The Alnwick Castle Podcast

Marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and continuing our theme from the last podcast, this month we are looking at some of the connections Alnwick Castle has had with the United States across history.
In this episode, you will hear the stories of George Percy, one of the first English settlers in Virginia; the illegitimate son of the 1st Duke of the Northumberland whose money helped to create a world-famous institution in America; Eustace Percy, who worked in Washington DC during the First World War; and three modern American icons who visited Alnwick Castle or with whom its owners shared a historic moment.
We hope you enjoy this special USA-themed podcast. For more American links, try our most recent episode inspired by the new exhibition at Alnwick Castle, "Earl Percy and the American Revolutionary War".
The US flag has 50 stars ... we would be very grateful if you borrowed five and gave The Alnwick Castle Podcast a five-star review!

Marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence in 1776, this year Alnwick Castle features a brand new exhibition for visitors to see. "The Shot Heard Round The World: Earl Percy and the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)" tells the story of the American war of independence from the perspective of Hugh Percy, known at the time as Earl Percy, who was there fighting on the British side.
Percy arrived in Boston in 1774, saw action in some of the earliest fighting of the American Revolution and continued his role through 1776 in New York before returning to England in 1777. To tell us more about Earl Percy and the American Revolutionary War, we asked our archivist Chris Hunwick to show us around the exhibition for the podcast!
From Chris, you will hear about how the exhibition came together, and get an in-depth exploration of the contents. Chris gives us exclusive insights and readings into many of the documents and items on display, from a sketch map believed to be the first made of the war, to 18th century dollar bills, to Percy's logbooks and letters home. 
Use this podcast as an audio guide if you visit the exhibition, or as a way to experience it from wherever you are in the world! If you come to Alnwick Castle in 2026, you will find the exhibition in the Breakfast Room, with other connected displays throughout the State Rooms.
We would love to hear what you think. Email podcast@alnwickcastle.com or leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Work In A Castle is the brand new platform for heritage careers from Historic Houses, where you can go to find out about the amazing, and very varied, job roles that a place like Alnwick Castle can offer. As a member property of Historic Houses, we are excited to be part of the platform, and to find out more, we spoke to Sarah Roller, Director of Policy and Public Affairs for the association.
Sarah talks about what makes working in a historic place so special, the unexpected pathways a heritage career can take, and her own way into the sector. If you are interested in working at a castle, or a palace, or a stately home, or a historic garden ... this may be the podcast episode for you!
To find out more, visit workinacastle.com or follow Work In A Castle on Instagram or LinkedIn.
To hear more about the work Historic Houses do, please head into our podcast back catalogue and find episode 67, where you'll find Sarah's first appearance on the pod!

We are delighted to welcome historian, author and broadcaster Tracy Borman back to Alnwick Castle on 24th April to speak about her new novel The House of Boleyn. Tickets are available now at alnwickcastle.com - we hope to see you there.
As a preview for the event, and in fact as a preview for the book, which is published just one day before Tracy returns to Alnwick, we spoke with her about The House of Boleyn. You will hear a little about what to expect from the talk on 24th April, as well as the process of writing and researching the book, discussion of the Boleyn household at Hever Castle, and the what ifs of Anne Boleyn's story. 
Of course, we also get into the story of Anne and Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland, as well as how the court of Henry VIII was like being in The Traitors!
You might hear a little bit of crackling when you listen to the episode, this is a result of our remote recording but we have done our best to minimise it wherever possible.
We hope this podcast with Tracy Borman whets your appetite for what is sure to be a brilliant talk in April - get your tickets now!

Anne Boleyn may be one of the best-known figures in British history. But how much do you know about her connections to Alnwick Castle and the Percy family?
In this episode of the Alnwick Castle Podcast, we explore the Boleyn-Percy connection in depth with two amazing experts: Natalie Grueninger, from the Talking Tudors podcast, and Owen Emmerson, from Hever Castle. Natalie and Owen explain the origins of the story that Anne Boleyn was engaged to the future 6th Earl of Northumberland, and the effect this would have on both their lives.
They also spend time discussing the Ecclesiasties, an amazing prayer book that survives in the Alnwick Castle archives and that once belonged to Anne Boleyn. Everything about this book, from the bindings to the images and ideas inside, is remarkable, and you will hear all about it.
You can see the Ecclesiastes in person this year at Hever Castle, where it has been loaned for the new exhibition about Anne, called Capturing A Queen. Visit their website for more details.
For more Tudors on the Alnwick Castle Podcast, please explore our back catalogue - there are several episodes to choose from! And look out for next month's episode where we will be joined once again by the brilliant Tracy Borman to discuss her latest book, The House Of Boleyn.