Warkworth

What can I do?

• Explore Warkworth’s rich history:

1. Visit the 13th Century Castle, ancient seat of the Percy family, Earls and Dukes of Northumberland. Can you find out which famous play it has appeared in?
2. Walk over the famous 14th Century Norman bridge and spot wildlife on the River Coquet
3. Look out for 18th and 19th century houses built in grey stone with red roofs.
4. Visit the Church, one of the finest Norman churches in the country with a long history. The first church on this site (along with the rest of the village) was given to the Abbot and monks of Lindisfarne in 737AD by King Ceolwulf of Northumbria.
5. Take a boat over to Warkworth Hermitage which houses a chapel carved in stone, a confessional and dormitory. Investigate the tragic tale of a knight named Sir Bertram.

• English Heritage runs ‘Discovery Visits’ for school groups studying History, Literacy, Science and Design Technology at Warkworth Castle.

Become a medieval engineer
Key Stage: 1,2 History, Science, Design Technology
How did people from the past build bridges, towers and siege engines? Become a real engineer in practical workshops exploring how our ancestors solved construction problems. Using a large-scale construction kit, this is literally a hands-on history experience! Explore the main features of the castle in an interactive tour, relating these to methods of attack and defence and construction. Working in groups, use Tac-Tic (plastic construction materials) to build a successful bridge alongside the castle walls. Also build a catapult and take part in a bean-bag-throwing challenge, identifying features of successful warfare and forces in the process.
When: 30 June-2 July 2009
Duration: 2 hours

The Lion, the Earl and his castle
Key Stage: 1 History, Literacy
Meet a storyteller who will tell you tales about the castle and the men, women, children and animals who lived here 600 hundred years ago. Have fun exploring the castle, learning more about how it was defended and discuss the differences between life then and now.
When: By arrangement
Duration: 1 hour

Feast and fanfare
Key Stage: 2 History, Literacy
Meet the Constable of the castle who will take you back in time to the Medieval period and the time of the Percy family’s residence at Warkworth castle. Join him on a walk through the castle to the Keep, past the kitchen to the Great Hall. Then meet the Steward and join him in re-creating a feast for the household by handling objects and dressing up . Find out how a feast was prepared and what food was eaten. Discover who was involved in preparing for the feast and experience what the meal would have been like for those serving and those eating.
When: By arrangement
Duration: 1 hour

For more more information, and for details of how to book, visit
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.19528

• Go birdwatching in the Coquet Estuary, an important migration staging post. Or take a trip around Coquet Island (no landing allowed), which is an important breeding colony for many seabirds. (If you can’t get on a trip you can see live images of nesting seabirds, including puffins and four species of terns at the Tourist Information Centre in Amble).
• Take a conservation walk.
• Explore the sand dune grassland backing onto Alnmouth Bay – designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. There’s a picnic site too if you fancy taking some lunch along.

What do I need to know?

• There are buses to Warkworth from Newcastle and Alnwick. See www.jplanner.org.uk for timetables.
• Please note: the Hermitage is currently closed until Easter 2009.

Where can I find out more?

• Contact the RSPB and www.northumberlandseabirdcentre.co.uk for trips around Coquet Island.
• English Heritage’s Warkworth Castle general information
• Warkworth Castle Teachers’ Information
• Warkworth Castle Hazard Information Sheet
• Download this conservation walk
• Local information website
• Visit the Northumberland Communities website for information about the history of Warkworth

  Inspire me

  Try our specially designed family activities. Castles, Storytelling walk and Puffins are all great ways of getting to know Warkworth. You can download pdf versions of these activities using the links to the right, or visit the Inspire me page to find a these and other activities in both pdf and Microsoft Word versions (for you to customise if you wish).