museum
Cragside
The Victorian home of engineer Lord Armstrong, the first house in the world lit by hydroelectric power, set in a vast rock garden estate.
2 km · about 5 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Rothbury
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Rothbury
Rothbury works well as a base: 20 minutes from Whittingham, 20km from Northumberland Dark Sky Park.
Rothbury is in England, United Kingdom, with about 2,300 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Whittingham, about 10 km away.
Rothbury is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, on the River Coquet. It is 14 miles (22.5 km) north-west of Morpeth and 26 miles (42 km) north of Newcastle upon Tyne. At the 2011 census, it had a population of 2,107.
Rothbury emerged as an important town because of its location at a crossroadsRead more
over a ford on the River Coquet. Turnpike roads leading to Newcastle, Alnwick, Hexham and Morpeth allowed for an influx of families and the enlargement of the settlement during the Middle Ages. In 1291, Rothbury was chartered as a market town and became a centre for dealing in cattle and wool for the surrounding villages during the Early Modern Era. Later, Rothbury developed extensively in the Victorian era, due in large part to the railway and the industrialist Sir William Armstrong. Between 1862 and 1865, Armstrong built Cragside, a country house and "shooting box" (hunting lodge) just outside Rothbury, and extended it as a "fairy palace" between 1869 and 1900. The house and its estate are now owned by the National Trust and are open to the public, attracting many visitors to the area.
Where to Stay in Rothbury
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Rothbury?
Within an hour or so of Rothbury: Cragside (2 km), Alnwick Castle (17 km), Alnwick Castle (Hogwarts flying lessons) (17 km), The Alnwick Garden (17 km).
Are there any good drives near Rothbury?
The nearest famous roads are College Valley, A68 Jedburgh to Edinburgh (Carter Bar) and Holy Island Causeway.
Where is Rothbury?
Rothbury is in England, United Kingdom, about 10 km from Whittingham.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 2,326
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 55.3106, -1.9084
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Rothbury
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
castle
Alnwick Castle
A medieval castle in Northumberland that doubled as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films, the second largest inhabited castle in England.
17 km · about 20 min drive
film location
Alnwick Castle (Hogwarts flying lessons)
The outer bailey of Alnwick Castle was Hogwarts for the first two Harry Potter films - the broomstick flying lesson and Quidditch practice were shot on its lawns.
17 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
The Alnwick Garden
A contemporary garden beside Alnwick Castle with a Grand Cascade, treehouse restaurant and a locked Poison Garden.
17 km · about 20 min drive
castle
Warkworth Castle
A striking cross-shaped keep above the River Coquet, the Percy family stronghold that appears in Shakespeare's Henry IV.
19 km · about 20 min drive
national park
Northumberland Dark Sky Park
Europe's largest area of protected dark sky covering 572 square miles, offering some of the best stargazing in England.
20 km · about 25 min drive
beach
Druridge Bay
Seven miles of near-empty sand backed by dunes and reclaimed opencast lakes now managed as nature reserves.
21 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
The Cheviot
The highest hill in Northumberland at 815 m, a broad peat-capped dome at the northern end of the Pennine Way.
24 km · about 30 min drive
Driving roads near Rothbury
- 24 kmThe CheviotThe highest hill in Northumberland at 815 m, a broad peat-capped dome at the northern end of the Pennine Way.
- 31 kmCollege ValleyA remote Cheviot valley reached by a permit-only single-track road, one of the quietest drives in England.
- 36 kmA68 Jedburgh to Edinburgh (Carter Bar)A rollercoaster of blind crests over the Cheviots crossing the border at Carter Bar, then across the Lammermuirs.
- 41 kmHoly Island CausewayThe tidal road to Lindisfarne, submerged twice daily; crossing outside the published safe times regularly strands vehicles.
- 42 kmB6318 Military Road (Hadrian's Wall)General Wade's arrow-straight road along Hadrian's Wall, rolling over the whin sill with Roman forts on either side.
- 46 kmSteel RiggA car park and viewpoint on the Whin Sill giving the classic switchback view of Hadrian's Wall towards Sycamore Gap.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
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