The Christmas Kingdom at Bamburgh Castle is returning – and it’s going to be more spectacular than ever before.

This year, Bamburgh Castle’s staterooms will be transformed into a whimsical, enchanting world of  lords-a-leaping, swans-a-swimming, gold rings gleaming,  a partridge in a pear tree and many more magical things besides, as we present The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Launching on Saturday November 12th and included with general admission tickets to Bamburgh Castle, The Twelve Days festive wonderland will include stunning theatrical sets and lighting, fabulous floral displays, thousands of baubles and twinkling lights as well as a magnificent Christmas tree.

Award-winning theatrical designer Charlotte Lloyd Webber and her team – CLW Event Design – are returning to the castle  to create this festive spectacular following the success of our first-ever major Christmas installation last year – Saints & Angels.

While this year’s Meet Father Christmas experiences and festive wreath making have sold out, sign up to our newsletter for early subscriber booking access next year.

The Twelve Days of Christmas at Bamburgh Castle runs from Saturday 12 November – Sunday 8 January. Entry is included with general admission tickets. 

Ragnar the Viking at Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland. Photograph: Stuart Boulton

Famous for being the real Last Kingdom Bamburgh Castle is launching new tours for fans of the cult Saxon saga along with a Viking School for budding Uhtreds.

Once home to the saint kings and queens of Northumbria and the inspiration for the hit historical TV series based on Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories, Bamburgh Castle is to host a series of exclusive new Last Kingdom tours.

Award-winning Viking expert and tour guide Robert Lundgren-Jones – known as Ragnar the Viking – will bring history to life and show how Uhtred climbed the ladder of power at Bamburgh to become allies with the Vikings and the King of England.

As well as comparing the fantasy of the famous Last Kingdom Netflix Series to the truth and finding out about battle scenes filmed nearby, to crown it all, tour-goers will get the chance to become Queen or King of the North on a warrior throne inside the castle grounds.

A must for fans of the series as well as anyone wanting to discover more about Bamburgh’s extraordinary Saxon history, Last Kingdom Tours take place at 11:00 and 13:30 on Wednesday 17th August, Sunday 28th August, Wednesday 31st August. Tours last two hours are priced £29.95 for adults and £14.95 for children. Tickets include full admission into the castle staterooms and grounds.

Meanwhile budding young Vikings can find out if they have what it takes to become a warrior at the castle’s Bebbanburg Viking School.

Join the Bebbanburg tribe with Ragnar, a young Viking Warrior, on the very spot where real Vikings once stood. Children will be able to name and yield their own sword, find out who has the loudest battle cry and take part in warrior tasks to be crowned Queen or King of the Bebbanburg Tribe.

Bebbanburg Viking School takes place at 11:00, 12 noon, 13:00 and 14:00 on Wednesday 10th August and Wednesday 24th August.

Enrolment for warriors-in-waiting aged five and over is £3 per child in addition to Bamburgh Castle general admission. Place numbers are limited and allocated on a first-come basis.

Francis Watson-Armstrong, owner of Bamburgh Castle said: “Bamburgh has an absolutely phenomenal history and is famous for being the real Bebbanburg and inspiration for the Last Kingdom series.

“We are delighted to have teamed up with Northumberland’s finest Viking Ragnar – the alias of historian and tour guide Robert Lundgren Jones – so people can follow in the footsteps of Uhtred the Bold on the very site where his story unfolded.

“We hope younger children with enjoy learning more about the castle’s amazing history and have fun being put through their warrior paces with Ragnar on the very spot where real Vikings once stood with our new Viking School. I’ll have to look out, for who knows, they may be crowned king or queen of Bamburgh Castle itself!”

BOOK LAST KINGDOM TOUR TICKETS