The site of our park is steeped in history, dating back to the 12th century, but we're pleased to say that there are plenty of modern comforts these days.
Jamie and his team spend a great deal of time landscaping the site, maintaining the wonderful surroundings, to provide our guests with the ideal environment to unwind and relax into the time they spend with us.
Keen naturalists will appreciate the vast range of plants, trees and wildlife that is to be found here. Waterfowl have made their home in the ponds inside the grounds, while deer, hares, foxes and even otters can be spotted around the park.
We've lived here for a long while, and as such we have close relationships and friendships with lots of people who could help to make your leisure time special. If you're looking for a recommendation on where to eat, or go for a walk, or even if you would like our help organising activities such as shooting, fishing or golf, then all you need to do is ask.
Plus, who wants to spend all of their holidays surrounded by tourists?
In 2018 we completed the build of Hedley Hall - our bespoke office and community building and we are delighted to say that this special building has become very much the focal point of the park. To date Hedley Hall has been a venue for birthday parties, book club meetings, yoga and art classes - to name a few. We are looking forward to using the hall in many new and immaginative ways in the future!
Barmoor Castle Country Park has been designed and built around the features and views of the countryside around us. This has been a gradual evolutionary process and not an impossed vision from above! We feel that this slower, natural approach has been a fundamental part of the park we have today.
Take a look around the various areas of the park below:
The area has retained this title, Pony Fields has holiday homes set a new lake with water margins and aquatic plants. This creates a focal point for the homes in the immediate landscape and providers a diverse habitat for flora and fauna. Pony fields and the holiday homes also have excellent view onto the borrowed landscape with distance views over the Northumbrian Hills. There are also view of the western elevation of Barmoor Castle.
This same cannon was brought back to Barmoor where it stood in residence for many years. Thus, Cannon Lawn was born. It’s name outlives the reality of the actual cannon although it stays with us in memory. The Cannon Lawn was the first stage of creating enclaves for holiday homes at Barmoor Castle. It was opened in 1990 and remains a popular area with an intimate character.
The area is surrounded with mature trees, hedges and landscaped areas creating a private area within the park and is one of the most intimate areas within its defined space. Mature planting runs through the area creating private pockets for groups of homes enriched with flowering trees and specimen plants such as specimen palms and rhododendrons adding to the ambience. To commemorate the twenty five years of Barmoor Castle Country Park, a fountain has become part of the unique landscape of Palm Lawn.
The layout of the area will follow a historic design principles established in many castles and grand country houses of a bygone age. Existing archive records and historical documents were consulted extensively during the design and layout of the Parklands.
The Parklands comprise four main arterial avenues with views and vistas within the area out to the surrounding landscape. The views are endlessly shifting depending on angle of view, the season or even specific times of the day. It could be the light of a sunrise catching the Gothic Folly or the castle beyond. Or watch the dappled light from a sunset flicking through the leaves onto the various sculptures dotted around the area. The Parklands boasts both tree lined avenues and contrasting avenues carving their way through specially secluded tree and shrub collections, meadows and wildflower areas.
Set within South Lawn is a wildlife pond which adds to the biodiversity and habitat value while providing an area of visual and sensory interest to our visitors. The central feature of South Lawn is an area of lawns with specially landscaped features to provide visual interest and colour through a rich variety of tree and shrub planting. South Lawn provides views of the castle over the various areas of planted areas.
A large expanse of lawn to the front of the holiday homes in the Pastures runs down to the Western Drive of the Country Park. The planting is being continually enhanced with specimen softwoods and a connoisseur’s collection of bespoke conifers. In addition, to the lawns will be added natural areas of native bulbs and wildflowers to add to the ambience and wildlife interest of this unique space.
Border View sits on an elevated ridge which provides panoramic views over the border landscape and out across the ancient kingdom of Northumbria. The holiday homes also get views of the newly installed lake and wildlife area set below in Pony Fields.
Over the years, the Muschampes were hosts to visiting kings and their armies. Including Edward I in 1291, Edward II in 1319, Henry V in 1417 and The Earl of Surrey in 1513. In 1793 Barmoor was acquired by Francis Sitwell and set about a total transformation.
The building you see today was designed by the architect John Patterson of Edinburgh who trained under Adam. Francis Sitwell’s brief was to “produce a design which was a reminder of the border conflicts and yet introduce Barmoor into a new era of elegance and stability”.
