode 8 and episode 33 in our podcast feed!
(And please do leave a positive review or five-star rating on your podcast platform. Every one helps!)
Since his last appearance on the Alnwick Castle Podcast a year ago, one of our favourite regular guests Bill Openshaw has released his first book! To The Call Of Bugles explores the full history of the Percy Tenantry Volunteers, the army based at the Castle and around the north east over 200 years ago to defend it from invasion by Napoleon.
Bill joined our hosts Deborah and Daniel once again on this episode, alongside fellow PTV enthusiast Nick Lewis, to tell us some of his favourite stories from the book, new discoveries he has made, and to give us a preview of what visitors to Alnwick Castle might expect to see this year - regular appearances, demonstrations and performances by Percy Tenantry Volunteers reenactors, including Bill himself!
Check our website alnwickcastle.com for full dates of all our PTV days in 2024.
If you want more about the Percy Tenantry, we highly recommend picking up a copy of To The Call Of Bugles, available now from online retailers and the Alnwick Castle gift shops. Bring it on your visit and Bill might just sign it!
You can also go back into our podcast archive and find episode 9, 'The Percy Tenantry Volunteers', or episode 32, 'The 2nd Duke of Northumberland' to learn more.
Throughout the medieval period (and beyond), the jester was an important - and often hilarous - figure in the royal courts of England, and the art of being a fool has not been forgotten! In this episode of the podcast, our hosts Deborah and Daniel speak to Tom Fool, one of the finest silly people working today, to find out how he got into his stilt-walking, fire-breathing, fruit-throwing profession.
You will hear about the history of the fool, from Henry II to Henry VIII, and what to expect if you visit Alnwick Castle this Easter and see Tom Fool perform his brilliant shows.
For full details on when Tom is appearing at Alnwick Castle, please visit our website. You can also hear him on the Silly History Boys podcast, available from all good providers.
If you found this podcast side-splitting, please let us know by leaving a five-star review or rating wherever you get your podcasts!
Lions of the Red Rose is a brand new book exploring the history of the Wars of the Roses by focusing on members of the Percy family - the 2nd Earl of Northumberland, his four warrior sons, and their surviving heir, battling through some of the most brutal and violent decades of British history.
The book, which also includes beautifully produced illustrations and maps by Peter Phillips, as well as images of incredible surviving documents from the Alnwick Castle archive, was written by His Grace the 12th Duke of Northumberland. The Alnwick Castle Podcast was able to speak with him about the process behind writing the book, his thoughts on his warring Percy family ancestors, from whom he can trace direct descent, and the most interesting discoveries he made in researching Lions of the Red Rose.
The book will be available from this year from the Alnwick Castle gift shops, and is accompanied by a new exhibition, also called Lions of the Red Rose.
The previous book by the Duke of Northumberland, Lions of the North, is also available to buy now.
For more on the Percys and the Wars of the Roses, please check out our previous episode, which offers a brief introduction to the subject. Look out for future podcasts covering the new exhibition and more as we spend 2024 sharing the story of the Lions of the Red Rose.
In 2024, the Alnwick Castle Podcast will feature a series of episodes focusing on the Wars of the Roses, the violent, decades-long struggle for the English crown in the 15th century, in which the Percy family and Alnwick Castle played a part. These podcasts will be part of a variety of events and visitor activities based on the Wars of the Roses, tying in with the release of Lions Of The Red Rose, a new book on the subject by the 12th Duke of Northumberland.
To get the series started, our hosts Daniel and Deborah take you on a brief journey through the Wars of the Roses, summarising the Percy family involvement from start to finish. In future podcasts, you will hear from our archivist about the upcoming Lions of the Red Rose exhibition, from authors and other experts, and much more.
Visit Alnwick Castle this year and you will get to experience the story and this part of British history in person!
On Saturday 25th May, author, medical historian and TikTok sensation Suzie Edge will be appearing in person at Alnwick Castle to talk about her latest book, Vital Organs: A History of the World's Most Famous Body Parts. You can get your tickets now from alnwickcastle.com .
As a preview for the event, Suzie returned to the Alnwick Castle Podcast to talk all things body parts with our hosts Deborah and Daniel. From the various medical problems of royals like Louis XIV of France and Charles II of Spain, to the surgical innovations that came from different body parts, we cover all kinds of gruesome - and fascinating - stories from across history.
Vital Organs is out now from all good bookshops - or you can purchase a copy signed by Suzie Edge at our event on Saturday 25th May.
If you missed her first appearance on the podcast, talking about her debut book Mortal Monarchs, look for episode 28 in our back catalogue. Thank you for listening!
Formerly belonging to King Louis XIV and displayed in his palace at Versailles, the huge cabinets known as the Cucci Cabinets are two of the most important pieces of furniture in the world - and if you have visited the State Rooms at Alnwick Castle, you will have seen them on display in the Drawing Room.
To find out more about these two stars of the castle collection, our podcast hosts Deborah and Daniel spoke to cabinetmaker and conservator Yannick Chastang, who worked for eighteen months on the Cucci Cabinets to preserve them for the future. We spoke with Yannick for nearly an hour on the full history of the cabinets and how they came from Versailles to Alnwick; how they were made, the decorative techniques that make them so special, and what they were used for; and his own part in the history of these objects.
Make sure to ask about the Cucci Cabinets on your next visit to Alnwick Castle so you don't miss them - and if you enjoyed the episode please let us know with a rating or review on your podcast platform!
Following the Battle of Dunbar in early September 1650, thousands of Scottish prisoners of war were marched south to Durham Cathedral. On their way, they were kept overnight at Alnwick Castle.
In the first Alnwick Castle Podcast of 2024, hosts Deborah and Daniel find out more about the prisoners, how we know they were at the Castle, and what ultimately happened to them. We spoke to Megan Olshefski, a scholar and researcher whose work has tracked surviving Dunbar prisoners from Durham and across the Atlantic to the American colonies where they lived out their days.
It was especially interesting to talk to Megan, as in September 2023, she recreated the march from Dunbar to Durham - even camping out overnight in the grounds of Alnwick Castle! We find out all about what it was like to retrace these historical footsteps.
You can find Megan on Twitter @meganolshefski.
