Our Experience
Don’t Regret the Things You Haven’t Done
Explore Memory-filled & Unique Bucket List Experiences at Langley Castle
DON'T REGRET THE THINGS YOU HAVEN'T DONE
Introduction
Please allow us to start with a story. It is a true one and will give meaning to what you read here.
Back in March 2023, we came across an article printed in the St Helens Star, about a gentleman diagnosed with plasma cell leukaemia at the age of 40. It explained how he wanted to make memories, working through a bucket-list that would create extraordinary memories.
However, it also said he had already started his bucket list and had recently enjoyed something high up it – staying at Langley Castle Hotel in Northumberland, in the “turret room”, which we know as The Tower Room.
We were unaware of this at the time of his stay but so proud to have been part of his planning. Other experiences he is enjoying are now being funded via a Go Fund Me page at
His story got us thinking. Being in this extraordinary castle every day, we sometimes take for granted the experiences it provides. We occasionally forget how enriching and unique these can be for our guests. This story made us wonder how many more people have not yet done some of the amazing things they can do here. How many more people would want to put these on their bucket list?
So, we set about finding out, commissioning a consumer research survey that interviewed people from across the UK. We discovered facts that we find quite incredible but which demonstrate that so many people have currently missed out on some brilliant experiences.
We don’t want anyone to regret the things they haven’t done, so are going all out to explain why you should make a bee-line to Langley Castle. This guide has its roots in one positive-thinking man’s bucket list but is all about helping you tick things off yours. Read on, to find out what.
Staying in an authentic medieval castle hotel
What is it about Langley Castle that leads it to rank way above any other castle hotel, in the minds of discerning British and overseas travellers?
Undoubtedly, Langley Castle attracts those who are seeking authenticity; those who recognise that the term ‘castle hotel’ can be open to wide interpretation and that it is important to dig deeper, if you want a realistic medieval experience and not just a façade.
Our research found that one-in-five men and nearly a quarter (24%) of women would want to put a stay in an authentic medieval hotel on their bucket list. In some parts of the UK, such as the East Midlands, Belfast and Plymouth, it’s over a third of people!
We also discovered that 43% of people have never ever had this thrill and that women, in particular, have missed out, with over half never experiencing a night’s sleep between medieval castle walls. With 55% of over-55s having not yet enjoyed this excitement, the clock is ticking for some and it’s time to do something decisive.
We can obviously offer this experience to anyone who has an authentic castle stay on their bucket list. Langley Castle was first built way back in 1350, by a knight called Thomas de Lucy. Its seven feet thick walls communicate the knight’s need for a residence that could ward off attackers in the turbulent borderlands between England and Scotland.
However, its authenticity is also very much down to the fact that it stood empty – free from any renovation whims by owners – for about 500 years, following being set alight, as punishment for the then owner’s actions, in 1405. With no remodelling for such a long period of time, much of the structure is exactly how it was back in the 14th century. When you sleep here, you really can dream of being a medieval knight or lady and breathe in history.
Disappointingly, our survey discovered that more than one-in-twenty people have stayed in a ‘castle hotel’ that did not provide an authentic medieval experience. Don’t let that happen to you! Head to www.langleycastle.co.uk to book your castle stay today and experience the real deal!
The Romance of the Four-poster Bed
If your bucket list also includes sleeping in a four-poster bed, you are no doubt amongst the 29% of people (36% of women) who have never done so.
Depending where you live, this statistic may be even higher, with 44% of people in Plymouth never having had this spine-tingling overnight experience. Amazingly, 42% of those in Scotland say the same, despite Langley Castle – with four-poster bed experiences aplenty – being so close to the Anglo-Scottish border.
There is definitely a feeling of grandeur and romance that comes from spending a night in a four poster bed, which is why this choice is so popular with the brides and grooms who wed here.
Perhaps those looking to thrill a partner with a grand romantic gesture should take note and plan a
little surprise?
If you would like to experience a night in a four-poster bed yourself, or woo your loved one in style,
you know that Langley Castle can oblige. Just pick up the phone on 01434 688888 and talk to us, if
you want any other romantic gestures arranging.
Stays With No Sense of History
Nearly four-in-ten Brits (39%) have never stayed in a venue that could also offer them a tour that imparts historic insights into their surroundings, to convey a true ‘sense of place’. That is not the case at Langley Castle, where we offer residents and non-residents alike the opportunity to enjoy a daily Battlements Tour that opens the eyes to all they can see around them.