The Castle at Barmoor remains the centrepiece of the Country Park at Barmoor as a dramatic architectural feature from a different age.
The original design was to create an enclosed yard with an entrance arch. The buildings still reflect the architects intent and include the Gardner’s Cottage, the Stable Block and the Coach House. The integrity of the designs has been maintained with the addition of fountain in the centre of The Courtyard which was installed in 2015 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Country Park.
The Central pond and Stables lie adjacent to The Courtyard. The Central Pond provides an area for a variety of flora and fauna and adds to the wildlife spotting opportunities at Barmoor whilst creating a visual focal point when approaching the castle.
One of the special attractions of the park is the wooded copse walk. Comprising of a native woodland copse along the northern boundaries of the park with walkways meandering their way linking public footpaths and access to the surrounding countryside that surrounds us.
One believes is was part of an original banqueting hall erected by Frank Sitwell to entertain visitors to an agricultural show in 1804. The show was a success and was repeated for a few years but the attribution of the “banqueting hall” is in doubt. It is now suggested from other 19th century references that the gothic screen we see today may have fronted a farm office and a steam engine house with a boiler and tall chimney behind.
Although the exact history is unknown and difficult to determine, The Gothic Folly is a significant architectural feature and has been listed in recognition of its heritage value. The Gothic Folly now makes one of the main architectural features along the avenues in The Parklands.
The Main Avenue leads from the Flodden Gate down to The Castle and secondary Avenues down to The Castle and other areas of the park. One of the principle Avenues is the main entrance into The Parklands which connects to a series of other tree lined vistas and Avenues. The Avenues have been planted with a variety of tree species including lime, hornbeam and flowering cherry. To add diversity in tree form, shape and cover. The various avenues have selected viewing points to add interest to the journey and visual amenity. The Avenues can lead yo to follies, gates and forms of sculpture or status.
These include tree and woodland copses, both evergreen and deciduous, fruit trees and a selection of native and exotic species. Some of the older trees in the park include yew (Taxus bocatta) and a specimen Cedar Tree (Cedrus sp.) and here at Barmoor, we are continually adding to our tree collection to add further natural interest and diversity.
A major restoration program was undertaken to bring this drive back to life and the commemorative gates were finally installed and opened in 2010. The gate commemorates the fact that The Earl of Surrey and the English Army numbering over 250,000 men camped at Barmoor on the 8th September 1513 before marching into battle with the Scots at Flodden the next day.
The detail on the gates shows details of pikes and swords together with emblems of the sides that met in battle on that fateful day in history. Once through the gates, the entrance leads into the Lime Avenue and down the reinstated drive past the Gothic Folly to The Castle.
Opened on Sunday 22nd July 2018, Hedley Hall saw the realisation of a dream of Jamie, Ann and Jodi to create a true hub for activities in the park. Named after the late and much missed Hedley Lamb, Hedley Hall was designed by Berwick architect David Dobbson.
To date the Hall has provided a venue for several birthday parties as well as regular classes in Photography, Yoga and we even have a regular Book Club!
We have many exciting and varied activities and events planned for this special place in the future exclusivley for Residents. Please keep your eyes on the Community section of the website for more details.
Moor Croft opened in 2018 and is quickly becoming one of our most sought after locations. With views stretching to both the Northumberland coastline and the Scottish Border to the North, it's easy to see why!
There are still a couple of pitches available but we'd urge you to act quickly as we are sure they will be snapped up quickly.
Contact Ann, Jamie or Jodi today to arrange a no-pressure visit to the Park and take a look around Moor Croft. We don't believe you'll find a better pitch anywhere!
Our purpose built area where we can display vans for sale. Come along and take a look at a caravan at Barmoor before it's placed on a pitch. Spend some time in it, take a sit down to enjoy the space. Hey, if you really want to, get cozy and spend the night in it!
Stock on the SAles Ground is changing all of the time, if there is anything specific you are looking for, don't hesitate to contact us for a no-obligation chat.
Please don't hesitate to contact us should you wish to have a chat to see what we currently have in stock to take a look around.
To find out more about the current offers and holiday home availability email ann@barmoorcastle.co.uk or speak to a member of our team directly on +44 (0) 1289 388376.
Join our mailing list and recieve the latest park news, special offers and much more direct to your inbox.