If you are new to the Alnwick Castle Podcast - welcome! There are 50 other episodes in our back catalogue to enjoy. If you liked this one, please subscribe so you don't miss any future pods, and please share us with your friends.
Special thanks to tech wizard Peter Johnson for salvaging this episode after our recording equipment went awry!
The Alnwick Castle Podcast is 50 episodes old!
To celebrate making it to 50 podcasts, and because it is almost Christmas... we have devoted this special episode to some of the questions you have asked about Alnwick Castle - some of the most popular questions that are often asked about the castle itself and its history. Our hosts Deborah and Daniel tackle these questions and do their best to answer them, from favourite rooms and items in the collection to the age of the castle and whether it ever really had a Great Hall.
A technical note: we had some trouble with a microphone cable during recording, and so you may notice some variation in volume when Daniel is speaking.
We make reference during this episode to several of our previous 49 podcasts. If you haven't heard them already, do go back and listen to:
Episode 2 - for general castle history
Episode 5 - for more on the 1st Duchess of Northumberland
Episodes 8 and 33 - for more on Harry Hotspur
Episodes 10 and 36 - for more on Syon House
Episode 22 - for more on the Wizard Earl
Episode 27 - for more on Thomas Percy and Treason: The Musical
Episode 29 - for more on the collections
Episode 46 - for our interview with Tracy Borman
The Alnwick Castle Podcast is taking a short break after this episode, but will be back in January 2024 for episode 51. We hope you will join us then - and for the next 50 episodes (fingers crossed!)
People have practiced archery for thousands of years, and it has been part of life at Alnwick Castle since the very beginning, from the death of Harry Hotspur via arrow in 1403, to the local archers gathered by the 5th Earl of Northumberland in 1514, to the modern day when visitors to the Castle can have a go at archery with our trained instructors.
To find out more about archery, our hosts Daniel and Deborah spoke to master longbowman Andy Rice, who told us all about the importance of archery in the medieval period, the equipment archers needed in the Middle Ages, and his own background as a demonstrator of historical archery. We were also joined by one of the Castle archers, Kathryn, who compared notes with Andy on the differences between what she teaches and how it would have been done centuries ago.
We hope you enjoyed this episode, and did not 'play fast and loose'* with the skip button. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts, and remember to send us your Alnwick Castle questions at podcast@alnwickcastle.com for our 50th episode, out in two weeks!
*this will make sense when you hear the episode...
This episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast looks a little more into the academic side of castles and their heritage, as hosts Daniel and Deborah are joined by Iain Wheeldon, senior lecturer in the School of Arts and Cultures at Newcastle University.
Daniel spoke to Iain about the issues facing the cultural sector right now, the importance of castles to the heritage of Northumberland, and what exactly the difference is between heritage and history.
Iain also told us about the Cultural Peeps careers pathway project, a podcast series which features professionals from across the sector sharing their career journeys and insights. If you are trying to get into the world of museums, galleries, heritage, arts or culture, we recommend listening to the series - you can find Cultural Peeps on Soundcloud, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
We recorded in our usual spooky castle tower room, so you may hear some echo.
Our own 50th episode is approaching quickly, and we want to feature YOUR questions. If there is anything you want to know about Alnwick Castle, send it in to podcast@alnwickcastle.com and we might feature it in the episode!
What is a scriptorium? What was needed to make books in medieval Europe? What makes a manuscript illuminated? These are some of the questions we explore on the latest episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast.
Hosts Deborah and Daniel welcome back Karen Slade (or Kate Tiler, depending when in history you are!) from the Company of Artisans to tell us all about the sciptoriums where medieval books were created. She explains how the written word was transformed into art, and how books became holy objects. We find out about the process of creating inks and colours, the people and the skills involved - as well as why it was so difficult to make the colour blue, what a waferer was, and how the artist JMW Turner carried on the tradition of the scriptorium and illuminated letters.
We hope you enjoy the episode. If there is anything you want to know about Alnwick Castle, please email us on podcast@alnwickcastle.com and ask - we'll feature some of your questions on our 50th episode this December!
We were thrilled to host historian and broadcaster Tracy Borman at Alnwick Castle this summer to speak about her new book Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History - and even more thrilled that Tracy joined us for a special episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast.
Hosts Daniel and Deborah spoke with Tracy for nearly an hour about the reasons and background behind the book, the new ways of looking at such a familiar subject, the personal side of historical public figures and the rehabilitation of Anne Boleyn (as well as her connection with Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland). Aside from Anne and Elizabeth, we also talked about Tracy's other books, witches and witch hunts, her historical holy grail, King Henry III's polar bear, what it's like exploring the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace, and what not to do if you want to stay on the good side of the famous Tower ravens!
Daniel and Deborah were recording in an echoey castle room for this episode, so you may notice a difference in their sound quality at times - we've done our best to minimise this in the edit.
You can catch Tracy Borman on tour around the country this year - check her website and social media for full details.
The new series of Inside the Tower of London featuring Tracy will be broadcast later in 2023.
Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I is available now in hardback from all good bookshops.
Deborah and Daniel had so much fun talking to Tracy, this ended up being the longest episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast to date! Please share this episode with your friends if you enjoyed it - and send in your Alnwick Castle questions to podcast@alnwickcastle.com to feature on our upcoming 50th episode!
As it is the month of October, with Halloween coming up, we wanted to bring you an episode full of the strangest, spookiest stories connected with Alnwick Castle. Did the 1st Duchess of Northumberland see a ghost when she visited a haunted house in 1762? Was the town of Alnwick plagued by a real vampire? What was so suspicious about the death of the 8th Earl of Northumberland? And how did the Castle end up with the beard of Henry IV, taken from his skeleton centuries after his burial?
These are the questions - and we invited resident Castle storytellers Sean Kenney and Melanie Dagg to perform these stories for you, before hosts Deborah and Daniel reveal the truth behind the mystery. We hope you have fun - but don't have nightmares!
If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know with a positive rating or review. We would also love to hear the questions you would like answered about Alnwick Castle. Email podcast@alnwickcastle.com and we will feature them on our upcoming 50th episode!
