Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Borneo orangutan
Malaysia • 12 days, 11 nights
Wild Borneo: Secrets of an Ancient Rainforest
from
Pastel de nata
Portugal • 8 days, 7 nights
Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon
from
View all trips
Loading...
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Burros Alfa and Beto, seen here with Luis Soriano in 2008, have been helping the teacher deliver books for more than 20 years.
How One Man and His ‘Biblioburro’ Spreads Literacy in Rural Colombia
Price Tower
What Happened to Price Tower, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Only Skyscraper?
Jeremy Bentham’s Auto-Icon in its new location in 2020
The Jeremy Bentham Auto-Icon: Why This Legendary Philosopher Put His Own Body on Display
The truth is out there—somewhere.
The Truth Is Out There at the Dreamland Resort (or Should We Say ‘Area 51?’)

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Corbridge Aydon Castle

Aydon Castle

This medieval manor house was hastily fortified when it found itself in the middle of the Scottish fight for independence.

Corbridge, England

Added By
E Capemarsh
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Aydon Castle   Capemarsh / Atlas Obscura User
The main gate.   Capemarsh / Atlas Obscura User
Defensive outer walls and flat farmland beyond.   Capemarsh / Atlas Obscura User
A hastilly added tower.   Capemarsh / Atlas Obscura User
Part of the original 13th-century manor house.   Capemarsh / Atlas Obscura User
The house from the main gate in the defensive walls.   Capemarsh / Atlas Obscura User
The Great Hall, designed to impress.   Capemarsh / Atlas Obscura User
Inside the Manor House   Capemarsh / Atlas Obscura User
The ruined defensive walls enclosing more recent farm buildings.   Capemarsh / Atlas Obscura User
Original manor house on the left; more recent farm buildings to the right.   Capemarsh / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

At the end of a quiet country lane in Northumberland, England, stands one of English history’s most ill-advised property developments.

In 1290, Robert de Raymes, a wealthy landowner from Suffolk in southeast England, inherited half a dukedom in the scenic uplands of Northumberland, in the northern border country. Northumberland had been a quiet little backwater for two generations, ever since the King of England had installed a subservient vassal king to rule the neighboring Kingdom of Scotland. It seemed the perfect place for Sir Robert to splash some cash on a grand new manor house to astound his new neighbors.

Unfortunately for Sir Robert, shortly after completing his grand and opulent manor house at Aydon, the political mood of the region changed. The Scots deposed their subservient king, and by 1306, the new king, Robert the Bruce, along with freedom fighter William Wallace, lead rampaging armies across the border. Sir Robert found that his impressive new statement of wealth was in a war zone.

Having never been intended as a fortified structure, the manor house at Aydon was in a poor location from a defensive point of view. Most castles are located on hilltops, to disadvantage would-be attackers. One of the first things a visitor notices at Aydon is the unusual and unfortunate downhill approach from the north. Nonetheless, Sir Robert did what he could and set about fortifying his new house with an outer wall, crenelations, turrets, and arrow slits. It was not enough.

In 1315 the Scots, having laid waste to the surrounding countryside for a decade, finally captured the "castle," and within two years, the English army had retaken it. It was captured and recaptured four more times before its uselessness as a castle was finally realized. Eventually, by the 17th century, Aydon had become a farmhouse, and it remained so until 1963 when it was opened to the public as a visitor attraction.

Related Tags

Castles Estates Houses History War History Medieval Homes Military

Know Before You Go

Follow signs to the castle from the A69 Corbridge Bypass, or A68 Dere Street. The castle has a pay car park a short walk from the main gate. The parking fee is refundable in the castle visitor center.

Community Contributors

Added By

Capemarsh

Published

July 2, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/aydon-castle/
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aydon_Castle
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_the_Bruce
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Balliol
Aydon Castle
2 Aydon Castle Cottages
Corbridge, England, NE45 5PJ
United Kingdom
54.992191, -1.999716
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Temple of Mithras, Carrawburgh

Northumberland, England

miles away

'Terris Novalis'

Consett, England

miles away

Neil Cole's Adventures in Science Fiction: Museum of Sci-fi

Allendale Town, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,219
Stories 145

Nearby Places

Temple of Mithras, Carrawburgh

Northumberland, England

miles away

'Terris Novalis'

Consett, England

miles away

Neil Cole's Adventures in Science Fiction: Museum of Sci-fi

Allendale Town, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,219
Stories 145

Related Places

  • Huis Doorn

    Doorn, Netherlands

    Huis Doorn

    The elegant manor house where Kaiser Wilhelm II lived in exile after World War I.

  • Krujë Castle in Albania.

    Krujë, Albania

    Krujë Castle

    The elliptical citadel resisted the advance of the mighty Ottomans several times, thanks to the military prowess of the "Dragon of Albania."

  • The magnificent Falaise Castle.

    Falaise, France

    Château de Falaise

    The birthplace of the ferocious William the Conqueror, this castle is awash in medieval history.

  • Rochester Castle

    Rochester, England

    Rochester Castle

    This foreboding medieval castle was twice besieged by barons rebelling against the English king.

  • The B-1 Flat Top at the American Museum of Science and Energy.

    Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    B-1 Flat Top in Oak Ridge

    One of the Cemestos prefab homes built to secretly house thousands of Manhattan Project workers.

  • Majestic white exterior of the House of Wonders

    Zanzibar, Tanzania

    The House of Wonders

    In Zanzibar, a historic 19th-century palace is a reminder of the world's shortest war.

  • A room built into north wall serves as an extra  kitchen for dining al fresco.

    Coreglia Antelminelli, Italy

    La Rocca

    An 11th-century mountaintop fortress that played a crucial role in Italy's papal wars is now a vacation rental.

  • A stone tower with brown pointed roof surveys a mountainous valley

    Vaduz, Liechtenstein

    Schloss Vaduz

    Liechtenstein's royal family calls this medieval alpine castle home.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.