Look Inside: Lindisfarne Castle
Crowning a crag 100 feet above the cold north sea, Lindisfarne Castle has always been the biggest draw to this corner of Holy Island. Step inside and explore the castle’s rooms, from the cosy Dining Room and functional Kitchen to the ornate but practical wind indicator and imagine how its residents would have lived.
The Entrance Hall
Your discovery of Lindisfarne Castle begins via the Entrance Hall which was renovated in 1912 by Edwin Lutyens with grand columns designed to imitate the central nave of Durham Cathedral. Here you can witness how the columns ‘grow’ out of the floor, which was part of Lutyens’ theme for the castle - to exacerbate how the fortress is part of the crag on which it is built. Also look out for the symmetry of the room (Lutyens actually extended the hall into part of the old kitchen to achieve this) and don’t miss then-owner Edward Hudson’s initials, which he had embossed on the fireplace when the work was completed in 1912.
The Kitchen
Though there has been a kitchen in this space since at least 1742, the one you’ll see today dates from about 1912 and would later become the domain of housekeepers Jack and Hannah Lilburn. You can also see the Scullery, a simple, functional room full of original features. Note the wall paintings above the Scullery door, which were discovered in 2017 and date to the late 1600s.
The Dining Room
Step into the Dining Room to imagine Hudson entertaining his guests with champagne, lobsters and one of his long, signature speeches. This was originally the castle’s kitchen, and the Tudor fireplace survives from this period, including a bread oven and salt hole.
The North Bedrooms
See the three North Bedrooms, which were added in the summer of 1912. They occupy the former Queen’s Battery, which was intended to mount guns facing north, but most likely never did.
The Upper Gallery
The Upper Gallery was used for centuries as a storeroom, but it has also been a servants’ dormitory and a second drawing room. It once served as a performance space for cellist Madame Suggia to perform concerts on the small stage.
The Upper Battery
From the Upper Battery you can take in the panoramic views of the sea and the Northumberland coast from the Upper Battery. At one point it mounted 11 cannons. On a clear day you can see the Farne Islands, Bamburgh Castle, the Cheviot Hills, Berwick upon Tweed and the two navigation beacons opposite the castle.
The Ship Room
The Ship Room used to be three separate spaces, including one of the castle’s two gunpowder magazines. By the 1850s it had been opened out. Today, you’ll see Lutyens’ conversion, which he began in 1904. He reimagined it to become the castle’s Drawing Room, with a restored fireplace, comfortable furnishings and, of course, the model ship hanging from the ceiling.
The Wind Indicator
This decorative but practical gadget moves in real time to let you know which way the wind is blowing. Commissioned over a century ago, the wind indicator was installed in 1913 and, apart from some conservation work in 2006, has been turning all that time.
Believe it or not, it isn’t always windy on Holy Island so, depending on when you visit, you might not see the wind indicator moving.
