Lumley Castle Hotel Review: A Night in County Durham’s Most Haunted Castle

Recently, I spent the night at the formidable Lumley Castle Hotel, Durham.

This 14th century castle is famously one of the most haunted places in County Durham, and while I don’t actually relish the thought of sharing my room with a ghost, I am a sucker for all things spooky, and so I decided to visit in October, right in the middle of spooky season.

Lumley Castle Hotel Review: A Night in County Durham’s Most Haunted Castle

In this article, I’m going to share my full Lumley Castle review, including what I thought of my room, the Knights Restaurant, Library Bar, and of course, the story of the Lumley Castle Ghost and whether I had any spooky encounters. I’ll also divulge whether I think it’s worth the splurge.

Are you ready? Then let’s get into it.

Lumley Castle Hotel

Lumley Castle is a 4-star hotel inside a Grade I listed 14th-century castle, surrounded by parkland and overlooking the River Wear. It sits just outside Chester-le-Street, around a 15-minute drive from Durham city and roughly the same distance from Beamish Museum.

The castle has 72 individually designed bedrooms, an award-winning restaurant (Knights Restaurant), and a gorgeous Library Bar where you can enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail or late night tipple.

While the hotel is perfectly positioned to enjoy the best of County Durham, Lumley Castle is the sort of place you won’t want to leave once you’re there! It isn’t somewhere you book if you’re just looking for a place to lay your head at night – it’s the destination itself, and one you’ll definitely want to make the most of.

Lumley Castle Hotel address: Ropery Lane, Chester-le-Street, County Durham DH3 4NX (Google Maps link).

Lumley Castle History

Lumley Castle was built by Sir Ralph Lumley, who converted his family’s manor house into a fortified castle in 1389 after returning from the wars in Scotland.

Unfortunately, Sir Ralph didn’t get to enjoy it for long: he was later implicated in a plot against Henry IV and was executed, and the castle passed out of the family before returning to his grandson, Thomas, in 1421.

By the nineteenth century, the castle had become the residence of the Bishop of Durham, before being given to the University of Durham and turned into a hall of residence for students – yep, up until the 1960s, students at the University of Durham got to live in Lumley Castle (I’m so jealous).

Today, the hotel is still in possession of Richard Osbert Lumley, 13th Earl of Scarbrough, but is managed by Bespoke Hotels.

Is Lumley Castle Haunted?

Lumley Castle is said to be one of the most haunted places in County Durham, mainly due to the legend of Lady Lily Lumley, the secret first wife of Sir Ralph Lumley.

According to the legend Lily was murdered and her body was thrown down a deep well in the castle grounds by two priests after she refused to convert to Catholicism. The priests then told Sir Ralph that she had left him to become a nun.

Today, Lily’s ghost is said to float up from the well and wander through the castle, sometimes appearing as a sorrowful figure in white.

Lily Lumley apparently has something against cricket teams – she spooked the Australian cricket team when they stayed at Lumley Castle in 2005, resulting in some of the players sleeping on their teammates’ hotel room floors, and one player fleeing the room and running to the reception in just his underwear!

Lady Lumley also terrified the West Indian cricket team in 2000, resulting in them checking out early because they were so scared!

There’s also a resident poltergeist, known as Black Jack, who is said to move and knock over guests’ belongings.

Other reported paranormal experiences include children’s laughter, footsteps, and voices echoing from empty corridors, mysterious orbs being captured in photographs, and the ghostly figure of a strange man sat in the bar area.

Room Types at Lumley Castle

Lumley Castle has a big range of rooms, split between the castle itself and the former stables and mews of the courtyard.

Every single room is individually decorated, and prices can vary a lot depending on the season and how far ahead you book – where I’ve included prices, I’ve included the lowest rates that the hotel charges for that particular room, so do bear in mind that this can be as much as double if you’re travelling at a popular time.

Courtyard Rooms (Classic, Superior, Feature and Single)

These rooms are in the courtyard buildings rather than the castle itself, and are the most affordable room type.

The Courtyard Classic rooms are also the only dog-friendly rooms in the hotel, so do bear this in mind if you’re travelling with a furry friend!

The Courtyard Feature rooms are the most similar to the rooms inside the castle, with four-poster beds, with the Classic being the most basic.

The Single rooms have the same amenities as the Classic rooms, but are smaller and with a single bed (as the name would suggest).

