If your child has a flair for storytelling, a love of history, or simply needs an inspiring project for the summer holidays, Langley Castle might just have the perfect opportunity.
The medieval Northumberland castle hotel has unveiled its very first Young Battlements Tour Guide of the Year competition. The winner could walk away with a trophy and a family overnight stay.
Every morning at 10.15am, Langley Castle’s guides lead visitors on the famous Battlements Tour. For this contest, the castle is inviting under-11s to create their own version of the experience, designed especially to captivate other children.
Entrants can put their own spin on the tales told, while still channelling fascinating facts from the castle’s rich history.
Said history stretches back to 1350, when its seven-feet-thick walls were first built. Contestants might choose to explore its turbulent past, highlight its remarkably preserved medieval garderobes, uncover stories of the Radcliffe brothers who led Jacobite uprisings, or even delve into the battlements chapel created with the permission of Pope Leo XIII. At this point, they might be tempted to include some interesting side facts, like how Pope Leo XIII was the first pope ever to be photographed or have his voice recorded.
Parents or children must submit a 300-word application explaining why they would make a great tour guide. To take part, entrants must be under 11 on the finals day, Thursday 30 October, and available to travel to Langley Castle if selected as one of the three finalists.
The finals will see those three young guides compete to deliver the most engaging 20-minute tour. The champion will win a trophy plus a family overnight bed-and-breakfast stay, while the two runners-up will each receive a small trophy.
Preparation time is plentiful, with resources available to help. There’s a podcast from one of the current guides at https://bit.ly/4bEurFx and a Hairy History children’s guide on the Langley Castle website. Families can also visit in person to take the tour and imagine how they’d adapt it for younger audiences.
Langley Castle general manager, Mohamed Serag, says:
We are hugely excited by our Young Battlements Tour Guide of the Year competition and will be interested to see where each finalist places their emphasis. Will it be on the more gruesome links to St Bees Man, the more modern similarities between aspects of Langley Castle and Hogwarts, or something else?”
“We will be seeing our tour through the eyes of children and cannot wait to witness their interpretation of the castle’s history, architecture and personalities.”
Entries must be emailed to jane@catapultpr.co.uk by Monday 30 September 2025, with the subject line Langley YBTG Contest. Include the child’s age, school, contact details, and confirmation that they can attend finals day. The three finalists will be announced by Monday 6 October.
