The Alnwick Castle Podcast

Alnwick Castle

Alnwick Castle is one of North East England's top visitor attractions and has been part of British history for nearly 1,000 years. Now, Alnwick Castle has a podcast! Join hosts Daniel and Deborah, and regular special guests, as they discuss fascinating aspects of Alnwick Castle's history, from the people that lived there to its connections with famous events, its place as a filming location, and more. New episodes will be available every two weeks - make sure to subscribe so you don't miss any!

  1. Jun 24

    92 - Alnwick Castle and America

    Marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and continuing our theme from the last podcast, this month we are looking at some of the connections Alnwick Castle has had with the United States across history. In this episode, you will hear the stories of George Percy, one of the first English settlers in Virginia; the illegitimate son of the 1st Duke of the Northumberland whose money helped to create a world-famous institution in America; Eustace Percy, who worked in Washington DC during the First World War; and three modern American icons who visited Alnwick Castle or with whom its owners shared a historic moment. We hope you enjoy this special USA-themed podcast. For more American links, try our most recent episode inspired by the new exhibition at Alnwick Castle, "Earl Percy and the American Revolutionary War". The US flag has 50 stars ... we would be very grateful if you borrowed five and gave The Alnwick Castle Podcast a five-star review!

    33 min

  2. May 27

    91 - Earl Percy and the American Revolutionary War - with Chris Hunwick

    Marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence in 1776, this year Alnwick Castle features a brand new exhibition for visitors to see. "The Shot Heard Round The World: Earl Percy and the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)" tells the story of the American war of independence from the perspective of Hugh Percy, known at the time as Earl Percy, who was there fighting on the British side. Percy arrived in Boston in 1774, saw action in some of the earliest fighting of the American Revolution and continued his role through 1776 in New York before returning to England in 1777. To tell us more about Earl Percy and the American Revolutionary War, we asked our archivist Chris Hunwick to show us around the exhibition for the podcast! From Chris, you will hear about how the exhibition came together, and get an in-depth exploration of the contents. Chris gives us exclusive insights and readings into many of the documents and items on display, from a sketch map believed to be the first made of the war, to 18th century dollar bills, to Percy's logbooks and letters home.  Use this podcast as an audio guide if you visit the exhibition, or as a way to experience it from wherever you are in the world! If you come to Alnwick Castle in 2026, you will find the exhibition in the Breakfast Room, with other connected displays throughout the State Rooms. We would love to hear what you think. Email podcast@alnwickcastle.com or leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

    47 min

  3. Apr 29

    90 - Work In A Castle - with Sarah Roller

    Work In A Castle is the brand new platform for heritage careers from Historic Houses, where you can go to find out about the amazing, and very varied, job roles that a place like Alnwick Castle can offer. As a member property of Historic Houses, we are excited to be part of the platform, and to find out more, we spoke to Sarah Roller, Director of Policy and Public Affairs for the association. Sarah talks about what makes working in a historic place so special, the unexpected pathways a heritage career can take, and her own way into the sector. If you are interested in working at a castle, or a palace, or a stately home, or a historic garden ... this may be the podcast episode for you! To find out more, visit workinacastle.com or follow Work In A Castle on Instagram or LinkedIn. To hear more about the work Historic Houses do, please head into our podcast back catalogue and find episode 67, where you'll find Sarah's first appearance on the pod!

    27 min

  4. Mar 25

    89 - The House of Boleyn - with Tracy Borman

    We are delighted to welcome historian, author and broadcaster Tracy Borman back to Alnwick Castle on 24th April to speak about her new novel The House of Boleyn. Tickets are available now at alnwickcastle.com - we hope to see you there. As a preview for the event, and in fact as a preview for the book, which is published just one day before Tracy returns to Alnwick, we spoke with her about The House of Boleyn. You will hear a little about what to expect from the talk on 24th April, as well as the process of writing and researching the book, discussion of the Boleyn household at Hever Castle, and the what ifs of Anne Boleyn's story.  Of course, we also get into the story of Anne and Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland, as well as how the court of Henry VIII was like being in The Traitors! You might hear a little bit of crackling when you listen to the episode, this is a result of our remote recording but we have done our best to minimise it wherever possible. We hope this podcast with Tracy Borman whets your appetite for what is sure to be a brilliant talk in April - get your tickets now!