The music of the Tudor period - songs and instrumental pieces that would have been performed at the royal courts of Henry VIII or Elizabeth I, and heard by people like the Percy Earls and Countesses of Northumberland - is beautiful, fascinating and often haunting. This August at Alnwick Castle, we welcomed The Tudor Songbook, also known as singer Jay Britton, to perform Tudor music for visitors.
Podcast hosts Deborah and Daniel (and special guest interviewer Karina, one of our resident historical Artisans) spoke to Jay and her lutenist Fabio Fernandes after their weekend of performances. We heard about the importance of music to the Tudors, the intricacies of lute playing, what it is like singing songs that were composed by Henry or admired by Anne Boleyn, the historically accurate costumes Jay wears to perform and more.
And as a special bonus, you'll hear passages from three pieces of Tudor music, performed specially for the Alnwick Castle Podcast by Jay and Fabio!
Find The Tudor Songbook @thetudorsongbook on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.
We hope you enjoyed this episode - please give us a positive review and rating on your podcast platform if you did. And don't forget to send us your Alnwick Castle questions for our upcoming 50th episode special by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com !
Have you been enjoying watching tennis this summer, like Wimbledon or the US Open? Have you ever thought about how tennis was played centuries ago? Then this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast is for you! Host Deborah spoke to award-winning researcher Selene, who has been thoroughly exploring the game of "real tennis" in the early modern period and how it relates to ideas of masculinity at the time.
What does this have to do with Alnwick Castle? Through podcast favourite Henry Percy, the Wizard Earl of Northumberland, who was a keen tennis player and a big fan of the sport! Selene goes into detail about his plans for a tennis court at Syon House as well as other connections he had.
You will also hear about the different ways tennis was played and perceived in the 1500s and 1600s, the records and sources used to find out about it, and more of the famous players like Henry VIII, James VII & II and Mary, Queen of Scots.
CONTENT NOTE: From 25:00 - 28:00 there is discussion of an early modern play which features sexual innuendo and language about tennis.
We hope you enjoy the episode. If there's anything you'd like to know about Alnwick Castle, please let us know and we'll answer your questions on our upcoming 50th episode! You can email us on podcast@alnwickcastle.com .
If you are a keen cinemagoer, you might have caught Alnwick Castle featuring in Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves on the big screen this spring. Starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Hugh Grant, the movie is now available on streaming as well as DVD and Blu Ray, and used the Castle as a filming location.
To mark its release, our hosts Deborah and Daniel spoke to a group of Alnwick Castle staff with a connection to Dungeons & Dragons. Brad and Callum, who both lead film location tours of the Castle, worked on the film crew. Charlotte, another of our Film Tour team, actually appeared in the film as 'Female Labourer 1'. And finally, Michelle, whose love for D&D led her to create interactive theatre show 'Roll For Initiative'.
There is some discussion of the characters from the film, and of scenes that were shot at Alnwick Castle. The only plot spoiler to look out for is from 9:24 - 9:36, but if you want to go into the film knowing absolutely nothing - please do watch it first, and then listen to the episode, just to be safe!
You can find more about Roll For Initiative on @rollforinitiativeshow on social media.
If you enjoyed the episode, or the movie, please let us know! You can get in touch with us @alnwickcastle, or by email on podcast@alnwickcastle.com. Or, join one of our daily film tours at the Castle and let the guide know they're famous!
On Saturday 19th August this year, historian Tracy Borman will be at Alnwick Castle for a very special talk about her new book, Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History. The book explores the lives of these two important Tudor women, their legacy in the Tudor period, Elizabethan period and beyond, and their relationship and connections they made to each other. You can get tickets from alnwickcastle.com or our Eventbrite page https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-talk-with-tracy-borman-anne-boleyn-elizabeth-i-tickets-635826091957 .
As a preview for the event, Alnwick Castle Podcast hosts Daniel and Deborah discuss what they thought of the book and some of its central ideas, as well as sharing the full story of Anne Boleyn and her relationship (or was it?) with the 6th Earl of Northumberland, and the turbulent ups and downs of Percy fortunes during Elizabeth's reign as queen.
We hope you enjoy the episode, and can join us this summer for an exciting Tudor weekend at Alnwick Castle!
The fortieth episode of the Alnwick Castle podcast is a special musical episode! Our hosts Deborah and Daniel have not started singing ... but they did speak to Paul and Gill, also known as Trouvere Medieval Minstrels, all about brilliant medieval music.
The conversation with Paul and Gill took place within the grounds of Alnwick Castle - so you may hear various background noises throughout - where they spoke about what makes medieval music so special. You will hear about the difference between a troubadour and a trouvere, the stories of some individual medieval musicians, how music would have been an important part of life in a castle, and more.
You will also get to hear selections of Trouvere performing medieval music, recorded live right here at Alnwick Castle!
Find out more about Trouvere at www.medievalminstrels.com or find them on Facebook. To find out when they will next be performing here at Alnwick Castle, head to www.alnwickcastle.com .
If you enjoyed this podcast, and would like some more music-themed episodes, please let us know! You can get in touch on twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com . Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast so you receive every new episode as it's released!
Bill Richmond is one of the most important figures in the history of boxing, British sport and in Black British culture. Born into slavery in America in the 1760s, when he was 13 he met Hugh Percy, the future 2nd Duke of Northumberland, who was able to arrange for Bill to be freed. In Britain, Bill received an education and a trade before entering the world of boxing - where he became a superstar.
To find out more about Richmond, hosts Daniel and Deborah spoke to Luke G Williams, the author of biography Richmond Unchained. Luke explains the connection between Bill and Percy, what made him so exceptional as a boxer (and what boxing was like 200 years ago), and how Bill ended up at the 1821 coronation of George IV.
We did have some technical problems in the recording of our conversation, so you may notice some issues in sound quality and sound levels. Our apologies for this, but we hope you'll still hear Luke's fascinating insights and research as clearly as possible.
If you enjoyed the episode, we highly recommend picking up a copy of Richmond Unchained, available from all good bookshops and online retailers.
Please subscribe to the Alnwick Castle Podcast to make sure you don't miss any future episodes. Are there any subjects you'd like us to cover on future podcasts? Email us on podcast@alnwickcastle.com to let us know what you think!