The Battlements Tour takes them right through the castle, from top to bottom, with arrival on the Battlements preceding an opportunity to gaze over to Hadrian’s Wall, to survey the ten acres of Langley Castle land beneath and to scan the landscape and see the whole area that was, historically, once part of the Langley Estate.
They can visit our Battlements chapel, especially created with the permission of Pope Leo XIII, and view a video that explains the history of the area. Whilst on the tour, they can also appreciate various other parts of the castle that speak volumes about its history, whether that is a spiral staircase, up which attackers would struggle to get the strike of a sword away, or the hole through which hot oil could be poured down on to an enemy.
Of course, the tour also includes the opportunity to see what are considered the best examples of medieval garderobes (early castle toilets) in Europe, with no fewer than 12 being visible in the south west tower. With 41% of people saying they don’t know what a garderobe is, our Battlements Tour offers the opportunity to not just find out, but actually photograph some fantastic examples!
Playing Prince or Princess
Children love to dress up and allow their imaginations to run wild – all of which is extremely good for them, in creativity and self-development terms, helping them to explore new thoughts and language, as well as having fun.
It is always a very special moment for the staff at Langley Castle, when we see a little girl don her princess dress and be instantly transported into a Disney-esque world within our castle walls. Seeing children imagining themselves as knights, with play swords (or even lightsabers) is equally satisfying.
However, a thirdof people in our survey say their children or grandchildren have never had the chance to play prince or princess in a real castle. In some regions, the statistics are even higher.
This is a huge shame, as Langley Castle is such a child-friendly place and we do all we can to help make children’s dreams come true. It’s also worth saying that, in the Harry Potter era, many children also love to imagine themselves as the great wizard themselves – particularly as our castle has so many similarities to features in the books. Is it just a coincidence that J K Rowling visited?
To put things right for your children or grandchildren, whilst they are still young and can dream big, just head to www.langleycastle.co.uk and book your room. We have rooms to suit all budgets and, regardless of which you book, your children will still have plenty of opportunity to spend time inside the castle, dancing under chandeliers, serenely sitting like a princess in a raised Drawing Room window seat, or floating down the staircase in chiffon and spangle.
Unique Wedding Experiences Yet to be Enjoyed
Couples have every opportunity to allow some of their guests to tick things off their bucket list, by offering them wedding experiences they have never encountered, if they choose Langley Castle as their wedding venue.
A wedding can be made extraordinarily memorable and truly special, by doing something that is unique in the eyes of a large proportion of invitees. For instance, 45%of people have never been to a woodland wedding, something that increases to 58%of women and 60% of over-55s. Why not give them the chance?
44% of people have never even been to a wedding at a medieval castle, which again increases the older they get, with 58% of over-55s saying this. That perhaps provides food for thought, if you are looking to arrange a renewal of vows after many years of marriage? Your friends could have a brilliant new experience, if you held this at Langley Castle.
At Langley Castle, you could also potentially get the opportunity to do something that over a third of people have never done and be an official witness at a wedding. Should you be amongst the very select few people invited to attend an elopement wedding – or wedding for two as we call it – there’s every chance of that happening at Langley Castle, where we specialise in making these intimate and emotional wedding experiences truly special.
With over a quarter of people (26%), believing that a wedding for two is the most perfect way for a couple to wed in the 21st century, there is every reason to opt for this sort of wedding, if you are considering marriage. Rest assured, if you are amongst the 9% of people with doubts, elopement weddings in England are completely legal and you do not have to head to Scotland to tie the knot in this way! Read our elopement guide, to find out more.
With all the experience we have, you’ll be in safe hands if you want a phenomenally memorable wedding for two at our authentic medieval castle hotel, where our extraordinary architecture and ambience will give you goosebumps aplenty.
Should you want any other type of wedding, be that a tipi wedding, a traditional, exclusive-use fairytale castle wedding, a marquee wedding or something else, we are equally rich in expertise. Call us on 01434 688888 to discuss your ideas.
Reaching for the Stars
More than half of women (53%) and more than four-in-ten (41%) people in general have never had the absorbing experience of losing themselves and finding themselves ‘in the moment’ through dark sky stargazing, appreciating the twinkling galaxy above us, in clear, non-polluted skies and contemplating what lies above.
With older generations having yet to enjoy such a star-gazing extravaganza to an even greater degree than this, it’s time for many to take the plunge and take advantage of an easy entrée into stargazing … with Langley Castle’s help.
And, if you are stuck for a gift for someone, take note, as buying your loved one a stargazing experience at Langley Castle could be just the ticket.26%of people in general and 31% of women say they would be interested in an opportunity to appreciate what lies above.
