Lindisfarne Castle

This former Tudor fortress saw action during the reign of Henry VIII before being reimagined as a fairytale holiday home in 1901. It sits on Lindisfarne, or the ‘Holy Isle’, off the north east coast of England and is one of two main attractions on the island – the other being Lindisfarne Priory.

A separate attraction to the nearby medieval priory, Lindisfarne Castle makes up the latter half of the island’s history – picking up where the priory left off. The original castle was built around the mid 1500’s just as the priory was falling into decline. It was established as one of the preliminary defences against the Scots during a turbulent struggle over the border between Scotland and England. Henry VIII was waging war against the Scots for resisting his demands that the two countries unite under his new reformed church. Lindisfarne Castle thus became an important strategical stronghold and remained so until James I and VI established the United Kingdom.

The castle eventually fell into decline but it was saved from becoming a ruin by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. Sir Edwin was the editor of the famed magazine Country Life and brought a new lease of life to Lindisfarne Castle around 1901. Much of what you see in the castle today remains from this period of rejuvenation and features furnishings and artwork of Sir Edwin’s taste. Also, not to be missed it the walled garden designed by one of the foremost gardeners of that age – Gertrude Jekyll. A small oasis with carefully sculpted flower beds of dazzling colour, Gertrude’s garden still attracts visitors from afar despite almost 124 years of pruning!

Along with other attractions on the Holy Isle, Lindisfarne Castle is a must-see destination for any travellers on the north east coast of England and pairs well with trips to Alnwick Castle, Hadrian’s Wall and Bamburgh Castle. Bear in mind that visiting hours are dictated by the tide as the island is only accessible via a tidal causeway. Lindisfarne offers numerous amenities in which to spend your time including cafes, pubs, shops and visitor attractions to suit all ages. And, your guide will keep you on the right side of the tide!