An American university... inside Alnwick Castle? This is the story of St Cloud State University from Minnesota, who have been part of life at the castle for nearly half a century. In this all-American episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, hosts Deborah and Daniel speak to Wade Sherman, with SCSU at Alnwick, to find out more.
Wade talks about the history of the St Cloud connection with Alnwick, what American students do when they live in a medieval English castle, and his own story with SCSU and the castle - including his starring performance in one of Alnwick Castle's screen appearances!
Find out more at https://www.stcloudstate.edu/alnwick/ .
If you enjoyed this podcast - please let us know! We would love any five-star ratings or positive reviews you can leave on your podcast platform, and make sure to let your friends know too.
Go Huskies!
2023 saw the launch of a brand new exhibition at Alnwick Castle. Crowns and Coronets explores the connections between the castle, the resident Percy family and royal coronations through the centuries, and on this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, we have an exclusive, in-depth behind the scenes look at the displays. Our host Deborah walked through the exhibition with castle archivist Chris Hunwick, whose research was a vital part of bringing Crowns and Coronets to life.
You will hear Chris discuss the eyewitness account of the coronation of Richard III, read from the diaries of the 1st Duchess of Northumberland, who received two invites to the coronation of George III and Queen Charlotte, and reveal the activities of the Disperser For Apparel, whose job it was to make the Wizard Earl of Northumberland look his best for the coronation of James VI & I. You'll also discover just how much work goes into creating an exhibition like this!
Crowns and Coronets will be on display at Alnwick Castle in 2023 and 2024. We hope you enjoy these insights into the exhibition - whether you've visited already, plan to in the future, or are unable to do so in person.
As Chris says in the episode... "was that acceptable?" If you enjoyed the podcast, please let us know! You can get in touch on Twitter @alnwickcastle, or by email on podcast@alnwickcastle.com . Subscribe so you don't miss future episodes, and leave us a positive rating or review if you can!
The Percy family - owners of Alnwick Castle for more than 700 years - had various fascinating links with the Tudor kings and queens of England, but it is at their London residence of Syon House where these connections to Tudor history become even clearer. To find out more, our hosts Deborah and Daniel spoke to Sarah Ponder from Syon House, who explained what happened to the body of Henry VIII when it rested at Syon, how the Wizard Earl of Northumberland came into possession of the house in the Elizabethan period, and its previous history as an important abbey before the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
You'll hear how the Holy Maid of Kent, Elizabeth Barton, is linked to Syon Abbey, the famous portrait of Lady Jane Grey on display in the house today (and Jane's own links to Syon), and even which 'Big Bang Theory' character the Wizard Earl is most like!
Syon House is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays until the end of October, with options for guided tours on some days, and park access on others. We highly recommend a visit.
If you enjoyed this edition of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, please subscribe to ensure you hear every future episode. We would be grateful for any positive ratings or reviews you can leave us!
Alnwick Castle is famous for its big screen appearances like the first two Harry Potter movies and 2023's Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, but did you know about the many times it has also featured on television? From Downton Abbey to Blackadder, the castle has made its mark on TV audiences for many years. Our hosts Daniel and Deborah introduce Daniel's conversation with James Dyer, Digital Editor-in-Chief of Empire and host of the Pilot TV Podcast, where we get into the unique appeal of Downton, as well as everything from the benefits of filming television on location to cult classics like Robin Of Sherwood to Alnwick Castle's surprising cameo appearance on an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation!
If you'd like to hear more from James, you can find him online at @jamescdyer. Follow Pilot TV at @PilotTVPod and, once you've subscribed to the Alnwick Castle Podcast, you can find the Pilot TV Podcast from all good pod providers.
We hope you enjoy hearing about Alnwick Castle's TV history - you can find out more about everything made here at the castle by joining an Alnwick On Location tour during our opening season. Our guides would love to see you!
To mark the coronation of King Charles III this month, the Alnwick Castle Podcast is taking a brief look at coronations from history, especially those with involvement from the Percy family.
Hosts Daniel and Deborah introduce the role of the 1st Earl of Northumberland and his descendants at several medieval coronations; the 1st Duke and Duchess at the coronation of George III; the 3rd Duke and his role as ambassador at a 19th century French coronation; and the family's involvement in the coronations of the 20th century.
You will also hear excerpts from the diaries of the 1st Duchess, and the memoirs of novelist Victor Hugo (who remembered the Duke of Northumberland arriving in France for a coronation in 1825).
If you would like to find out more about the long history of Alnwick Castle and coronations, a special exhibition about coronations - 'Crowns and Coronets' - is now open for visitors to Alnwick Castle, displaying costumes, documents and items rarely on public view.
On this special Shakespearean episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast to mark the anniversary of the Bard's birth, we welcome back Shakespeare academic and expert Ronan Paterson as our guest to tell us all about the play Henry IV Part 1, which is all about one of the most important episodes in Percy family history.
Hosts Daniel and Deborah spoke to Ronan about what makes the play so fascinating to read, watch or be part of, from characters like Prince Hal, Falstaff and King Henry himself, to the characters that would have lived at or visited Alnwick Castle - the earls of Worcester and Northumberland, Harry Hotspur, and Hotspur's wife, who Shakespeare called Kate but was really called Elizabeth!
If you like Shakespeare already, or you would like to learn more about his genius when it came to retelling British history, we think you'll really enjoy this episode of the podcast.
For more Shakespeare discussion, head into our podcast feed and look for episode 8, 'Alnwick Castle and Shakespeare', which also features Ronan.
If you enjoyed this edition of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, please make sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes, give us a like, a review, a rating, or a recommendation wherever you can!
Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland, was in charge of Alnwick Castle from 1787 until his death thirty years later. On this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, hosts Daniel and Deborah speak to returning guests Bill Openshaw and Nick Lewis, both experts on the 2nd Duke, to find out all about him.
Subjects covered include: Percy's early military career in the American Revolutionary War, and the friendships formed there with Native American leaders like Thayendanegea (referred to on the podcast by his Anglicised name Joseph Brant), and the freed former slave Bill Richmond; Percy's impact and legacy on Alnwick and Northumberland, from monuments built to him to his Percy Tenantry volunteer force; and his connections to everything from Portuguese military history to the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane in London.