Our full Starry Knight stargazing experiences offer you both an overnight stay in our exquisite medieval castle hotel and an opportunity to learn more about stars, galaxies and more, from the experts at the world-famous Kielder Observatory. With Langley Castle being located in Northumberland – a Gold-tier International Dark Sky area - this is a truly brilliant way to explore the universe.
All transport to Kielder is arranged for you but we also make sure you enjoy a lovely meal in our 2AA Rosette restaurant before departing and then return to a warming snifter, to round the evening off.
However, if you simply wish to stargaze from our extraordinary castle battlements, without staying overnight, you can do that too. Just take up one of our Castellations and Constellations experiences – a combination of a Battlements Tour by night and stargazing with the guidance of a true expert.
Head to https://www.langleycastle.co.uk/en/starry-knights/on our website, to check out all of the dates for these experiences, remembering that we have to schedule these solely in the months in which the skies fall dark relatively early in the evening. The experiences book up quickly, so act fast, to avoid disappointment!
Bring on the ‘Wall’
Amazingly, despite it being one of the UK’s biggest international draws and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, more than a third of Brits (36%) told us they have never seen Hadrian’s Wall.
In locations a long way from Hadrian’s globally famous defence barrier, such as the South West and Wales, over half of people have never viewed what was the northern boundary of the Roman Empire and home to thousands of Roman troops.
This is surely something to put on the bucket-list, even if history isn’t exactly your thing? You need to really show that you’ve been there, done that and got the Roman V shirt, when it comes to Hadrian’s Wall.
A stay at Langley Castle means you can enjoy the Wall by day and return in the late afternoon or evening, to all of the creature comforts you want, after a day walking a little stretch of the wall or visiting the Roman forts and museums along it. Curl up in front of our roaring log fire, enjoy one of our local brews, or indulge in an afternoon tea and your day will be complete.
With key places, such as Cawfields, Vindolanda, Birdoswald, Corbridge Roman Town and Housesteads just short drives away – and the wall even visible on the horizon from our Battlements – we are ideally located for anyone wishing to explore this world-renowned ‘attraction’.
However, we can also assist your understanding of Roman history in the area, through our links to the brilliant heritage interpreters at Ancient Britain, who will bring the whole thing to life for you, through costume, helmets, swords and more. With a pick-up available from our reception, it’s very easy to do and totally absorbing. Don’t miss out on this fabulous way to enjoy Hadrian’s Wall, if you’ve decided to tick viewing it off your bucket-list.
See What You Are Missing in Northumberland
Despite a number of TV programmes having highlighted the astounding beauty of Northumberland, around a third of Brits have never visited England’s most northerly and least densely populated county, according to our survey.
Northumberland has it all, from Hadrian’s Wall and rich Roman history, to more castles than any other county, a glorious coastline boasting extensive sandy beaches, the amazing Lindisfarne (Holy Island), with all of its early Christian history, and fantastic food and drink.
Add to this ancient treasures such as Hexham Abbey and more modern attractions such as Alnwick Gardens
– and there is everything you could want within on destination, including a racecourse pretty much on our doorstep (Hexham Racecourse).
Langley Castle can be your launchpad for a host of adventures in this brilliant county and, being located just a short drive from Cumbria and Southern Scotland, we are also an ideal base for anyone wishing to also visit Carlisle (34 miles), the Lake District (60 miles to Wordsworth’s Grasmere) or world-famous Gretna Green (40 miles away).
Should you also fancy heading to Newcastle, that’s just 29 miles away, with the incredible Gormley sculpture of the Angel of the North reached within a 40-minute drive. Historic Durham is also less than an hour from our door.
We are also an ideal stop-off for those travelling between England and Scotland, being a 2.5-hour drive from Edinburgh, 3 hours 34 minutes from St Andrews and 2 hours 41 minutes from Royal Troon.
Don’t regret never having visited this incredible county! Come and stay with us at Langley Castle and see for yourself what all the fuss is about!
Summing up
The story we referenced earlier inspired the team here at Langley Castle, to put this guide together
for you, so that you don’t regret those things you have never done and which we can bring to fruition
for you.
Life really is too short to not fill it with unique experiences and different things to do. Seeing new
places, acquiring new emotions and enjoying uplifting moments is all part of ensuring life has a rich
tapestry and a bank of memories on which to draw upon, when we wish to remember brilliant times.
Allow us to contribute to these and you will be able to tick some things off your list in style.
Visit www.langleycastle.co.uk or call us on 01434 688888with any questions.
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