    48 min

  5. Feb 25

    88 - Anne Boleyn, Henry Percy and Ecclesiastes - with Natalie Grueninger and Owen Emmerson

    Anne Boleyn may be one of the best-known figures in British history. But how much do you know about her connections to Alnwick Castle and the Percy family? In this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, we explore the Boleyn-Percy connection in depth with two amazing experts: Natalie Grueninger, from the Talking Tudors podcast, and Owen Emmerson, from Hever Castle. Natalie and Owen explain the origins of the story that Anne Boleyn was engaged to the future 6th Earl of Northumberland, and the effect this would have on both their lives. They also spend time discussing the Ecclesiasties, an amazing prayer book that survives in the Alnwick Castle archives and that once belonged to Anne Boleyn. Everything about this book, from the bindings to the images and ideas inside, is remarkable, and you will hear all about it. You can see the Ecclesiastes in person this year at Hever Castle, where it has been loaned for the new exhibition about Anne, called Capturing A Queen. Visit their website for more details. For more Tudors on the Alnwick Castle Podcast, please explore our back catalogue - there are several episodes to choose from! And look out for next month's episode where we will be joined once again by the brilliant Tracy Borman to discuss her latest book, The House Of Boleyn.

    55 min

  6. Jan 28

    87 - The Wizard Earl of Northumberland

    Welcome, and welcome back, to the first Alnwick Castle Podcast of 2026! Whether you are a brand new listener or you have been with us from the start, we hope you will enjoy what we have planned for the upcoming year, with new episodes arriving on the last Wednesday of every month. We start 2026 with an in-depth biography of one of the most famous former owners of Alnwick Castle. Henry Percy, the 9th Earl of Northumberland, lived through the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, and was connected to many of the key events and people of those times. He was also known as the Wizard Earl for his interest in science, alchemy, and magic. On this podcast, hosts Daniel and Deborah take you through the life of the Wizard Earl, including: His early years His relationships with his mother Katherine and wife Dorothy His library collection and other "bookish matters" How he became known as the Wizard Earl, and his scientific (or magical) experiments His famous friends, rivals and (nearly) opponents in duels His trial following the Gunpowder Plot, and imprisonment in the Tower of London His relationships with his children, Dorothy, Lucy and Algernon His attitudes towards women And what was happening at Alnwick Castle and in the north during his lifetime. We reference several other episodes of the podcast during this biography. For more details, please go back into our catalohue and look for the following episodes: 10 - Syon House 22 - The Gunpowder Plot and Alnwick Castle 31 - Women of Alnwick Castle (Part 2) 36 - The Tudors, the Percys and Syon House 43 - The History of Tennis 45 - Strange and Mysterious Alnwick Castle Tales 72 - The Border Reivers 83 - The Stolen Crown

    45 min

  7. 11/26/2025

    86 - The surprising history of wool - with Company of Artisans

    For our final episode of 2025, we recommend grabbing your best wooly jumper and getting cosy as we learn all about the history of ... wool! Company of Artisans, regular guests on the Alnwick Castle podcast, are experts on many different aspects of medieval craftsmanship, and on this episode, Karen and Charlie explain why wool was so important to the economy of medieval England - creating trade, funding wars, and providing employment across the country and society. You will hear the exhaustive process of how wool clothing was made, and some of the reasons why wool is no longer England's top export. You will also hear some of the stories of the history of wool in Northumberland, and from Alnwick Castle itself.  This is a fascinating deep-dive into centuries of history, and we hope it gives you a new perspective on your clothes! For more from Company of Artisans, head into our podcast back catalogue, and don't forget to check us out on YouTube as well as our usual platforms! We will be back with more episodes in 2026. If there's a subject you would like us to cover on the podcast, let us know: podcast@alnwickcastle.com .

    59 min

  8. 10/29/2025

    85 - Anthony Salvin - with John Goodall

    Alnwick Castle would not look the way it does today without the work of Anthony Salvin, the principal architect for the restoration of the castle in the Victorian period. Salvin, one of the top architects of his day (especially when it came to castles), created a new entrance to the castle keep, added towers, and designed the Great Kitchen for the 4th Duke of Northumberland. To find out more about Salvin, his life and his work - especially at Alnwick - we spoke to architectural historian and Country Life editor John Goodall, who explained why Salvin's work has been so significant to the development of Alnwick Castle, adapting to modern needs while calling back to other periods of history, and connecting the domestic space of the Great Kitchen with the grandeur of the State Rooms. If you enjoyed the episode, you can hear John talk about Alnwick and other castles in Episode 6 of the podcast - or if you visit the castle, you can listen to him talk about the Constable's Tower in our museum!

    37 min
See All (93)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Alnwick Castle is one of North East England's top visitor attractions and has been part of British history for nearly 1,000 years. Now, Alnwick Castle has a podcast! Join hosts Daniel and Deborah, and regular special guests, as they discuss fascinating aspects of Alnwick Castle's history, from the people that lived there to its connections with famous events, its place as a filming location, and more. New episodes will be available every two weeks - make sure to subscribe so you don't miss any!

Information

  • Creator
    Alnwick Castle
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    93
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Alnwick Castle Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Alnwick Castle Podcast

You Might Also Like