If you enjoyed hearing from Bill and Nick, we recommend going back into our podcast archive for Episode 9, all about the Percy Tenantry Volunteers.
The 2nd Duke will also feature in an upcoming book by Bill, due to be released later this year.
Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, we'd love to received any ratings or reviews you can leave - every positive one helps the podcast! You can also get in touch with us by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com or tweeting us @alnwickcastle.
This episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast follows on from Episode 30, which marked Women's History Month and International Women's Day by looking at the lives of a few significant women from the history of Alnwick Castle - please do go back and listen to that one if you haven't already.
While Part 1 focused on the Norman, medieval and Tudor periods, in Part 2, host Deborah takes us from the 17th century onwards with four more remarkable women from Percy family history. You'll hear about the Stuart era spy Lucy Percy, as well as Frances, the Georgian countess who dedicated her life to being an artistic and poetic patron. We reach the 19th century with Charlotte Florentia, the 3rd Duchess of Northumberland, who was a governess to Queen Victoria. Finally, you'll hear about the contributions Helen Percy, 8th Duchess, made during the Second World War - from evacuees at Alnwick Castle to fundraising efforts for serving women.
Join us again in two weeks' time as we explore another part of the castle's history. Until then, if you enjoyed this episode please let us know by leaving a five-star rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!
To mark Women's History Month and International Women's Day on 8th March, our episodes of the Alnwick Castle Podcast this month are all about a few of the fascinating women who have been part of the history of the castle, and of the Percy family.
This podcast is about Percy women of the Norman, medieval and Tudor periods. Join our host Deborah as she tells the stories of Agnes and Maud, the 12th century heiresses who were able to achieve an unusual level of independence, Maud de Lucy, whose legacy can be found in the Alnwick Castle archive as well as in the carvings in its Dining Room, and Ann Somerset, the Elizabethan Countess of Northumberland who became part of a rebellion in favour of Mary, Queen of Scots, and was watched in exile by Elizabeth I's spies for the rest of her life.
On the next episode, Deborah will continue the history of the Women of Alnwick Castle, looking at the 17th century onwards. We hope you'll join us again for that, but if you enjoyed today's podcast, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast platform, and let your friends know about us!
Every object, document, material and surface you see when you visit Alnwick Castle has been given a huge amount of care and attention to ensure it is in the best possible condition. But how do you look after the contents of a castle? Join Deborah as she speaks to Stephanie Allen, Object and Archive Conservator at Alnwick Castle, to find out about the work that goes on behind the scenes.
Steph discusses her work cleaning, conserving and repairing huge items like chandeliers and ceilings, down to much smaller things you may not even notice like staircase rods and tabs on centuries-old books. It's a fascinating insight into a really important job here at the Castle, and we hope you find it interesting too.
If you enjoyed the episode, please let us know by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com . We'd appreciate any likes, shares, reviews, ratings or recommendations you can leave for us!
On the latest episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, hosts Daniel and Deborah were very pleased to be able to speak to historian and author (and former doctor) Suzie Edge, all about her new book Mortal Monarchs: 1000 Years of Royal Deaths. Suzie talks us through various historical ways to die, including beheading, battle and broken hearts, covering kings and queens from Edward the Confessor to Mary II. Several of those deaths are shared by former inhabitants of Alnwick Castle...
There are some detailed medical descriptions included in this episode. If you want to skip past those parts, please use the following timestamps:
5:56 - 6:04 - brief description of what happens to a body after death
6:51 - 8:04 - details of the effects of being hit with an arrow during battle
11:47 - 12:04 - brief description of rectal conditions
13:02 - 13:54 - details of the medical response to imminent beheading
14:41 - 15:32 - details of what happens medically to cause a broken heart
16:17 - 16:42 - brief description of the famous story of Edward II's death by poker
16:53 - 17:38 - details of a particularly unpleasant form of smallpox
20:23 - 20:31 - brief description of stabbing
If you enjoyed the interview with Suzie, we recommend checking out Mortal Monarchs, available now online and in bookshops, and following her on TikTok @suzieedge.
And if you enjoyed the podcast, please spread the word by sharing, recommending, rating and reviewing wherever you can!
This episode of Alnwick Castle takes to the stage, as we return to the subjects of Thomas Percy and the Gunpowder Plot to find out all about a new musical in which the former Constable of the Castle features as a main character. Deborah spoke to Ricky Allan and Kieran Lynn, two of the amazing creative minds behind 'Treason the Musical', and they explain how they were influenced by both musical theatre and history to create this new show.
Please be aware that you may hear some background noise behind Ricky as he speaks.
To find out more about Treason, please visit treasonthemusical.com or, to find out the latest updates and hear some of the songs, follow them @treasonmusical on Twitter, Instagram or Youtube. The recording of their Drury Lane concert will be available to stream or buy from January 27th!
If you enjoyed this episode of the Alnwick Castle podcast, please give us a rating or review wherever your get your podcasts, and let us know on our own Twitter @alnwickcastle.
The Alnwick Castle Podcast is back for a new year! In the first episode of 2023, hosts Daniel and Deborah find out more about the Jacobites, and their uprisings in favour of the Stuart dynasty in 1715 and 1745. These were major events in 18th century Britain, particularly in Scotland and the north of England, and Alnwick Castle has connections to several of the important figures involved. We spoke to Jacobite expert and historian, and curator of Modern and Contemporary History at the National Museum of Scotland, Georgia Vullinghs, who tells us all about Jacobites, covering everything from the Earl of Derwentwater's bedsheet to failed attempts to take castles during the uprisings.
Whether you already know all about the Jacobites or want to know more, or if you're just a fan of Outlander - you're sure to find our conversation with Georgia fascinating.
If you enjoyed the episode, please do let us know on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com. If you'd like to start the new year by giving us a five star rating, we'd very much appreciate it!
In the last episode of the podcast before we take a Christmas break, we have gone a little musical at Alnwick Castle, as hosts Daniel and Deborah explore the Northumbrian pipes, their history and their connection to Alnwick Castle. Earlier in the year, Daniel spoke to Richard Butler, who was appointed Piper to the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland in 1982 - part of a centuries-old tradition of bagpiping at Alnwick Castle. Richard also plays us selections from a few of his favourite tunes.
