Update 10/7/25
Update 30/6/25 via Courant
Started Easter Sunday 20/4/25 – We need to move quickly
English Heritage website – CLICK HERE
Chronicle report 21/4/25 CLICK HERE
Courant report 21/4/25 CLICK HERE
Our campaign hits the National news –
The Sun 22/4/25 CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE BBC NEWS 23/4/25
Chron report dated 24/4/25 CLICK HERE
Progress
A potted history – via Wiki – CLICK HERE
EH Sites in the North East – CLICK HERE
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We believe that Prudhoe Castle is more than just a national treasure it is in the heart & soul of the Prudhoe Community.
It has vital educational, health and economic benefits for the area.
We know that a local solution is viable.
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Easter Sunday 20/4/25 Request to EH for a meeting with us and looking to working with local community closely together.
** Local community leaders and residents were already showing a wish for this to happen and in communication **
Bank Holiday Monday 21/4/25 – E mail was sent to The Rt Honourable Lisa Nandy MP – Secretary of State asking for support on a urgent basis, included inviting her to meet in Prudhoe
Bank Holiday Monday 21/4/25
Aydon Castle to be mothballed- County Cllr Nick Oliver (Corbridge) joins our campaign CLICK HERE
Tuesday 22/4/25 NCC Cabinet members were briefed and showed support for the campaign.
Tuesday 22/4/25 EH Responded to say they agree to meet- A summary of their reply is given below-
Dear Gordon,
Thank you for getting in touch about the changes to the opening arrangements at Prudhoe Castle………..
To ensure our charity’s financial sustainability, so we can continue to conserve sites like Prudhoe Castle – for the benefit of current and future generations – we are having to make changes to our organisational structure and staffing and to opening arrangements at some of the historic places in our care. At Prudhoe Castle our previous way of opening up the site is no longer sustainable.
To make the best possible use of our charity’s resources we need to find different ways to share it with visitors, in order to offer them a richer experience and to ensure the site can continue to be conserved and celebrated.
We are currently finalising arrangements so that in future we will be able to open up the outer grounds of the castle to the public for free, seven days a week. We hope to be in a position to put these arrangements in place soon.
We are also developing proposals to open the rest of the site up for guided tours and other events, in order to offer a richer experience for our visitors. We would be happy to engage further with the Council on this as we work to develop proposals that will ensure the site can continue to benefit the local community going forward. In writing, I would also like to provide reassurance that schools will still be able to book free visits to the site.
Thursday 24/4/25
A formal report was provided to Prudhoe Town Council regarding the situation, although some of the Town Cllrs had already been in contact and supportive of our campaign.
Friday 25/4/25
EH have again responded and a urgent meeting is being scheduled.
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A look back – There is so much more that can be achieved than is proposed now-
Hexham Courant CLICK HERE
A reply on behalf of the Secretary of State-
1 May 2025
Our Ref: ….
Dear Cllr Stewart,
Thank you for your correspondence of 21 April to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP, regarding Prudhoe Castle and other properties managed by English Heritage Trust (EHT).
I am replying as a member of the Ministerial Support Team.
EHT is currently operating in a challenging climate, in common with many other organisations in the visitor economy sector. In response to this, it has considered the impact on its operating model and taken appropriate mitigations, which has involved making some difficult decisions.
EHT has undertaken extensive consultation with its staff as part of this process. As a charity which is financially independent from government, the decision to review its internal structure is an operational matter for EHT, although it has updated government on the situation.
EHT carries out its stewardship of the National Heritage Collection under its licence from Historic England, and has to undertake careful prioritisation of its conservation and maintenance requirements, whilst ensuring that as many sites as possible remain accessible to the public.
Historic England will continue to monitor the progress of EHT’s overall restructuring programme and its impact and advise the department where required
Prudhoe Matters 