Tynemouth Priory and Castle

Schools

Discover 2000 years of history at Tynemouth Castle and Priory, on a free education visit with your class. Overlooking the North Sea and the River Tyne, Tynemouth dominates the headland, and since its origin as an Iron Age settlement, the site has been an Anglo Saxon monastery, a medieval monastery, a royal castle and a costal defence.

Information about your visit

A visit to one of our sites will inspire your students and bring your teaching to life. We'd like to reassure you that we're following Government guidance to make your trip as safe and enjoyable as possible. 

Important information to consider before you book:

  • To keep everyone safe we’ve introduced limits on visitor numbers and school groups, so please bear this in mind when booking your trip.
  • Find out more about what to expect on your school visit, which also includes our Covid 19 Risk Assessment.
  • To make the planning process as easy as possible, make sure you check our Plan Your School Trip section at the bottom of this page, for updated information on the facilities at the site as well as our free resources.
  • As usual, you’ll need to book your visit at least 14 days in advance. Please check our Terms and Conditions for full details.
  • English Heritage are legally required to request and record the contact details of customers and visitors aged 16 years and over. The information that you provide will only be shared with NHS Test and Trace, if requested. For more information and for details of our safety measures, please see our what to expect page.

We’re continually updating our education offer in line with government guidance.  At some sites you might not be able to use our handling collections or costumes as part of a free self-led visit, but where we can provide hands-on items in a safe way we will. We’ve adapted our Discovery Visit workshops to follow government guidelines, but for certain sessions this hasn’t been possible – please check our schools webpages for further information.

There may be areas of our sites which are closed, so please check what’s available for your school group on our property webpages and with our booking team.  They can put you in touch with our Education Visits Officers who can offer help and guidance, so you can make the most of your school trip.

Curriculum links

Step back in time and explore the varied history of Tynemouth Castle and Priory, with curriculum links to History and Geography.

  • KS1 History: Significant historical events, people and places in the locality
  • KS1-2 Geography: Geographical skills and fieldwork
  • KS2 History: Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots: Anglo-Saxon art and culture, Christian conversion. A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils' chronological knowledge beyond 1066
  • KS2 Geography: Human geography: Types of settlement and land use
  • KS2-3 History: A local history study
  • KS3 History: Development of Church, state and society in Medieval Britain 1066-1509: Christendom, the importance of religion. Development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745: The English Reformation. Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day: First World War, Second World War

Free Self-Led Visits

Book a free self-led visit to discover the varied and rich history of Tynemouth Castle and Priory with your class. Once one of the largest fortified areas in England, you can follow the history of this site from the Iron Age, through to an Anglo Saxon monastery, a medieval monastery fortified against Scottish attack, and a coastal Tudor fort. Having survived the English Civil War, the site was later upgraded with anti aircraft guns and radar to defend the coastline during the First and Second World Wars. Today you can explore the castle and priory, visit a beautiful 15th century chapel, and see the restored gun battery and cannon.

Enquire now

Plan your visit

We have a wide range of materials to support your visit and make school trip planning easy. Download our free resources to help you make the most out of your visit and create unique learning experiences before, during and after your trip.

We also offer free planning visits for group leaders once you have made a booking. Our Education Booking Team are on hand to advise and help you create the best possible school trip to suit your needs and area of study.

  • Facilities
    • SITE: The site will remain open, however, the gun battery and the upper levels of the keep remain closed and a one way system is in operation.
    • PARKING: To access disabled drivers' car park (10 cars), drive up causeway from Front Street, through castle gatehouse and turn right. Visitors parking in village face a 150m uphill walk and 70m of cobbles at gatehouse. Ticket office is in gatehouse. There is additional pay and display parking at the Spanish Battery and along the coastal road which leads to Tynemouth.
    • TOILETS: Our toilets are open as usual. Additional hand sanitising stations are available across the site.
    • LUNCH: You are welcome to bring your own packed lunches. There are picnic benches, grass and a small sheltered garden.
    • SHOP: There is limited shop capacity. Please bring your students in small supervised groups of up to 5.
    • EXHIBITION: The interactive 'Life in the Stronghold' exhibition (located in the Warrant Officer's House) takes visitors on a journey from Tynemouth's beginnings as an Anglo-Saxon settlement, a medieval monastery and Tudor fortification, right up to its importance as a WWII coastal gun battery.
    • FACE COVERINGS: Face coverings must be worn in all indoor public spaces, including in our exhibitions, shops, cafés and tea rooms. We won’t be able to give you a face covering, so please come prepared so you don’t miss out.

  • Enquire now

  • School visits academic year 2020-21

    In line with government guidance, over 60 of our English Heritage sites are open for education visits, and we’re taking bookings online up to 30 June.

    Our COVID-secure measures will remain in place until all restrictions are lifted.  Visitor numbers are limited, and all bookings must be made at least 14 days in advance.

    English Heritage are legally required to request and record the contact details of customers and visitors aged 16 years and over.  The information that you provide will only be shared with NHS Test and Trace, if requested.  For more information and for details of our safety measures, please see our what to expect page.

    Due to the current situation we can’t answer calls as quickly as we’d like to. If you’d like more information about a site, email us and we’ll put you in touch with an Education Visits Officer.

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