Cragend: Cragside's little neighbour, with a big story!

Cragside’s little neighbour with a big story to tell, Cragend Farm is an award-winning Historic Houses site. We are a real farm in Northumberland where the idea of “everyday histories in farming life” can be experienced through our tour. From the Big Bang to the 21st century, enjoy a sensory historical tour, including artefacts and research, and the engineering of businessman and innovative engineer Lord Armstrong. Cragend Farm sits on the edge of the famous Cragside Estate, Rothbury, near Alnwick and Bamburgh Castles, in Northumberland, designed by Lord Armstrong for his prize cattle as a demonstration centre for his water powered hydraulics. Cragend is an ancient Northumberland farm with a Celtic Camp and Border Reiver heritage. It was re-modelled and transformed to use hydraulic engineering by North-East industrialist Lord William Armstrong of Cragside from the 1860s. It has a unique history thanks to this great innovator's vision for engineering and science including a Grade II* Agricultural Site. A place where great engineers .H. Pooley, Gilbert Gilkes, Henry Watson came together to create amazing new technologies.

Visit the farm, its buildings, the agricultural hydraulic machinery and see the engineering skills of The Magician of the North, the Hydraulic Silo, Victorian Weigh bridge, the Cragend Grange hydraulic ‘Turbine Room’, the courtyard and dairies. The tour includes tea/coffee, and refreshments. You may picnic in the grounds afterwards if you wish.

Timings

Thursday 17 September:

1100-1300

Location & directions

Cragend, Cragend Farm, Rothbury, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE65 7XN

Directions:

B6344 Bus route X14 Newcastle to Thropton Car parking available free.

Contact on day:

Lou Renwick

Telephone number:

+441669621533

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

Booking more than one day in advance only.

Booking contact name:

Lou Renwick

Booking email:

[email protected]

Booking website:

https://www.cragendfarm.co.uk

Booking opens:

01 Jun 2026 12:00 AM

Booking closes:

09 Sep 2026 12:00 AM

Accessibility details

We are inclusive and everyone is welcome to visit. Children and dogs are very welcome. We are in a rural historic environment with a courtyards, gardens, fields, steps, mud, and some rugged terrain, and this makes some access difficult for wheelchair users and those with physical or mental disabilities. Please enquire if you have any questions. We endeavour to assist with hearing, sight, neurodiverse, mental or physical impairments where ever possible. Some areas may not be accessible to everyone, due to the environment, but we have videos on Youtube.

Additional information

What to expect: Experience a hands-on sensory tour of our home that invites you to touch the exhibits and immerse yourself in our historic setting. Research and storytelling are carefully woven together, offering a vivid glimpse into Northumbrian farming life; its evolution into industry, and its rise to prominence under Engineer and Businessman Lord Armstrong of Cragside. Discover tales of the Border Reivers, wartime resilience, and the rich tapestry of everyday life in the Coquetdale community, brought to life through authentic local stories and photographs, and our book about Cragend Farm.

Max number of people:

20

Estimated duration:

2 hour(s)

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