Brancepeth Castle

Brancepeth Castle was the stronghold of the Neville family in medieval times. The Battle of Neville’s Cross, between England and Scotland, was planned in the castle’s Baron’s Hall.

The Nevilles forfeited their estates after the failed Rising of the North, and the Castle went through a number of hands before being bought by the wealthy Russell family in the late 18th-century.

The current building is a combination of the Neville’s medieval towers with early 19th-century additions by the Russells, who employed Edinburgh architect John Paterson to sensitively create a grand stately home within the walls and extensions. The Russells lived in the castle for around a hundred years, after which the mid-20th-century saw the castle used by the army and as a research station.

The castle is now a private home again, and the principal rooms are open to the public every week throughout the year. Tours in January to March, and October to December must be booked in advance through the castle website. A range of events are held throughout the year, and the castle is available for weddings and holiday accommodation.

Visits to the castle are by guided tour only. Tours are led by a member of the family, giving you a special insight into the building beyond just the history. The tour will include the medieval Barons’ Hall, where the Nevilles and Percys plotted the Rising of the North, and the cellars beneath. You will also see how architect John Paterson (and later Anthony Salvin) created a lavish Regency home inside the old medieval walls, as well as adding new extensions for the fabulously wealth Russell family.

Special tours include Medieval and Regency rooms and cellars not visited on the regular tour. Dobson Books publishing archive, including original material by Spike Milligan and Gerard Hoffnung and posters from the 1968 Paris uprising. Items from the family’s personal collections, including books and paintings.