Cragside
Lord Armstrong's Victorian country house, the first home in the world lit by hydroelectric power, set amid woods and lakes.
Cragside lies near Rothbury and was the home of Victorian inventor and armaments magnate Lord Armstrong. From 1878 he used the estate's lake to generate hydroelectric power, making it the first house in the world lit by hydroelectricity. The house preserves its original electric lights, a hydraulic lift and fine Arts and Crafts decoration. The estate is extensive, with a roughly 10-kilometre woodland drive, an artificial lake, a huge rock garden and one of Britain's largest rhododendron mazes. It is managed by the National Trust, and you should allow half a day.
Opening hours
approx. 10:00–17:00; mansion open seasonally
Nearby sights
- Hulne Park
- Alnwick Castle
- Barter Books
- The Alnwick Garden
- Chillingham Wild Cattle
- Chillingham Castle
- Warkworth Castle
- Alnmouth