Houses, castles and buildings in the North East

Explore all the North East has to offer, from stately homes with links to pioneers like Lord Armstrong and George Washington, to windswept coastal castles and an iconic lighthouse.

Visitors below the house at Cragside

Visit a Victorian house of wonder and curiosity at Cragside 

Discover the former home of inventor William Armstrong and his wife, Margaret. This imposing Arts and Crafts mansion in Rothbury was the first in the world to be powered by hydroelectricity. Step inside to marvel at Armstrong’s innovative home comforts, including a room-to-room telephone system. And delve into extensive collections of British Art, ceramics, natural history and furniture.

Find out more about the home of modern living
Visitors walking along the drive at Wallington

Explore an informal country home at Wallington 

Tucked away amongst woodlands, walled gardens and rolling hills, the historic house at Wallington is brimming with treasured collections. Wander the many rooms to uncover stories and objects left behind by the unconventional Trevelyan family. In the entrance hall you’ll find a colourful collection of china, wall paintings in the central hall tell 2,000 years of local history, and don’t miss the dolls’ house room – a favourite of big and little kids alike.

Visit the huge Wallington estate
Lindisfarne Castle on Holy Island off the Northumberland Coast

Cross a causeway to explore Lindisfarne Castle 

Head across the legendary Holy Island causeway to explore a castle that isn’t really a castle at all. This fort-come-Edwardian holiday home sits high up on a crag, towering over the island. Inside many of the Tudor features were lost when Sir Edwin Lutyens renovated the castle in 1903 but look closely and some of them will reappear, including intricate wall paintings from the late 17th century.

Find out more about this iconic castle
A woman approaching Seaton Delaval Hall

Step inside a Georgian mansion at Seaton Delaval Hall 

Explore a fire-scarred English Baroque hall, once the home of the ‘gay Delavals’, who were notorious Georgian party animals. Designed by Sir John Vanburgh, the architecture of Seaton Delaval Hall is as dramatic as the family who lived there. Look out for hints of former grandeur in the impressive Central Hall, venture down to the eerie servants’ basement and expect anything but the ordinary.

Find out more about Seaton Delaval Hall
Two visitors sitting outdoors

Discover a quaint farmstead at Cherryburn 

Perched on the south bank of the Tyne, surrounded by nature, you’ll find a modest Northumbrian farm. Thomas Bewick, the wood-engraver and naturalist who transformed Georgian print art was born in a tiny stone cottage here. Take in views of the Tyne Valley, meet farm animals in the yard and explore a museum with unrivalled displays of Bewick’s work.

Visit Thomas Bewick’s birthplace
Visitors walking along path to Souter Lighthouse and The Leas

See the sights from Souter Lighthouse 

Take 76 steps to the top of the first lighthouse built to be powered by electricity, for views over the North Sea. The coastline between Tyne and Wear was a perilous place before Souter Lighthouse opened in 1871. Inside the Engine Room and Keeper’s Cottage discover what life was like for a lighthouse keeper and then get some fresh sea air as you ramble the limestone cliffs of the Leas.

Explore a marvel of its age
Washington Old Hall and gardens in bloom

Explore a medieval manor at Washington Old Hall 

This small stone building, in the heart of historic Washington village, has a diverse history. Washington Old Hall was the medieval home of George Washington’s ancestors. On the ground floor learn more about the James family who renovated the hall to become their family home in the 17th century. Then make your way up to the first floor to discover the hall’s time as a crowded tenement.

Discover the ancestral home of George Washington
View of Dunstanburgh Castle from Craster

Venture to the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle 

Lace up your boots because this vast, ruined 14th century castle can only be reached by foot. Sat on a remote and dramatic rocky outcrop, Dunstanburgh Castle dominates a beautiful stretch of the Northumberland coastline near Alnwick. In its heyday the castle was one of the largest forts in Northern England. Managed by English Heritage but free to National Trust members.

Visit one of the North East’s most iconic castle ruins