Richard sadly passed away in 2022 and this episode is released as a tribute to him and his work at the castle over 40 years.
We hope all our listeners have a great holiday season. The Alnwick Castle Podcast will return in 2023 with more special guests and insights into our fascinating history. Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode, and we'd be very grateful for any reviews, ratings or recommendations you can provide!
If you ever wondered what it was like to work in a castle like Alnwick, this is the podcast for you! Hosts Daniel and Deborah are joined by four members of Alnwick Castle's visitor-facing teams - Brad, Jody, Matthew and Nicky - to find out some of their favourite parts of their work. You'll hear about the training that goes into being a medieval Artisan, coming up with your own wizard name for leading Broomstick Training, how to learn all the information needed to deliver a guided tour, and much more as the team share stories with each other. They cover everything from Matthew's top archery score and Nicky's best orange dress to Brad's family history with the Transformers movies and why Jody loves being part of the Admissions department. We hope you enjoy their enthusiasm - we certainly did!
If this podcast made you want to work at Alnwick Castle (and we hope it does), please check www.alnwickcastle.com/jobs from January or look out for updates on our social media channels as we begin recruitment for our 2023 season.
If you'd like to hear more episodes of the Alnwick Castle Podcast as soon as they arrive, please subscribe to the show! We'd appreciate any five star reviews or ratings you can offer, and would love you to share the podcast with your friends - especially if they're a potential tour guide, historical interpreter or till operator!
With the recent commemorations of Armistice Day marking the anniversary of the end of the First World War, this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast explores the wartime contributions of a selection of castle workers and members of the Percy family. Hosts Daniel and Deborah look at the 8th Duke of Northumberland and his siblings, members of the Stables department, the Castle Gate Porter and more in order to share the ways they served during the conflict.
Several of the people highlighted in today's episode were enlisted with the Northumberland Fusiliers - check out episodes 13 and 14 of the podcast if you'd like to know more about the regiment.
If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends, leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts, and let us know on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com.
We will remember them.
This episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast is one to remember, remember, as we begin with the introduction of our new co-host, our head guide at the castle, Deborah! She and regular host Daniel will take you back a little over 400 years to the time of Henry Percy, the 'Wizard Earl' of Northumberland, and his troublesome cousin - and Constable of Alnwick Castle - Thomas Percy.
On the 5th November 1605, the Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to kill King James VI & I, was uncovered, and Thomas Percy was a principal conspirator. In this episode, we look into his time as Constable at Alnwick, and the events both before and after the discovery of Guy Fawkes under the Houses of Parliament.
Research for this episode would not have been possible without Antonia Fraser's 'Terror and Faith in 1605', the writing of Cambridge University's Mark Nicholls, and the archival work of Colin Shrimpton.
If you enjoyed the podcast, please let us know on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com . Recommend us to your friends and share the links - every download is most appreciated - and finally, think of Thomas Percy if you attend any events this November!
How many podcasts give you the opportunity to hear from a genuine, real-life alchemist? The Alnwick Castle Podcast is now one of them, as in this episode, host Daniel is joined once again by Karen from the Company of Artisans to speak with 'Alchemy Jack', a performer here at the castle who has experimented with experiments to create the Philosopher's Stone, the science of medieval astronomy, the creation of vaccums, and many other fascinating pursuits that blend the scientific with the magical - in his words, he's a "serial polymath" and is full of fascinating stories.
You can see Alchemy Jack and the Company of Artisans at Alnwick Castle this October half-term.
If you enjoyed this podcast, check out Episode 15 where Karen told us all about the craft behind medieval tiles. Please subscribe to the Alnwick Castle Podcast, leave a review or rating wherever you can, and of course, recommend us to anyone you think may like us!
Alnwick Castle, like many other castles in Northumberland and beyond, had a role to play in the English civil wars of the 15th century known now as the Wars of the Roses. To find out more, our host Daniel spoke with historian and author Dan Spencer, whose latest book 'The Castle in the Wars of the Roses' explores this idea in depth. Dan speaks about siege warfare, key figures in the conflict, and of course what was happening at Alnwick Castle during this period.
'The Castle in the Wars of the Roses' is available now from Pen & Sword Books, and you can follow Dan on Twitter and Instagram @gunpowderdan .
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode, and recommend us to your history-loving friends! You can let us know what you think on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by email at podcast@alnwickcastle.com .
See you next time!
From the grandeur of the State Rooms, this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast looks at some of the people who kept it all running, especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries when domestic service was at its height. We are joined on the podcast by Nicola, who has conducted extensive research into life below stairs at Alnwick Castle, to find out more about the lives of the butlers, maids, housekeepers, chefs and footmen that once worked at the castle.
If you love Downton Abbey or watched Alnwick Castle appear on that series as Brancaster Castle, you might find this episode especially interesting to hear how things really were!
Tweet us @alnwickcastle or email podcast@alnwickcastle.com to let us know if you enjoyed the episode; subscribe to the podcast to receive each episode as it arrives, and please tell your friends about it too.
We're heading inside the main keep of Alnwick Castle in today's episode for a special podcast tour of the State Rooms. Home to many of the castle's amazing collections, the State Rooms were designed in an Italian Renaissance style in the 19th century. Join host Daniel as he walks through the rooms, describing highlights from the interiors and the stories behind them. Use this podcast as an audio guide when you visit Alnwick Castle, or as a way to experience the State Rooms from your home, commute, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Please note that sound quality and volume levels may vary throughout this episode - this is because the podcast was recorded in the State Rooms themselves, where ceiling levels and echoing spaces can differ greatly!
If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe so you don't miss future episodes, recommend the Alnwick Castle Podcast to friends, and let us know what you'd like to hear about on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com .
The latest episode of the Alnwick Castle podcast goes even further back in time than usual, as host Daniel is joined by Frances McIntosh, English Heritage Collections Curator for Hadrian's Wall and the North East, to talk about Hadrian's Wall.
This landmark of the North East of England is marking its 1900th anniversary this year, and part of the celebrations is a new exhibition featuring a very special Roman item from the Alnwick Castle collection. Frances explains the significance of this item, known as the Rudge Cup, as well as the craftsmanship that went into making and decorating it, and what it means for the history of Hadrian's Wall - and of souvenirs!
