Brancepeth Castle, Durham

Brancepeth Castle is a Grade I listed fortress in the village of Brancepeth, about five miles south-west of Durham. Built of warm sandstone, it began as a Norman stronghold raised by the Bulmer family and was dramatically rebuilt by the powerful Nevilles in the late 14th century, giving the castle much of its medieval silhouette today. Its position near Durham city makes it an easy half-day excursion for visitors exploring the county’s historic sites.

Turbulent politics shaped its fate: after the Nevilles joined the 1569 Rising of the North, Brancepeth was seized by the Crown and passed through several notable hands, including Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset, and later the Cole and Belasyse families. A new chapter opened in 1796 when coal magnate William Russell bought the estate. His son, Matthew Russell, lavished funds on an early-19th-century transformation, employing architect John Paterson; further refinements by Anthony Salvin in the Victorian era blended baronial romance with comfortable country-house living.

In the 20th century, the castle served the nation first as a World War I convalescent hospital, then from 1939 as the Durham Light Infantry’s regimental headquarters-before returning to private ownership. Today, the Dobson family cares for the property, and parts of the castle are open to the public on selected days for tours and events. Expect massive curtain walls, a story-rich courtyard, and interiors shaped by centuries of rebuilding-an atmospheric stop that pairs well with a wander through the surrounding village.