Choose the Loos As Your Pointer to Castle Hotel Authenticity

 Staying in a UK castle is one thing; staying in a truly authentic castle is quite another, delivering a heady experience and journey back into the past that can transform you into the lord or lady of the manor in an instant.  Sorting out the wheat from the chaff is not that easy, however, with so many English castle hotels appearing real – until you scratch the surface.

So what could possibly point you towards a castle with real, original medieval features rather than manufactured facades?  Who would have thought the answer to that could be the toilets!

That is the key to beating a path to England’s most authentic medieval, fortified castle hotel – Langley Castle in Northumberland.  There, what are regarded as the best example of medieval garderobes (early loos) in Europe, highlight that this castle is the real deal.

There are no fewer than 12 of these early toilets in the south west tower – the whole of which is dedicated to them, with four on each of three floors.  They indicate Langley Castle was not just a family home for knight Sir Thomas de Lucy, when built in 1350, but also a garrison, located in the troublesome warring lands around the Anglo-Scottish border. 

Nowadays, the garderobes are just a decorative feature, each viewed from the stunning Langley staircase, with more than a touch of Hogwarts about it.  Visitors can see how each ‘loo’ was located within an arched recess and how a stone corbel once carried the seat.  Waste was discharged down the hole and into a pit outside the castle wall, into which a stream could be diverted, to carry it away.

Langley Castle visitors can learn about the garderobes during a daily Battlements Castle Tour – another thing indicating this is an authentic castle with something to say about its history.  That can be further reinforced by reading Langley Castle’s own ‘Hairy History’ children’s history guide, learning of all the dramatic events that have surrounded this castle hotel.

Further evidence of authenticity is found in the seven-feet-thick walls, unusually built on boulders, to prevent attack via the foundations, and with much of the stonework being believed to have come from Hadrian’s Wall, when medieval folk viewed it as a source of building material.  Visitors can sit in recessed window seats, raised up from ground level by a few stone steps, for that true ‘ king of the castle’ sensation, gazing down at all you survey.  

Add to this a hole down which hot oil could be poured on invaders and winding stone staircases, of course turning clockwise to offer a disadvantage to typically right-handed sword-bearing attackers, and there’s lots to relish on the authenticity front.

Many of the archways and stonework is also as in medieval times, including that which held the original wooden structures between floors.  The wooden elements perished in a fire dated around 1405 – thought to have been a punishment for Henry Percy’s resistance to Henry IV – but that did the 21st century visitor a huge favour.  Langley existed without a roof for around 300 years and it was its land and mines that owners valued most.  Had they lived in the castle, the DIY and renovation spirit may have altered the medieval structures irreparably.

The castle’s place in local history can be appreciated by watching a video – part of the Battlement Tours and played in the battlements-located chapel, consecrated after a former owner gained special permission from Pope Leo XIII.  

Langley Castle’s rich history can also be wallowed in from the comfort of a four-poster bed, in a Feature or Deluxe room within the castle.  They do say, however, that gazing at a castle from the outside is more enriching that looking outwards from a castle and guests in the Castle View rooms, in a converted stable block, can do just that, drinking in the magnificent view of Langley Castle as they fling back the curtains or take the short walk up the path for breakfast or evening dining.

Authenticity has been proven to be hugely important in heritage tourism and it is the secret ingredient making a stay at Langley Castle one which cannot be matched by any other castle hotel in England.  

To discover its powerful impacts yourself, book a room at www.langleycastle.co.uk or call 01434 688888.  If you are lucky, when you arrive, you may just be shown the underground tunnel, in the room under the stairs, thought to lead all the way to the local village of Haydon Bridge (another touch of Hogwarts perhaps, but then J K Rowling has been to Langley Castle a fair few times and inspiration always comes from somewhere).

B&B room rates within the castle walls at Langley Castle start at £150 (per person per night) and £95 pppn in Castle View.  Prices include a sumptuous Northumbrian breakfast, typically served in the ground floor, 2AA Rosette Josephine dining room, once the castle’s stable.

Daily ‘Battlement Tours’ take place for residents and non-residents to enjoy at 10.15am each day.  A small charge applies for non-residents.

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Editors notes

Langley Castle, built in 1350, is located in Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland and is one of the few authentic, fortified medieval castles in England. It has a rich history, with strong links to Jacobite rebellions, is located just a stone's throw from the World Heritage Site of Hadrian's Wall and boasts features including battlements, seven-feet-thick walls, window seats set into the walls and the best example of medieval garderobes in Europe. It is one of the most exquisite wedding venues in the north and also offers a wide range of options when it comes to exclusive use, with the castle being available for weddings, family celebrations, Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, D&D-style events and a wide variety of corporate functions.