You can see the Rudge Cup at Chesters Roman Fort (near Hexham in Northumberland) as part of the 'Hadrian's Wall 1900 - Souvenirs from the Wall' exhibition running from 1st September - 30th October 2022. The Cup will return to display at Alnwick Castle from our 2023 season.
Please note our half of this recording took place in a Castle room with high ceilings so you may hear a little more background echo than usual.
If you enjoyed this episode of the podcast, please let us know! You can rate and review on your podcast device of choice, email us on podcast@alnwickcastle.com or tweet us @alnwickcastle.
This episode of the Alnwick Castle podcast goes global, as we look into one of the castle's biggest worldwide audiences - visitors from China. Host Daniel speaks to Shanghai-based translator and interpreter Emily Xu to talk about the differences between Chinese castles and those in England, and some of the unique challenges that come from translating the language of castles and stately homes for the benefit of tourists from a different culture. Emily also shares some favourite memories of the time she spent as a Mandarin-speaking guide at Alnwick Castle earlier in her career.
During this podcast we mention Newcastle University, whose Translation & Interpretation MA programme students have been extremely helpful in developing the opportunities for Chinese visitors to Alnwick Castle. Please visit the Newcastle University website for more information on the programme.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts, subscribe to receive every single episode, and share it with anybody you can think of. Thank you!
This episode of the Alnwick Castle podcast goes all the way back to the medieval period to find out all about the art and skill that went into making items that we might think of as common or everyday - tiles! There's much more to tiles than you might expect, particularly during this time in history, and host Daniel is joined by Karen Slade, an expert tiler from the Company of Artisans, to discover what kinds of stories tiles can tell. Karen explains the history of tiles through the medieval period, their significance, and how you become a medieval tiler in the modern day!
The Company of Artisans appear regularly at Alnwick Castle, including dates this summer. Please check www.alnwickcastle.com for full details of their appearances, or you can find and like the Company of Artisans on Facebook. Then pay us a visit and make your own medieval tile!
If you enjoyed this podcast, please give us a like too - share the episode with your friends, subscribe so you don't miss an episode, and leave us a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice.
In the second part of our special look at the Fusiliers Museum (found in the Abbot's Tower of Alnwick Castle), our host Daniel speaks to the Museum's chair of trustees, John Armstrong, to hear about the long history of the Northumberland Fusiliers - from their beginnings in the 17th century to their status as the county regiment for Northumberland through to the 20th century. John shares stories, quotes and excerpts from documents held by the Museum to bring its history to life and provide a brief taste of what you can expect when you visit.
The Fusiliers Museum of Northumberland is open daily to all Alnwick Castle ticket-holders, and you can find them online as well as on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
If you enjoyed this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, we'd love if you subscribed and recommended us to your friends; if you left a five-star rating or a review wherever you get your podcasts; or if you let us know on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com !
Welcome to the first of two special episodes of the Alnwick Castle Podcast dedicated to the Fusiliers Museum of Northumberland, which is based in the Abbot's Tower of the Castle. In Part 1, our host Daniel speaks to Anne from the Museum's front of house team, who explains what a visit to the Fusiliers Museum can offer for visitors of all ages, discusses some of the archival work they do, and shares a few fascinating stories of people connected to the Northumberland Fusiliers.
Visits to the Museum are included with entry to Alnwick Castle, and you can find the Museum on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Part 2 of this Northumberland Fusiliers special arrives in two weeks, with more about the history of the regiment and how its museum came to be at Alnwick Castle. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss it, and leave us a rating or review!
The latest episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast is all about the latest addition to the Castle visitor attraction - a detailed and accurate model of Alnwick Castle, as it looked in 1608, created with 3D printing technology by Ryan Gregory. Our host Daniel speaks to the Castle's Archivist, Chris Hunwick, about the work that went into the model, covering subjects like the differences between the Castle in 1608 and now, new evaluations of the original maps and documents that have been used to create the model, and how the role of the Archivist fits into projects like this one.
If this podcast has made you want to see the Alnwick Castle Model for yourself, it is now on display in the Constable's Tower of Alnwick Castle.
If you enjoyed this episode of the podcast, please let us know by leaving a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts, subscribing so you never miss an episode, and by recommending us to your friends!
On this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, we're marking the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee with an episode dedicated to exploring the many connections Alnwick Castle has had with British monarchs of the past. Host Daniel is joined once again by Jeni to look into the Castle's royal history, from Norman barons supplying knights for Henry I, to Harry Hotspur's famous rebellion against Henry IV, to the 5th Earl of Northumberland providing sporting entertainment for Henry VII's daughter in the Alnwick Parks on her way to be married in Scotland. There are stories of kings and queens not called Henry too, of course - you'll also hear how the Castle faced off against King John, and how it has celebrated past jubilees for George III and Queen Victoria.
If you enjoyed the episode, please let us know on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com . Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode, and leave a review or rating where you can.
The Alnwick Castle Podcast goes to London in this episode, as our host Daniel Watkins speaks to Sheree Bellingham about Syon House, the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland. Sheree takes us through the history of Syon, from its time as a religious institution, to Georgian restoration works and landscaping by Capability Brown, to its use by a young Princess Victoria. We talk about Syon on film - including Netflix's smash hit series Bridgerton, which used the house as a location - and hear a particularly gory story involving Henry VIII.
(Please note that the conversation between Daniel and Sheree was recorded remotely, so there may be some background noise or differences in sound quality.)
Syon House is open to visitors on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from March until October. Please visit www.syonpark.co.uk for more information.
If you enjoyed this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, please leave us a five-star rating wherever you get your podcasts, subscribe so you don't miss an episode, and tell your friends to listen!
This episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast takes us back in time a little over 200 years to the Napoleonic Wars, when the North East of England was defended by a small group of volunteer soldiers based at Alnwick Castle. Led by Hugh Percy, the 2nd Duke of Northumberland, the Percy Tenantry Volunteers made a big impact on the history of the castle and the local area. On this episode, host Daniel is joined by two experts on the PTV, Bill Openshaw and Nick Lewis, to discuss some of the stories from that time.
