No prose, just numbers. If you want the stories behind these, the history and architecture pages cover them properly — this page is for anyone who just wants the reference sheet.
Last reviewed:| Founded | c. 1096, by Ivo de Vesci |
| First written record | 1138, described as "most heavily fortified" |
| Bought by the Percy family | 1309, from the Bishop of Durham |
| Percys elevated to Dukes of Northumberland | 1766, by King George III |
| Current owner | Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland (inherited 1995) |
| Listing status | Grade I listed building (not a UNESCO World Heritage Site) |
| Shell keep towers | 10 — 2 flanking the Romanesque gate, 3 from the 14th century, 5 by Salvin |
| Outer wall length | Approx. 5,000 feet (roughly a mile) |
| River through the grounds | The River Aln, 6 miles of it runs through the castle and parks |
| Library collection | 14,000 catalogued books |
| Canaletto paintings on display | 8 |
| 18th-century remodel architects | Robert Adam, James Paine, and Daniel Garrett (3 architects) |
| 18th-century landscape designer | Lancelot "Capability" Brown |
| 19th-century restoration architect | Anthony Salvin |
| Cost of Salvin's restoration | £250,000, paid between 1854 and 1865 |
| State Rooms interior designers | Luigi Canina and Giovanni Montiroli (Italianate style) |
| Total film & TV credits | 40+ |
| Harry Potter films shot here | 2 — the first two films in the franchise |
| Other notable credits | Downton Abbey (series finale), Blackadder, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Transformers: The Last Knight |
| 2026 season | 27 March – 22 October |
| Standard hours | 10am–5pm (5:30pm in July & August) |
| Adult ticket, online | £22 (automatic 12-month pass) |
| Cheapest self-guided ticket found | $29 (GetYourGuide) |
| Distance from Edinburgh | ~80 miles |
| Distance from Newcastle | ~35 miles |
| Distance from the Scottish border | ~30 miles |
| Parking cost | £3.50/day, card only |
112 — the number of castle staff and members of the Percy family who left Alnwick to fight in the First World War. Not a figure that fits neatly into a "fun facts" list, but arguably the one that says the most about what this castle has actually lived through in 900 years.
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