Road Trip 12 Alnwick Castle- Hogwarts
From The Gardens, Treehouse Restaurant and Potting Shed, you can walk to Alnwick Castle without going through the town.
Some outdoor scenes from Harry Potter were filmed here.
Such a stunning setting.
I had to take this pic of the tractor with its scoop down and a group of tourists just ahead on the road. I had a scene from a Tom Sharpe novel running in my head. I ought to stand in the naughty corner. Those novels are rather funny though!
The moat area leading to the river.
Gateway to the State Rooms.
The figures on the castellations on this side are more weathered than the ones on the town side. You can make out the cross bow here though.
You can just make out what they are meant to be. I wondered if this one was Diana goddess of hunting.
I think this figures has birds on him. Perhaps he was a falconer?
There are shields below the figures.
Inside the land is divided into various courtyards, an inner and outer bailey.
The above photo is of the outer bailey.
There looks like enough space to shelter villages in the event of a raid, so perhaps that is why Alnwick town was never fully walled?
But let us head towards the centre of the castle and the State Rooms.
The 12th Duke of Northumberland and family still live in the castle so their rooms are private.
Norman style arch.
We are going to go inside. I can’t take photos, so go here to have a look.
The photo above is of the courtyard with the State Rooms surrounding it.
A co-operative pigeon. I thanked him.
Winding gear
Religious figure on a very interesting shelf.
Huge lantern.
The stones show what colour the castle would’ve been when new.
Engraved old chest.
Now back to the Outer Bailey. The town and the Barbican (showed in the post about the town) are behind us.
The Barbican. In the corner is the Fusiliers Museum in the Abbots Tower.
Some more of the figures.
Just off the Outer Bailey, in the South West corner of the castle
is the Guest Hall courtyard. It houses the family coach which was repaired for the eldest daughter’s wedding in 2011. Another daughter is going to be married on June 22, so it will probably be used again.
So let us take a break here and have a tea and cake before exploring the Knight’s Quest courtyard, just off of this one.
Posted in Travels by House Elf with 4 comments.