History Of Chillingham Castle

Chillingham Castle lies some 25 miles north of Rothbury, just off the A697 to Coldstream and Scotland.

Chillingham Castle, a four-cornered towered castle, is a privately owned medieval castle in the village of Chillingham, Northumberland, close to the border between England and Scotland. It has been owned by descendants of the Grey family since the 13th century. It claims to be the most haunted castle in Britain. It was subjected to many attacks over the centuries due to border raids and skirmishes.



Dating back over 800 years this castle was built for one purpose and one purpose alone, killing. In the heart of Northumberland the castle was the first line of defence, preventing the Scots getting over the border to invade England back in the days of William Wallace when the castle was ruled over by King Edward I (Edward Long shanks). It has a truly amazing, yet horrific history and that’s why its one of the most haunted places on Earth.

In 1066 Grey (then Prince of Kroy) came to England with his first cousin King William the Conqueror. His family were sent to guard the Eastern Scottish border in 1100 and in 1246 the Grey family stormed Chillingham which was then a one tower castle.

Henry III stayed and Edward I was based here for some time, as he vanquished William Wallace. In 1344 Sir Thomas Grey was licenced to extend the Castle and by 1348 it was broadly of the present day form. By the early 1500's the Grey family controlled a number of local castles, in 1513 they lost four of them to the Scots, fleeing to the safety of Chillingham. They later joined the force of 20,000 English troops who defeated 36,000 Scots at nearby Flodden Field. In 1536 failure to join the rebellion against Henry VIII saw much of the East wall and towers fall to the then newfangled heavy cannon of their rebel neighbours, the Percy family of Alnwick. Since then, the history of the English and Scottish thrones and politics have been closely bound up with those who lived in this amazing place. In the 17th Century it was a Grey who signed the death warrant of Charles I only to pay for the privilege with his own head upon the restoration of Charles II.

In 1590 alterations were made to the castle, which included moving the main entrance to its present position, in preparation for the royal visit of King James VI of Scotland on his journey south to his English coronation. Further rebuilding was carried out during the 18th and 19th century, turning the castle into a comfortable stately home with landscaped gardens.

With such history, no surprises that Chillingham is one of the most haunted buildings in the country. Since 1933 the castle has been totally neglected, but it is now open to the public and Sir Humphrey Wakefield is now working to restore it as the family home.



The castle is an amazing hodge podge of artefacts from many centuries. From antique furniture to ancient tapestries; from armour to fishing rods; from arms to walking sticks. All lying as if the owner had just laid them down. The museum is a treasure from the past. Woodland walks, formal gardens, lake, breathtaking views, dungeons, torture chamber and tea room; this is a place to spend a day wandering, walking, rambling and sightseeing. Or if you wish to stay longer there are a few private self catering apartments within the castle.