Chipchase Castle

Castle Hexham Northumberland

Chipchase Castle

Castle In Hexham, Northumberland

A 17th-century Jacobean mansion disguided as a castle just north of Hexham.

If you are heading nearby Hexham and you have always wanted to see a huge Jacobean mansion masquerading as a castle, then take a quick detour to Chipchase Castle.


The Castle sits between Barrasford and Wark with rolling parkland down to the River North Tyne and is currently privately owned with the family still living in the house. But what makes the castle interesting is the pele tower built in on the North West corner. 

The Heron family constructed a four-storey battlemented tower house on these grounds back in the 14th century. Then Cuthbert Heron (High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1625) knocked this house down and built the mansion you see today, but kept the pele tower and attached it to the new house.

Chipchase Castle village today is only a few farms but started life in the early Bronze Age and the population built up in the by Roman times. No mention is made until the 13th century when there was a chapel, a park and a mill.

The castle has belonged to many families including relations of Charles Grey, (from Howick Hall) former prime minister and had a tea named after him. On a tour of the house, you will be shown 4 rooms of the house and told of its history and contents.

The pele tower on the corner is part of the house including the addition of fake windows to make it blend in with the house. You can only get up to the first floor but you can get an idea how it might of looked in its day.

There is a chapel on the grounds and was rebuilt by John Reed (1734-1754) and is where many of the family are buried. A memorial window dedicated to Captain Hugh Taylor who was killed in action on 18th December 1914. He is buried in Fleurbaix, France. Today the chapel has 4 services a year and also hosts weddings.

As mentioned, the castle is private and is only open during June with access to the house on a tour every half hour. £8 per person will get you on the tour then you are free to look round the gardens, chapel and pele tower.


Please note you can not take photos of inside the house. 

View the Chipchase Castle website for opening times and more information including the family history.


If you want to see where the Heron family lived then just a few miles down the road is the ruined Simonburn Castle.

  Add To Bucket List   I Have Visited This Place

Get 4 points if you have visited this place. Already visited by 3 VIPs.

Login to the VIP area to add places to your bucket list, mark them as visited and more importantly see where you rank on the league table.

Where Is Chipchase Castle

Where Is It?

What three words
diamonds.fastening.grinders

Lat / Long
55.075935, -2.185476
Show Place On Google Maps


Where To Park?

There is a dedicated car park for the castle.

Ashley Lightfoot

Contributed by Ashley Lightfoot

I love history, exploring churches, castles and ruins with my camera in tow. I am a member of English Heritage. Northumberland is my second home and any chance I get, I'm up there with my Dad, who volunteers with the national park, discovering a little something with a story behind it. The rest of my time, I'm just a simple greenkeeper!

More Places In Hexham

Find more fabulous places in Hexham, Northumberland and if you know of a place we haven't listed, then let us know.
Heavenfield
Religious Place Hexham Northumberland

A field, church and wooden cross marking the Battle Of Heavenfield. A skirmish between Northumbrians and the Welsh in 634AD.

Angel Of Northumberland
Statue Hexham Northumberland

A mini version of the Angel Of The North standing in a field near Hexham.

Watersmeet
Water Hexham Northumberland

The meeting place of the north and south River Tyne sources.

More Castles

So this castle wasn't enough and you want more? Don't worry we have you covered.
Prudhoe Castle
Castle Prudhoe Northumberland

A ruined medieval English castle situated on the south bank of the River Tyne.

Lowther Castle
Castle Penrith Cumbria

A skeleton of a castle built by the Lowther family who have owned this estate since before the 11th century.

Elsdon Castle
Castle Elsdon Northumberland

An amazing example of an early 12th century Norman Motte and Bailey castle.

Fabulous North On Facebook
Find Us On Facebook

We post all our new places daily on our Facebook Groups page, so join the group today and be notified when we add a new place.

Share this Place!