Courtyard room rates

• Courtyard Classic rooms start at £63
• Courtyard Superior rooms start at £95
• Courtyard Feature rooms start at £108
• Single rooms start at £54

Castle Rooms (Classic, Twin, Feature)

These are inside the castle itself, so you get the thick stone walls and the authentic historic feel.

If you want the real castle experience but your budget won’t stretch to a suite, this is the room type I’d choose, with the Feature rooms having the most character.

Every room is totally unique, and the Feature rooms each have one distinctive design element, from concealed bathrooms to elegant roll-top baths and original fireplaces.

Accessibility note: some of the Castle rooms are reached up steep spiral staircases, and are thus not appropriate if you have mobility issues. If you struggle to navigate stairs, you’re best off choosing a Courtyard room.

Castle room rates

• Castle Classic rooms start from around £104
• Castle Twin rooms start at £104
• Castle Feature rooms start at £158

The Three Suites

For the full fairytale castle fantasy and the most luxurious experience, Lumley Castle has three suites to choose from: the King James Suite, the Bishop’s Suite and the Queen Anne Suite.

The King James Suite was once the castle’s chapel, and is named in honour of James VI’s connection with the castle (he didn’t actually stay the night, but the name stuck). This is the most expensive room in the castle, and has a 20ft high four-poster bed, a sumptuous sitting room, and jacuzzi bath.

The Bishop’s Suite is a huge room with a separate lounge area and two additional single beds in the connecting room, making this the perfect choice if you’re travelling as a family or group of friends.

The Queen Anne Suite is where I stayed, and it is quite possibly the most extravagant hotel room I’ve ever stayed in. With a four-poster bed, freestanding rolltop bath, separate lounge room, and two bathrooms, the Queen Anne Suite is the epitome of luxury. This is also said to be the most haunted room in Lumley Castle.

Suite rates

• The Queen Anne Suite starts at £248
• The Bishop’s Suite starts at £248
• The King James Suite starts at £252

My Lumley Castle Hotel Review

My room

I took a taxi to Lumley Castle and it dropped me right in the courtyard by the entrance – a tiny, unassuming door in the corner, which took me a minute to locate!

After a smooth check-in process in the elaborate reception area, I was handed my room key and given directions to my suite, which I promptly forgot. As a result, the walk to my room was an adventure in itself, and I ended up stumbling into various reception rooms, a library, and making the acquaintance of several suits of armour!

When I finally pushed open the door to the Queen Anne Suite, my jaw just about hit the floor. Let’s just say I can see why the ghost of Lady Lily Lumley favours this room!

The Queen Anne Suite is best described as an opulent Gothic Revival and Tudor-inspired room, with antique-style furniture, dark mahogany wall-panelling, and a burgundy and crimson colour palette. The decorative upholstery, rich fabrics and layered curtains give it a Victorian feel, and the resulting effect is the feeling of being in a historical period drama.

The space is huge, with a master bedroom and an adjoining living room with its own separate bathroom and wash area (naturally, there’s also a spacious seating area in the master bedroom itself).

The four-poster bed is so high that it comes with its own little set of wooden steps, which made me feel like a princess, and it was so comfortable, I could easily have gone to sleep right away! Heavy, burgundy-red fabric hangs around the canopy in thick, gathered folds, adding to the opulent feeling of the room.

To the right of the four-poster bed is a freestanding clawfoot bathtub, with Velve toiletries and white fluffy bathrobes.

The best bit, though, is the hidden doors. The door to the adjoining living room is concealed in the wooden wall panels, and once I was in there I kept finding more of them: one leading to the second bathroom and shower room, and another that opened straight onto a sink and mirror. I felt like I was Catherine Morland poking around Northanger Abbey, primed to meet a ghost at any point!

While the décor is ornate and the room feels decidedly Tudoresque, there are all the modern comforts you’d expect in a four-star hotel, including a Nespresso machine, Wi-Fi, two flat-screen TVs, and heating.

I’m happy to report that I didn’t get spooked by a ghost in the Queen Anne Suite, although I did get goosebumps every time I heard the floorboards creaking in the hallway!

Dining at Lumley Castle

There are two main places to eat and drink at Lumley Castle: the Knights Restaurant and the Library Bar.

The Library Bar is the more casual of the two, serving sandwiches, sharing platters, and a small selection of pub classics.