You may notice a few pops, crackles and drops in the sound in this episode. Bill was joining us from Texas, and Nick from rural Northumberland, so our connections for remote recording were working harder than usual!
If you enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe wherever you get your podcast, leave us a review or five-star rating, and share it with your friends. You can get in touch with us on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com.
Coinciding with the April anniversary of Shakespeare's birth (and death), and in time for this year's open air performances by the Three Inch Fools at Alnwick Castle, this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast is a Shakespearean special! Join host Daniel as he talks to Shakespeare scholar Ronan Paterson about the Bard's connections to the history of Alnwick Castle. Ronan talks in detail about the depiction of famous Alnwick knight Harry Hotspur in Henry IV Part 1 - with the exclusive reveal of a new theory on Shakespeare's inspiration for the character - and he discusses the importance of the history plays as well as the global appeal of Macbeth.
Tickets for the Three Inch Fools performing Shakespeare at the Castle can be booked from alnwickcastle.com. Check the website regularly for the on-sale date.
If you enjoyed this episode of the podcast, please share it with your theatrical friends, subscribe so you don't miss an episode, and get in touch on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com if you'd like to hear more!
(Exeunt alles.)
The Alnwick Castle Podcast gets artistic this episode, as host Daniel is joined by Sunday Times art critic and documentarian Waldemar Januszczak to explore some of the highlights of the Castle's painting collection. Waldemar talks about the importance of artists like Canaletto, Van Dyck, Titian and Palma Vecchio, all of whom have works displayed in Alnwick Castle's State Rooms. We pay special attention to William Dobson, the 'lost genius of British art', whose self-portrait at Alnwick is one of Waldemar's favourite paintings.
You can see images of the artworks discussed in this episode on the Alnwick Castle Facebook and Instagram pages (find them @alnwickcastle and @alnwickcastleofficial respectively) or, of course, by visiting the Castle.
If you enjoyed this episode of the podcast, please subscribe and share it with your friends, and we appreciate any ratings or reviews you can offer! You can get in touch with us on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com .
On the latest episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, we are joined by architectural historian and author John Goodall to talk all about castles!
As the writer of The English Castle and, most recently, The Castle: A History, there was nobody better for our host Daniel to speak to about castles and what makes Alnwick Castle such a special one. Daniel and John discuss the myths and legends that surround castles, their restorations, and their place in the landscape of Britain among many other things.
John Goodall's latest book, The Castle: A History, is available now from all good bookshops and online retailers.
If you enjoyed this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, please subscribe to the podcast and share it with your friends. Let us know what you think on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com and we'll see you in two weeks for the next episode!
Episode 5 of the Alnwick Castle Podcast takes us back in time to Georgian England, as host Daniel speaks to Dr Adriano Aymonino of the University of Buckingham about the 1st Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, one of the most important couples of the 18th century.
Adriano's research, culminating in the 2021 book Enlightened Eclecticism, has shed new light on the 1st Duke and Duchess' importance as collectors and patrons, their status in Georgian society, and their impact on buildings like Alnwick Castle, which was completely restored during their lifetimes.
You can purchase Enlightened Eclecticism now from Yale Books or the Alnwick Castle shop, and tickets to hear Adriano speak about the 1st Duke and Duchess live at Alnwick Castle on 7th April 2022 are now available from www.alnwickcastle.com .
If you enjoyed this episode of the Alnwick Castle podcast, please let us know on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com . Don't forget to subscribe, share the podcast, and leave us a review or rating if you're feeling generous!
On this episode of the Alnwick Castle podcast, our host Daniel speaks to Emma from Raphael Historic Falconry about the long history of castles and birds of prey. We explore the heritage of falconry, what is required to perform displays at places like Alnwick Castle, and plenty more besides!
See alnwickcastle.com for more information on when you can see the birds of Raphael Historic Falconry perform at the castle. If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe, give us a review or a five star rating, and recommend the Alnwick Castle podcast to your friends!
Get in touch with us on Twitter @alnwickcastle, or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com.
On this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, we are joined by a very special guest to talk about the castle's use as a filming location, and some of the movies that have been made at Alnwick. Film journalist and author Helen O'Hara speaks to our host Daniel Watkins about the benefits of making films on location, great actors like Cate Blanchett and Alan Rickman (whose films have been made, in part, at Alnwick Castle), movie castles and libraries, vampires, and famous historical figures on film - from Robin Hood to Elizabeth I!
You can listen to Helen O'Hara weekly on The Empire Film Podcast, and her book Women vs. Hollywood is available from all good bookshops. Follow her on Twitter @HelenLOHara.
If you enjoyed this episode of the Alnwick Castle podcast, make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Let us know your thoughts on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com.
In Episode 2 of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, we move from looking at the history of the castle itself to the history of the Percy family, now known as the Dukes and Duchesses of Northumberland, who have owned Alnwick Castle for more than 700 years. Join host Daniel as he tracks the story of the 'Lions of the North' from their beginnings in Norman England, through medieval and Tudor rebellions, to the finery of the Georgian and Victorian eras and beyond.
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Welcome to episode 1 of the Alnwick Castle Podcast! Join host Daniel Watkins as he explores the history of Alnwick Castle, one of North East England's most famous heritage and visitor attractions and a place with connections to many famous events and figures from the past 1000 years of British history. From its beginnings as a Norman fortress to its current status as a family home of the Duke of Northumberland, Alnwick Castle has seen many changes and you'll hear about them in this podcast.
Make sure to subscribe to the Alnwick Castle Podcast so you never miss an episode, and leave us a review or a five-star rating if you enjoyed this episode. You can get in touch with us on Twitter @alnwickcastle or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com.
The Alnwick Castle Podcast is here! In this brief introductory episode, host Daniel Watkins explains some of the things you can expect to hear in future episodes of the Alnwick Castle Podcast - from the history of the castle and the Percy family, who have lived there for over 700 years, to stories connected to Alnwick Castle, ranging from medieval falconry to military history to the worlds of magic and witchcraft seen through the castle's use as a filming location.
Make sure to subscribe to the Alnwick Castle Podcast so you don't miss an episode, and let us know what you think @alnwickcastle on Twitter or by emailing podcast@alnwickcastle.com.