On either side of the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye
Tennyson
The village of Warkworth has always been dominated by the castle. Apart from its historical importance there is a palpable sense of fantasy both here and at the famous Warkworth Hermitage. Northumberland has more castles than any other county in England (seventy in total) and all share this same sense of magic. It is no coincidence therefore that Harry Potter was filmed at the nearby Alnwick castle.
The romantic nature of Warkworth castle is enhanced by its abundance of dark passageways , secret rooms and staircases an ideal environment for fairies to set up home. There is no need for fairies to build fairy doors here for the hollows within the stonework provide safe haven for any fairy lucky enough to live here.
The historical records show fairy occupation dates back to the very beginning of the early castle and continues to this day so if you are very quiet and very lucky you too may see fairies when you visit the castle.
Castle Guards
Human guards are not very efficient at stopping unwanted fairies entering the castle so fairy guards often worked alongside their human counterparts to supplement castle security.
The Castle Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of any building none more so than in a castle. In the past people had a more welcoming attitude to the presence of fairies and kitchen staff would often save scraps of food for the fairies in return for good luck favours. Here we see the busy kitchen maids of Warkworth castle going about their daily work while a fairy patiently sits waiting for her reward.
The Old Castle Spell Room
This is the old spell room for the castle where, in the past, more volatile spells were stored. Although the same door is still here today the original writing on it has long since disappeared.
Dragon Cage
The dragon cage of Warkworth is a relic of less enlightened times when it was considered acceptable to keep a dragon as a pet. Thankfully those days are long gone however the original castle cage can still be seen, a poignant reminder of much darker times.
Counsel Of Wizards
The wizards sat in counsel within the great courtyard of Warkworth Castle and formulated their plans. They knew the fae folk were privy to the discussion and very much appreciated the spells they suggested.
The Fairy Queen of Warkworth
and wife to King Oberon VII.
A lantern being used to attract the royal butterflies back to their night chamber in the lantern tower.
