Lying five miles from Darlington, Walworth Castle Hotel is perfectly placed to explore all the North East and North Yorkshire have to offer.
The grade I listed building dates all the way back to 1189 and today combines 12th century charm with modern day convenience. The castle was initially built as a manor house for local gentry, the Hansard family, and since then has witnessed many different metamorphoses; most notably as a prisoner-of-war camp during World War Two and a girls boarding school in the 1950’s. In the eighties, the Castle was lovingly transformed into a stately country house hotel and has since carved out a stellar reputation with visitors from far and wide.
Today, the hotel offers luxury accommodation alongside high-quality dining and meeting & events facilities. My wife Lisa and I pitched up one weekend to review the experience.
The site retains many of its period features. The building’s impressive, two-turreted façade stands triumphantly in your eye-line whilst a gravelled courtyard provides a further nod to the location’s aristocratic past.
The theme continues inside where stained glass windows, suits of armour and grandfather clocks sit alongside more contemporary features and furnishings. After a warm County Durham welcome, we checked out our room which was a picture of traditional grandeur. A four-poster bed sat as its centrepiece whilst the walls were bathed in shades of regal red and cream.
Despite the classic backdrop, the room had also been touched by the brush of modernity. We were both pleased to find a Flat-screen LCD TV as standard, as was complimentary WiFi and tea & coffee making facilities. The mod cons didn’t end there either. A swish power shower completed a stylish, chrome-laden en-suite bathroom. After kicking back with a glass of fizz for a read of the papers, we ventured down to the hotel’s inhouse Bar & Kitchen which offers all-day dining between 12pm and 9pm. Aptly named “1189” as a tribute to the castle’s heritage, the eatery offers an extensive menu bursting with choice.
Quality wine is also a prime consideration (no blue nun here) with a selection of globe-spanning wines cherry-picked by local suppliers, Bon Couer, who are situated just 10 miles from the castle. Walworth Castle offers a selection of starters, main plates, burgers, sharing boards, and grill options. Traditional pub favourites like the beer battered fish & chips or roast pork belly sit alongside two person house specialities such as the 20oz chateaubriand or the 1kg Tomahawk steak.
Somewhat spoilt for choice, Lisa kicked off with the sea salt & black pepper calamari with tomato & parmesan relish a resounding hit. I chose the curry spiced scallops with cauliflower puree and granny smith apple. Following on, Lisa opted for the suitably-hearty Shepherd’s pie comprising roast lamb rump with rosemary and creamed cabbage.
I continued in a similar vein with the chicken tikka masala. This was a fragrant, freshly-prepared take on the old microwavable favourite which came served with onion bhaji, coconut and coriander rice and garlic naan bread. All in all: tasty, smile-inducing food which ticked all the boxes for us.
Totally replete, we returned to our suite in fine spirits ahead of a restful eight hours sleep beneath the four posts of the bed. The following morning, we breakfasted royally on all of our cooked & continental favourites before packing up and heading on home.
Within touching distance of the A1, Walworth Castle is a perfect getaway location within easy reach. Ideal for a spot of lunch or dinner or for a mini-break with a real slice of history.
For more information, visit www.walworthcastle.co.uk