And the end is nigh….

And on the last day of the holidays, we went to Alnwick Castle. This is the seat of the Dukes of Northumberland and has been in the same family for 700 years. It has also been used as a film set and is consequently overrun with Harry Potter and Downton Abbey fans.

We visited the State Rooms – a riot of mid-Victorian gilding – but couldn’t photograph them. This video shows what I can’t . https://youtu.be/SEJYzremMII

There is a famous garden attached to the castle, laid out over the last 20 years by the current duchess. As it needs a separate ticket and several hours to do it justice, we did not visit. https://youtu.be/ra-TSrhj1pQ

The interior courtyard of the castle.
Just in case the Scots appear over the horizon.
The family’s 18C state carriage. Last used in 2013 when the Duke’s daughter got married in Alnwick.
I’m not sure if the figures on top of the walls are there to fool attackers into thinking there are more soldiers than there actually are or if they were added for Harry Potter.
The keep
The moat, walls and River Aln.

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