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Hogswarts Revisited
"Harry
Potter and the Philosophers Stone ”
The latest block buster movie seems certain to
cast a spell that will draw visitors to Northumberland
and the magnificent Alnwick
Castle
In the film
the
castle was used as the exterior of ‘Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.’
It certainly provided an impressive backdrop as the young wizards
zoomed back and forth on their
broomsticks.
The
castle which has been home of the Percys, Earls
and Dukes of Northumberland, since 1309, has regularly featured in
film and television productions. Recently it featured in ‘Elizabeth’ and ‘Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves.’
It’s an imposing place and the second largest
occupied castle in Britain (The largest being the Queen’s residence
at Windsor)
It
works particularly well as a location for witchcraft and wizardry and
on a winters day you find it easy to imagine that the noisy cawing of
the rooks do indeed come from the film’s “Dark Forest” rather
than the high trees beyond the castle.
If
the castle, (with its magnificent grounds landscaped by Capability
Brown,) is used as the setting for 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and
Wizardry,' then the Alnwick town with its cobbled streets, could indeed
be thought of as Hogsmeade where the young wizards scurried through
the shops in search of practical jokes, strange creatures, and
equipment such broomsticks and owls.
Again
it’s easy to imagine, for little has changed in Alnwick since the
days when the stagecoach from Edinburgh to London passed through
it’s narrow streets.
But
how would the young wizards have fared shopping amid the ‘muggles’
(non wizards) who live in present day Alnwick.
Well, beyond the square
I found a bunch of new broomsticks
parked outside a shop called ‘House and Home’
a ‘muggles’ ironmongers.
They sat at the door next to a large duck fashioned in the shape of a
wicker basket
(It just seemed to be waiting
to be transmogrified.
)
Down
in Narrowgate, perched the owls. (In the Harry Potter story they are
used for delivering mail.)
These beautiful creatures were in the Red Grouse Gallery
and sitting unblinkingly still, as owls do. Since
they were all stuffed it was hardly surprising. They were superbly
done and the work of taxidermist Ralph Robinson.
He has also stocked up the
toy section of his gallery
with plastic owls anticipating the demand that may be created
by the film.
If
you prefer your owls alive and flapping, then you can adopt one, at a shop called “The Sanctuary.”
It’s a couple of doors down
at 14 Narrowgate and
sells bric-a-brac, animal paintings and books to raise funds for a
local wildlife sanctuary.
It costs £10 to adopt,
(for a year,) a tawny owl, a barn owl, or
even a toad from Peru.
They are particularly concerned that people do not even
consider having an owl as a pet, they may look endearing in the film
but they are wild creatures and completely unsuitable for domestic
life.
If
you want to visit Alnwick and enter into a ‘time warp,’ try to be
there for the Mediaeval Fair. It always begins on last Sunday in June
(30th June to 6th July.) You can really enter into the
spirit of things by hiring costumes from a local store that is
specially set up for the occasion.
As far as the costumes go
the ‘Mediaeval’ period is not strictly adhered to and it is
possible to be served in a bank by an
Edwardian dandy or get a potion in a chemist shop
from a lady in
dressed in a
crinoline.
This
coming year, with the
“Harry Potter” influence, it
is likely that a few wizards will
materialise. (Children from the local Middle School have had a great time
been working as extras on the film and are looking forward to the
filming of scenes for the
next production in May.)
The Shambles
If
you follow Taikes Street, one of the lanes that leads from
Narrowgate, you come to the
old town hall which was rebuilt in 1731 on the site of the ancient
tollbooth. It looks out
over the cobbled market square. They used to sell horses there and , twice a year, hire farm
labour. Now, in summer, café tables spill out onto the pavements and
a weekly market adds colour to the historic setting.
Across
the way is the Northumberland Hall, which once was the setting of the
‘butchers shambles.’ The old stalls, occupied the open area of the
ground floor between the columns that supported the building.
Now
it’s the setting for the Tourist Information Centre and the place to
find out about the many historic fortresses and castles in the
area.
Castles
It’s
a short drive from Alnwick to a hill above Chillingham you can
see seven of them.
Bamburgh,
Chillingham, Warkworth,
Etal,
These and also Norham, Dunstanburgh
and of course Alnwick
are all well worth visiting.
But first spend some time enjoying the ambience of Alnwick.
Seek out Grannies Teashop,  where
there’s a tuck shop that stocks fudge and cheese while down below
the narrow stairs an ‘olde
world’ atmosphere has been preserved .
There are all the accoutrements of a kitchen of yester year, including
granny’s bloomers drying on the pulley above the heads of the dining
tourists.
Try
a steaming bowl of onion soup and let your thoughts dwell on
cauldrons, young witches and wizards.
Alnwick
is set to receive a cash injection of up to £1 million from the
Government in a “Market Towns” regeneration scheme,
but the real boost to its
fortunes may come from the lady
who has used her pen like a wand Harry Potter’s creator,
the author, J. K. Rowling.
FACTFILE:
Alnwick:
www.alnwick.gov.uk
Alnwick Tourist Information Centre
Tel: 01662 510665
Alnwick Castle: Admission is charged.
Not open all year - please phone for details: 01665) 510777
Open 1 Apr-26 Oct, daily,
1100-1700; last admission 1615 www.alnwickcastle.com/
Email. enquiries@alnwickcastle.com
Holiday accommodation http://www.alnwickcastle.com/holidaycottages/
BTA
site Discover The Magic of Britain
http://www.visitbritain.com/harry_potter/index.htm/
Local
Castles http://www.worldrover.clara.net/berwick/castles.htm
Harry
Potter Official Site
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