Discover more at Cragside
Find out when Cragside is open, how to get here, the things to see and do and more.
Things to do in the house at Cragside
Step inside Britain’s original smart home – a pioneering Victorian mansion filled with the latest gadgets and inventions. Illuminated with hydro-electricity and powered by hydraulics, this impressive Arts and Crafts House was designed for modern living and efficiency.
The House is now open
All rooms are open at Cragside House. The Billiard Table in the Billiard Room and a statue of Undine in the Drawing Room are temporarily covered in protective boxing while some remedial work is completed in the rooms.
The Library
The Library houses four of the inventor Joseph Swan’s original incandescent lamps. Originally the vases stood in a bowl of mercury. Servants would wear gloves to avoid electrocution while placing the bowls in mercury to complete the circuit.
The house shone with electric light, which was powered by Armstrong’s expertly integrated hydroelectricity system. This system harnessed the power from man-made lakes across the Cragside estate.
The Owl Suite
Guests in the Owl Suite would enjoy the luxury of hot and cold running water, central heating and even a sunken bath and fitted sinks.
People flocked to Cragside from all over the world, drawn by tales of the ‘modern magician's palace', filled with lavish gadgets.
In fact, in 1884 the Prince and Princess of Wales – the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra – stayed at the house. They chose Cragside over the region’s castles and homes.
The Drawing Room
The large and ostentatious Drawing Room was purposefully designed in stark contrast to the rest of the house. It served to demonstrate the Armstrongs' wealth while they hosted high-ranking officials and royalty.
It's complete with an elliptical ceiling for moonlit parties, a luxurious chenille carpet and a colossal, two-storey, carved–marble fireplace, which weighs 10 tonnes.
The Kitchen
The kitchen boasts double-height ceilings and plenty of windows that bring in plenty of light and air. In the Armstrongs' time, it also had labour-saving gadgets including a water-powered rotating spit and an early dishwasher.
There was also a hand-operated dumb waiter for hoisting items up from the scullery and pantries.
The Gallery
Cragside's gallery was originally intended to house the Armstrong's private museum. The married couple collected contemporary British art by Millais, Leighton, Rossettini and Turner.
Collecting was a fashionable pastime for Victorians, as you'll see as you journey through the house. There's lots to discover, from exotic taxidermy to an assembly of 4,000 seashells - each carefully labelled and displayed.
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Explore the ultimate designer garden. With spectacular vision, William and Margaret Armstrong transformed the grounds from a bare moorside into a fantasy mountain landscape. Created for beauty and function you’ll discover towering trees, overflowing flower beds, trickling burns, dramatic water cascades and engineered lakes that were created to harness the power of water.
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From medieval manor houses to classic Georgian mansions to lighthouses, the North East's story is brought to life through its characterful historic buildings.