Long-serving Manager Recalls Famous Fathers Who’ve Visited Langley Castle

With Father’s Day on the horizon, Langley Castle, in Langley-on-Tyne near Hexham, has been reflecting on some of the more famous fathers who have passed through its doors.

As a medieval castle built in 1350, the first father to experience life within its walls was Thomas de Lucy, a favoured knight of King Edward III, whose second wife was the king’s cousin.  Nowadays, the fathers who revel in the castle’s extraordinary architecture and ambience may also be knights of the realm, but can equally be household names from the worlds of TV, politics and sport, or even overseas dignitaries from far-flung places like China.

Having worked at Langley Castle for over 31 years, since March 1994, deputy general manager, Bob Rutherford, has welcomed a variety of famous names.   For instance, TV celebrity, Robson Green, actually lived at Langley Castle for a time, when his home on the Tyne flooded and he required alternative accommodation.

Other famous fathers who have spent time in the castle have been cricketer and TV presenter, Andrew Flintoff, and another former Top Gear presenter, in the shape of Richard Hammond, who visited in spring 2023.

Other TV legends who have experienced Langley Castle have included Jonathan Ross, whose brother married at the castle, and writer and actor, Clive Anderson.  Add to this home restoration and renovation expert, George Clarke, and celebrity fathers from the world of TV have been plentiful.

Then there have been comedians, such as Dom Joly and Harry Enfield and people from the world of politics, including former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

Some have achieved a form of fame since discovering Langley Castle, with this including Chris Parkes, who appeared on The Great Pottery Throwdown in early 2025.  He and his wife Pippa-Rosy, have welcomed a child since they married at Langley Castle in July 2023, in what was an extraordinary day that saw the groom and groomsmen set a record for the largest simultaneous skydive into a wedding.

And there is the father of Matty Healy, due to headline at Glastonbury this year with his band The 1975. Although Auf Wiedersehen Pet and Benidorm actor, Tim Healy, did not experience Langley Castle in its current form as a 4-star hotel, his early days in entertainment saw him acting as a jester at banquets that were once regularly held in the castle.

Bob Rutherford says: “Despite all these famous fathers having come through the door, the team here at Langley Castle are just as delighted to see other less celebrated dads being treated to Father’s Day experiences.  We know, however, that this Father’s Day will probably not break any records in the way our March-time Mother’s Day event did, because fathers are simply not being given the same treatment as mums.  In all my time here, that has become very obvious.”

In fact, figures show that about 75% more is spent on Mother’s Day than on Father’s Day. Research also highlights that people are less inclined to celebrate Father’s Day, which originated in the USA in 1910, than Mother’s Day - a UK tradition for very many centuries.

Nevertheless, the castle will be laying on a wonderful two or three-course Father’s Day lunch and also its Gentleman’s Afternoon Teas on Sunday June 15.  Both are ideal for children wanting to give their father a very special thank you.  An appetite for the Father’s Day lunch could also be built up on the morning Battlements Tour, which starts at 10.15am, should any family want to tour the castle, learn its history and then perhaps have a walk around the grounds, or relax with a refreshment in the exquisite Drawing Room before lunch.

Langley Castle’s general manager, Mohamed Serag, who lives in the Langley Castle grounds with his own children, says, “Langley Castle has so much to offer to dads who relish a very different experience, love to dive into the past and appreciate being treated like royalty.  It is where they can truly feel they are king of the castle.  For this reason, we hope children will remember that Father’s Day has just a valid place in our lives as Mother’s Day and also dismiss the notion that dad doesn’t want a lot of fuss or pampering. He would probably secretly quite like it.

“Of course, we would love to welcome more famous fathers to our wonderful venue, to add to Bob’s roll call of celebrities served. We will assure them of as much privacy as possible, if they make themselves known at the time of booking.”

To find out more, head to www.langleycastle.co.uk

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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.