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Historic Towns & Picturesque Villages

Scorton Priory gateway, Scorton Village, Nr. Garstang, Lancashire.

Scorton

in the county of Lancashire

Denstone village store

Denstone

in the county of Staffordshire

Pictures of Warkworth

a Seaside Town in the county of Northumberland

About Warkworth

Sparkling in high summer and tinged with frosty thin ice in winter, the River Coquet makes its final loop before entering the sea at Amble. Although this estuary is known as Warkworth Harbour, Warkworth infact, is about a mile away, its great castle, sitting high on its soft green hill, is clearly visible on the skyline. Coquet Island is about a mile off Amble, it has only a lighthouse but it once had a cell in which monks took refuge in the 12th-century from Henry the Hermit.

Here, miles of beautiful soft, golden sands are backed by an extensive range of sand dunes beyond which is the ancient place of Warkworth dominated by a magnificent castle built in early Norman times on a Saxon site. It is well placed as a fortress for it is ensconced in a horseshoe between the River Coquet and the North Sea.

The castle has a turbulent history, it came into the hands of the Earls of Northumberland - the Percy family in 1331 after being twice besieged by the Scots in 1327. Edward III granted the castle to Henry de Percy II and it is this family that strengthened it and gave it the magnificent cruciform keep, and improved overall the domestic comfort within. The castle remained with the Percy's until 1403 when Henry de Percy IV turned against Henry IV. Harry Hotspur, a famously straightforward soldier was brought up here. He was central to the seizure of the crown of England from Richard II by Henry Bolingbroke. Henry's autocratic behaviour began to disturb Harry and realising that his loyalty had been misplaced Harry was later to plot against him.

After being battered into submission by cannons and the earls estates forfiet politicdal maneuvers caused the castle to pass back and forth between the Crown and the Percy's until the 5th Earl of Northumberland died and left all that he owned to King Henry VIII.

The sheer size of the castle and extensive grounds is impressive and causes you to give full reign to your imagination as you think about the people who once inhabited the castle and the gracious style in which they must have lived. The castle keep was built in the 14th-century it is both impressive and complete, so too are the stairways leading to the hub of the castle that contains kitchens, storage rooms and chapel. Close to the vast Great Hall are two wine cellars and a beer cellar, entertaining in those days must have been on a grand scale.

The views all around are spectacular, the air is crisp and salty and you can hear the cries of gulls as they circle around this once magnificent fortress. It is an evocative place, hauntingly beautiful, a place of peace, a never to be forgotten place that will call you back time and time again.

A visit here will give you so much pleasure, there is much to see and do from sunbathing on the beautiful beaches, visiting the magnificent castle or the 14th-century hermitage with its chapel and cell and just a short boat trip away is Coquet Island. Boats are unable to land on the island for it is now a bird sanctuary and the most southerly breeding ground in eastern Britian of the eider duck. Here, you have beautiful countryside, ancient Warkworth set aside a sparkling river, and perhaps what is the most magnificent stretch of coastline on the spectacular Northumberland Heritage Coast.

Recommended towns & villages near Warkworth

Alnmouth, Northumberland

Alnmouth (11 Pictures) a Picturesque Village in the county of Northumberland

(3.0 miles, 4.8 km, direction N of Warkworth)

Alnmouth lies on a coastline famed for its outstanding natural beauty, thus one of its greatest pleasures is found in wandering the coastal paths enjoying uninterrupted sea and coastal views...

Alnwick Castle

Alnwick (102 Pictures) a Historic Market Town in the county of Northumberland

(6.1 miles, 9.8 km, direction NW of Warkworth)

Set magnificently in the heart of the beautiful northern countryside is the great castle that has dominated the life and times of Alnwick for centuries...

Craster in Northumberland. Taken Aug/Sept 2003

Craster (93 Pictures) a Picturesque Village in the county of Northumberland

(8.9 miles, 14.3 km, direction N of Warkworth)

Craster is a quiet and unspoiled fishing village in Northumberland, famous for its Kippers and beautiful cliff scenery..

Church Point

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea (4 Pictures) a Seaside Town in the county of Northumberland

(11.6 miles, 18.7 km, direction S of Warkworth)

The bay is a major attraction, often lively with fishing cobbles and pleasure craft, it is also a haven for sun-bathers...

This is the well known Bridge End Cottage situated next to Thropton bride, Thropton, Northumberland

Thropton (2 Pictures) a Picturesque Village in the county of Northumberland

(13.7 miles, 22.0 km, direction W of Warkworth)

This pretty village straggles the banks of the sparkling River Coquet. It is a lively invigorating place, lying amidst the stunning countryside of Simonside, a 1,409 foot high peak...

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Nearby attractions..

Warkworth Castle Lion Tower

Warkworth Castle (118 Pictures)

(0.3 miles, 0.4 km)

This once superb castle was, for over four centuries, one of the most important in a long line of defensive castle's built in the.....

The Tree House, Alnwick Gardens, Northumberland. September 2006. Canon Powershot 400

The Alnwick Garden (13 Pictures)

(5.9 miles, 9.5 km, direction NW)

Adjacent to Alnwick Castle is the Alnwick Garden. The Alnwick Garden in Northumberland is one of the most exciting contemporary.....

Alnwick Castle, Northumberland

Alnwick Castle (59 Pictures)

(6.2 miles, 10.0 km, direction NW)

The vast castle of the Dukes of Northumberland remains very much a family home, a living place that is second only to Windsor.....

Hulne Park, Alnwick, Northumberland. December 05

Hulne Park (1 Pictures)

(7.7 miles, 12.4 km, direction NW)

This magnificent park covers thousands of acres of glorious countryside. It is mostly enclosed by old stone walls, lying just a.....

Dunstanburgh Castle Lilburn Tower

Dunstanburgh Castle (71 Pictures)

(9.0 miles, 14.4 km, direction N)

The romantic remains of this once extensive castle stand high on a cliff above the waters of the North Sea. The castle was begun.....

The lake in Cragside Estate, nr Rotherbury, Northumberland.

Cragside (156 Pictures)

(11.2 miles, 18.0 km, direction W)

It would be hard to find a more pleasant and peaceful place than Rothbury. This enchanting little market town sits splendidly.....

Lordenshaw, near Rothbury, Northumberland, England

Lordenshaw (2 Pictures)

(13.0 miles, 20.9 km, direction W)

Ancient cup-and-ring marked outcrop and Iron Age hillfort in Northumberland National Park..


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