Back in August I made a long-awaited trip to visit my family in the UK. While over there I stayed for a couple of days in Northumberland, one of my fave counties in England. There are so many beautiful places to explore in Northumberland it’s difficult to pick a highlight. However this time, it was undoubtedly a themed tour of Bamburgh Castle. If you’ve ever wanted to follow in the footsteps of Uhtred the Bold of Bebbanburg from Netflix’s ‘The Last Kingdom’, this is the post for you.

INSPIRATION FOR THE SERIES

For anyone who hasn’t heard of ‘The Last Kingdom’, it’s a series based on novels by Bernard Cornwell. The books fictionalise true events and characters from one of the most turbulent periods of British history. From the late 9th century onwards much of Anglo-Saxon Britain fell under Danelaw, aka colonisation by Viking invaders. Key to these stories are the exploits of King Alfred The Great who definitely existed, as did Uhtred of Bebbanburg. However, the relationship between the two in the books (and Netflix series) might beeee….. slightly made up.

THE REAL UHTRED

So who was the real Uhtred? I’ll give you a clue, it’s not this guy. That’s my cousin Rob, or Ragnar of Lundgren Tours as he prefers to be called when in character. Without giving away too many spoilers, Ragnar takes you on a journey through the actual life of Uhtred the Bold. He recounts historical narratives of how Uhtred defended his home of Bebbanburg and managed to climb the ladder of power to become allies with both Viking leaders and the Saxon King of England. Rest assured this non-fiction version of the story still contains plenty of drama. Ragnar’s performance breathes life back into the characters and it’s really a lot of fun. Not your average guided tour, that’s for sure.

THE REAL BEBBANBURGH

Included in the tour was an entry ticket to Bamburgh Castle which we could explore at our leisure after an optional coronation as Queen or King of the North. Obviously I couldn’t resist taking my seat on the Bamburgh throne cos as Uhtred would say “Destiny is all!” The stone throne in the East Ward is a replica of an original dating back to circa 800 CE. You can see fragments of the originally carved stone throne in the Armoury, along with loads of other amazing artifacts. From Anglo-Saxon citadel to Norman stronghold, this castle has seen it ALL. Bamburgh was also the first castle to be destroyed by cannon fire during the 15th-century Wars of the Roses.

The Kings and Cross Halls are Victorian-era masterpieces that showcase the restoration work that was done after the inventor, Sir William George Armstrong bought the castle in 1894. Lord Armstrong was quite the engineer, he built the world’s first home with hydroelectric lighting and also designed the hydraulic lifting mechanism on London’s Tower Bridge. To this day Bamburgh is the private seat of the Watson-Armstrong family. Pretty fancy digs! I can only imagine the glamorous parties that were held here back in the day.

Even if you’re not into history or Bernard Cornwell’s stories, Bamburgh is worth a visit for the beautiful views alone. While you’re there, why not cross the causeway to The Holy Island of Lindisfarne? Check out Lindisfarne Castle and the priory where the first Viking raid on the British Isles took place. Lundgren Tours can help you out with that itinerary too 😉

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