- Play Hard
- 7th Oct 2026
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Alnwick Castle’s welcoming medieval makers this October, and you’re invited
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Heritage Craft Day comes to Alnwick Castle on Saturday 17th October, and it’s a rare chance to watch centuries-old skills come to life in one of Northumberland’s most storied settings.
From 10.30am to 4pm, willow weavers, woodworkers, stone carvers and medieval makers will take over the Artisans Courtyard and the Guest Hall.
And don’t miss Bailiffgate Hotel’s new two-course lunch menu for £25 for an autumn day out that’s hard to top.
IT’S ONE DAY, CENTURIES IN THE MAKING
Saturday 17th October
Forget dusty display cases. Heritage Craft Day is all about seeing traditional skills in action, up close, with the makers on hand to show you how it’s done. You’ll watch techniques that have been handed down through generations, and see how today’s craftspeople are giving them a modern twist.
It’s pitched at all ages, so bring the kids, bring your gran, and bring the friend who’s forever saying they’d love to make something with their hands. There’s plenty here to spark everyone’s curiosity.
Think of it as history you can see, hear and almost touch.
YOU’LL MEET MAKERS INSPIRED BY THE NATURAL WORLD
Victoria Conner of the Willow Barn turns bundles of willow into everything from sturdy baskets to sweeping, intricate sculptures. Her love of nature took root early in life, and you can see it in every twist and weave. She regularly runs workshops too, so she’s the person to ask if you’ve ever fancied giving it a go.
Stone carver Jennifer Tetlow works at an entirely different pace. Her sculptures draw on the plants and animals around her, and each one takes real time and patience to coax out of the stone. The result is something special: the stillness of solid rock paired with the energy of living creatures, made to last for generations.
It’s craft with a heartbeat.
WHO’D HAVE THOUGHT A WALKING STICK COULD BE A WORK OF ART?
Max Sconyers III specialises in green woodworking and spoon carving, which means shaping fresh, unseasoned wood by hand. He teaches through slöjd, a traditional Scandinavian approach built on learning by doing, and takes his cues from the land and wildlife around him. Spend five minutes watching him work and you’ll understand why he’s so keen for others to connect with nature through making.
Then there’s Ian Tait, a master stick dresser who crafts walking sticks and shepherds’ crooks by combining woodwork with the delicate shaping of ram’s horn. Every piece he makes is one of a kind. While you’re inside the castle, look out for the crooks by Norman Tulip on display in the Dining Room, a lovely glimpse of the tradition Ian carries on today.
Proof that the humblest objects can be the most beautiful.
MEDIEVAL MAKING THAT’LL STOP YOU IN YOUR TRACKS
For a proper step back in time, head for the Company of Artisans. Kate will be demonstrating the art of medieval tile making, walking you through the process and the stories those tiles can tell. Charlie brings along his replica medieval loom to show how fabric was spun and woven long before factories existed.
The makers will be demonstrating in the Artisans Courtyard and the Guest Hall throughout the day, so there’s no rush. Wander, watch and come back for a second look.
You won’t look at a floor tile the same way again.
LUNCH AT THE BAILIFFGATE? DON’T MIND IF WE DO
All that wandering works up an appetite, and the Bailiffgate Hotel is ready for you. From October, the hotel’s launching a new lunch menu at two courses for £25 or three for £30, and it’s open to non-residents as well as guests.
The menu leans proudly on local produce. Start with Northumberland Estate pheasant, deep fried and served with blue cheese and a toasted pine nut salad, or a cod and smoked haddock fishcake with a silky caper and lemon beurre blanc. Shetland mussels come swimming in garlic, cream and parsley with sourdough for mopping up.
For mains, the curried venison from the Northumberland Estate arrives with coriander and chilli rice and warm flatbread, perfect for a crisp October afternoon. There’s smoked chalk stream trout and pea linguine with dill and lemon, a beer battered cod with hand cut chips and mushy peas, and a burger stacked with smoked chilli jam, Monterey Jack and streaky bacon. Veggies can tuck into poached eggs on sourdough with garlic and chive yoghurt, chilli oil and dukkah, or a glazed goat’s cheese salad with pear and toasted pine nuts. Fancy the chargrilled rump steak with peppercorn sauce? It’s yours for a £7 supplement.
YOU’LL WANT TO SAVE ROOM FOR PUDDING
Trust us on this one. The sticky toffee pudding comes with salted caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, while the Northumberland Estate honey and lime brûlée is served with a buttery shortbread biscuit. There are Bailiffgate pancakes with fruit compote, Chantilly cream and seasonal berries, or a selection of three artisan cheeses if you’re more savoury than sweet.
Craft in the morning, pudding in the afternoon. That’s Saturday sorted.
Rachael Ellis
Head of Content
After gaining a first in her BA Media and Journalism degree at Northumbria University, Rachael worked at Newcastle’s leading regional newspaper with her stories being picked up in national and global newspapers. She spent two very successful years giving a voice to those communities across the North East who otherwise…
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