The Knights Restaurant is more high end and serves an à la carte menu of classic British dishes with a creative twist.

Knights Restaurant

I had dinner here and loved every bite.

For my starter, I had the scallops with chorizo, nduja hollandaise, onion crisp, homemade brioche, and parsley oil (£14.50). It was rich, a bit spicy and beautifully presented.

For my main, I went for an 8oz ribeye steak, served rare, with truffle mash, pine nut and shallot salad, and grilled tomato and mushroom. It was cooked perfectly, and every bite was buttery soft and delicious. The truffle mash was absolutely divine as well!

Unfortunately, I was too full for dessert, but I definitely had my eye on the salted caramel tart with clotted cream!

The Library Bar

While I didn’t eat here, I did visit the Library Bar for a pre-dinner drink, and it’s everything you’d want from a bar with such a bookish name.

It’s an elegant space with soft lighting, cosy corners, and lots of old books, and I felt so relaxed here. Even though I was a solo guest, the staff made me feel super at ease, and they even brought the menu from the Knights Restaurant to me because they were aware I had a reservation.

You can also have afternoon tea here, which is served daily from 3pm to 5pm.

Breakfast at Lumley Castle

Breakfast is not automatically included in the room price, and the cost depends on whether you’re booking a non-refundable room.

There’s a cold continental buffet, and an à la carte menu to order from. To be honest, the continental buffet wasn’t anything special, but the full English I had was lovely.

One thing that surprised me is that filter coffee and tea are the only hot drinks included with breakfast: I had to pay extra for a cappuccino, which I thought was a little stingy and not typical for a hotel at this price point.

The Verdict

My rating: ★★★★★

I can’t speak highly enough of Lumley Castle, and I’d stay here again in a heartbeat.

The Queen Anne Suite is the most extravagant room I’ve ever stayed in, and in my opinion it’s a real bucket-list experience. It isn’t cheap, but if you’re splitting the cost with someone and you manage to snag it on one of the cheaper dates, it’s nothing too crazy, and if you can afford the indulgence, I think it’s worth it.

Alternatively, the Castle Feature rooms give you the sense of opulence at a much more budget-friendly price, so this room type would be my second pick.

My only caveat would be that you shouldn’t book this hotel if you’re only looking for a place to sleep. Lumley Castle is the destination, so give yourself time to wander the corridors, have a cocktail in the library, and relax in one of the many reception rooms.

I think that Lumley Castle is perfect for couples, but as a solo traveller, I didn’t feel out of place at all, so don’t let a lack of a travel buddy put you off staying here! The staff were all super nice, which definitely helped me feel less self-conscious about being on my own.

My only disappointment was that I didn’t meet Lady Poppet, the Lumley Castle cat. She has her very own plot of land, so she’s a real lady, and I was devastated that she didn’t grace me with her presence! I even went on a wander around the castle after dinner in hopes of seeing her, to no avail.

I’m also sad that I didn’t have more time here. I would love to return for one of the Medieval Knight dinners, Murder Mystery evenings, or the Lily of Lumley escape room, which is located in the castle dungeon and is the first of its kind in the UK!

Things to Do Near Lumley Castle

Lumley Castle is a brilliant base for exploring County Durham, although it’s much easier if you have a car, as public transport is a bit of a faff.

Here’s what I got up to during my trip:

Durham City: I spent a day in Durham doing a castle tour, visiting the cathedral, popping into Cosin’s Library and the Archaeology Museum, and browsing all of Durham’s wonderful bookshops. I also had a pint in The Shakespeare, which is the most haunted pub in Durham!

Beamish Museum: I also visited Beamish, which is a living open-air museum and is an absolute must-do when visiting the area. I’ll be writing a full review of Beamish soon, but let’s just say that it was truly incredible!

Lumley Castle Hotel FAQ

Lumley Castle Hotel | Final Thoughts

As you can probably tell, I’m still pining for my time at Lumley Castle Durham, and I can’t recommend it enough, especially if you’re celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion.

If you have any questions about Lumley Castle and my stay there, then please leave them in the comments section below and I will do my best to answer them!

If you’d like to book your stay at Lumley Castle, you can do so by clicking this link, or any of the red buttons scattered throughout this article!

Until next time,

XOXO

Note: My stay at Lumley Castle was hosted by This is Durham. All opinions are my own.

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