Warkworth - Riverside & Castle

Navigating The Route

This is a short Detective Mystery route around Warkworth, with Detectives helping DCI Hugh Dunnit investigate the death of seafood chef Ivor Bignet and track down the stolen family recipe by following clues around the village.

The investigation covers 1 mile and should take around 2 hours to complete. You'll start at the main gate of the Church of St Lawrence, explore the quaint village streets, investigate around the castle grounds, follow the riverside and return to the church grounds as the evidence falls into place.

This Trail is not suitable for wheelchair users or pushchairs. The route is mainly on good paths, but it includes two sets of steps.

Take great care around the terrace of houses near the war memorial because of traffic, and again when crossing roads and stepping onto the road for a couple of paces. The route also follows the river, which is tidal, so keep Mini Detectives close beside the water.

Getting There

By car: Start your investigation at the main gate of the Church of St Lawrence in the centre of Warkworth (NE65 0UR). Parking at the Church of St Lawrence is recommended, and you can park your squad car here. If parking places are limited, go down the lane to the left of the church.

By public transport: Make your way to the main gate of the Church of St Lawrence in the centre of Warkworth to begin the case. The route finishes back at the church grounds.

Need the Loo?

Public toilets are available in Hotspur Court between Clues 04-05, making this a useful early comfort stop before the investigation moves on.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

Four-legged Detectives can join the investigation 🐾

The route includes village paths, road crossings, two sets of steps, castle grounds and a riverside stretch. Keep canine colleagues close around traffic, near the war memorial area and beside the tidal river.

Food & Drink Stops

Cracking a stolen-recipe case works up an appetite. There are chances to stop for refreshments and stock up on snacks towards the beginning of the route, and The Sun Hotel is also on the route.

If you're packing your own evidence-room rations, bring supplies to enjoy a picnic beside the river or in the castle grounds.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Church of St Lawrence

The investigation begins at a site that has had a Christian place of worship since Saxon times. The present church is the only large and complete Norman building in Northumberland, and its eventful, sometimes tragic, history makes it well worth a proper look before or after the case.

Warkworth Castle

The castle grounds are a natural extra for Detectives with a taste for old power struggles. The son of King David I of Scotland built the first wooden castle on this spot in 1130, when the area was claimed as part of Scotland. The present castle was built a century later, by which time it was in England.

Warkworth Bridge

Keep an eye out for Warkworth Bridge, believed to be the only surviving fortified bridge in England. It was originally built for defence and was later used to collect the toll - very suspicious behaviour from a bridge, frankly.

The Butts

This historic area was used in Medieval times for Sunday archery practice, and is still called the Butts. The law requiring that practice was only repealed in 1960, so it's a cracking little detail to investigate while you're piecing together Warkworth's past.

The River Through Warkworth

The riverside stretch is more than just a scenic section of the case. The river is not far from the sea and is tidal, with salmon and sea trout migrating along it and attracting seals and otters. Heron, cormorant, eider ducks and other birds can also be seen here, so allow time for a little wildlife-watching between clues.