Naworth Castle is a 14th-century castle near Brampton in Cumbria, still the home of the Howard family, which opens it for exclusive parties and sporting events. The site lists five reception rooms, 11 guest bedrooms and a catering team chosen for each event. It publishes no capacities, so the guest numbers are discussed in the quote request.
Seminars and company events
The official site does not describe seminars or company meetings. It presents the castle as a private home that receives guests at exclusive parties and at sporting events, and it states that the family welcomes them. A company planning a private dinner or a shooting day for clients is the closest use, and the quote form is the route to ask about other formats.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are not named on the site, but exclusive parties are. The reception rooms are equipped with open fires and wood-burning stoves, and the family says a bespoke fine-dining menu can be served in the dining room, the oak parlour or the great hall. Guests are encouraged to relax in the libraries between courses. Ask directly whether a private celebration with a ceremony or a dinner dance fits your date.
Rooms and capacities
Five reception rooms are named: the Great Hall, the Dining Room, the Library, the Old Library and the Oak Parlour. The two libraries have Pre-Raphaelite interiors. A purpose-built drying room is available for shoot parties. No seated or standing capacity is stated for any room, so the number of guests is something to confirm with the estate office.
Accommodation
The castle has 11 guest bedrooms with central heating, wifi and contemporary ensuite bathrooms. Six of them are tower rooms with wood-burning stoves, king-size beds and roll-top baths. The site names the Countess Room, the Morpeth Tower, the Dacre Tower Rooms, the Tower Room, the Hunting, Fishing and Shooting Rooms and the Chinese Room. This makes an overnight stay with the whole group possible for a smaller party.
Catering
The estate selects chefs and servers to cater each event. Guests who prefer their own staff can have accommodation arranged for them. The site shows sample menus that follow local and seasonal produce, with canapes, a starter, a main course, a pudding, cheese and coffee with chocolate truffles. The menu is built per event, so the sample is a guide to the style and not a fixed offer.
History and setting
The castle dates back to 1335 and was the stronghold of the Dacre and Howard families, built to defend the English borderlands against the Scots and the Border Reivers. A fire in 1844 destroyed many of the main rooms. George Howard, 9th Earl of Carlisle, had them refashioned by Pre-Raphaelite architects. The present owner, Philip Howard, continues to restore the estate. The 18th-century walled garden is being redesigned by the landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith, with a kitchen garden, a wildflower meadow, a rose garden and a cutting garden.
Getting there
The address is Naworth Castle Estate, Naworth, Brampton, Cumbria CA8 2HF. Requests go through the quote form on the site or by email to the estate office, which answers enquiries about parties and events.
