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Augill Castle, South Stainmore, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, CA17 4DE
telephone: 01768 341937, fax: 01768 342287, email:enquiries@stayinacastle.com

About us

When John Bagot Pearson, 'a gentleman of leisure and considerable means' commissioned the castle in 1837, his vision was of a weekend retreat where he could entertain his friends in a style reminiscent of a medieval banquet. Today, Simon & Wendy Bennett run the castle in a modern, informal style; it is a house which is happiest when it is full. Here is a chance for guests to step out of reality and into a more relaxed place altogether. No formal reception desk to greet you but rather a collection of comfy leather chairs around a roaring fire. To achieve this, Augill is, above all, a real home with children, cats, dogs, chickens & ducks; muddy boots kicked off by the door and toys tidied carelessly into a corner. Guests can be part of the family or keep themselves to themselves. Anything goes at Augill; anything but hushed tones and false formality.

What is Augill?

Augill Castle is not a hotel, but a family home which welcomes guests. We hope you won’t come here under any misconception that we offer the same services as a hotel. We work hard to retain the castle’s unique family atmosphere, believing that, together with big pillows, large towels, good showers, fresh ground coffee & homemade biscuits to be more important than direct dial telephones, modem ports and trouser presses. As a family home that welcomes other families, things can sometimes get a little chaotic and when things go awry or get forgotten we ask only that you tell us at the time so we can put it right. We don’t pretend to be experts and are always learning and striving to improve what we do. We cook as often as we can, given that we have no formal kitchen brigade and young children to take care of. We are proud to be a little bit different and if you are looking for a conventional, sterile place to stay, Augill won’t be for you.

Accommodation

The castle has twelve bedrooms, all of an equal standard but each with a very different character. Some have four poster beds, others four poster baths. You may find such unusual additions to your room as a piano in the bathroom, a church pew next to the loo or an African tribal hanging above your bed. But while your surroundings may be quirky (this is, after all, a Victorian gentleman's country folly), be assured of the finest Egyptian cotton bed linens, huge fluffy bath towels, decent showers, big baths, Molton Brown toiletries, homemade biscuits, fresh ground coffee & fresh milk. There's a decanter of sherry to help you unwind and a teddy bear on each bed to keep you company. Downstairs, roaring fires in winter may entice you not to venture out, but if you do there are 15 acres of landscaped grounds to explore and a willing Labrador to show you the way.

Food & drink

As with all good country houses, the Dining Room is at the heart of the castle. Breakfast is a leisurely affair, seldom kicking off before 9am and finishing when the last guests have emerged. Ingredients are locally sourced and include locally handmade Cumberland sausages & award-winning bacon, wild salmon smoked at Brougham Hall, free-range eggs from the castle's resident hens, freshly baked bread, home made preserves and freshly squeezed juice. Later in the day, informal two-course suppers are often available during the week and at weekends everyone sits down together for a house-party style four course dinner. All the castle's meals are prepared from the finest ingredients sourced from England's northern counties, often organic but always from producers who recognize the importance of quality over quantity. There is a well balanced, ever changing wine list and you can try your bartending skills at the honesty bar in the Drawing Room.

Families & Children

Staying anywhere with children can be costly and stressful. So here is a truly child friendly castle where parents can kick off their shoes and relax knowing that their children are having an equally good time. Young visitors to Augill are often adopted by the Bennett's children as 'special friends' and are whisked off to the 'Den', the playground or the trampoline. Once the fresh air has tired them out, there is an extensive library of videos and DVDs, a games room, toys for all ages and a whole castle complete with towers and turrets to explore. Bedrooms are big enough to comfortably take extra beds, most have DVD players, all the bathrooms and baths are big, some are enormous and there are inter-connecting bedrooms, cots, highchairs, baby listening, flexible eating options (adult and children's dietary whims are accommodated) www.family-day-out.co.uk/region/north.htm for a wealth of things to do as a family.

Little Augill Cooks

What better than the chance to learn to cook in the kitchen of a real castle? This is the stuff of fairytales for children and adults alike. Your little (and not so little) will learn everything that's fun about food from growing it in the castle's kitchen garden, raising it (we have our own chickens and pigs) preparing, cooking and eating it. We may visit local farms to see how they do things or perhaps even the local auction mart. And at the end of it all we'll sit down together and eat what we've made. While all this is going on, parents have the chance to relax around the castle and grounds, go out for a walk, visit the lakes or dales or just do nothing and enjoy the peace and quiet. Courses usually run during the school holidays and are geared around the ages of the children attending. Contact us at augillcooks@btconnect.com for further details, prices and dates.

How Green are We?

Free range eggs, happy chickens, a kitchen garden for vegetables, fruit and cut flowers, supplies sourced as locally as possible. These are at the heart of Augill's policy of looking after the environment of which it is a part. Simon, Wendy, their staff and family do all they can to minimise the environmental impact of a business which encourages people to travel to what is, after all, a building not originally constructed with efficiency or economy in mind. From recycling to investing in new technology. They gladly ferry guests to and from the nearest public transport and enthuse about local walks which take in scenery as good as any in the lakes or dales without the drive. Heating stoves use fuel from managed local woods. There are wildlife havens in all corners of the garden, garden waste is chipped to make new paths or, along with kitchen waste, mulched to feed the flowers and vegetables and 500 new trees have been planted in the last decade.

Parties & Weddings

If you can't boast a country house big enough for all your friends or family, Augill is the perfect venue for your own house party: the castle can be exclusively yours. As well as playing host to many types of party and celebration, Augill is licensed to hold civil marriages and has been described as one of the country's top ten most romantic houses. House parties and weddings for up to forty-eight can dine banquet style along two eighteen foot oak refectory tables and smaller groups eat together around one huge dining table. With twelve bedrooms there is space for twenty-four overnight guests . There is no formula; no set packages. Each event at Augill is as unique as the setting itself.

Christmas at the Castle

Imagine roaring fires, trees to the ceilings covered in glittering lights, four chimneys for Father Christmas to choose from and one huge dining table heaving with local Christmas delicacies all in a fairytale English castle. Live the dream and join Simon, Wendy, Oliver (ten) and Emily (eight) for a truly magical and utterly family focussed Christmas.

The fun will begin on Christmas Eve with afternoon tea, then carols and mulled drinks before supper. Christmas Day will start with presents, Bucks Fizz, then a huge breakfast. Later, lunch will continue into the evening and surely singing around the piano and a late supper will finish us all off! After Boxing Day brunch, spend the rest of the day exploring before returning for a fabulous dinner. There'll be a few reluctant goodbyes after breakfast on the 27th.

Rates: £720 per adult, £240 per child (under 12) sharing parents' room, £480 per child in their own room. All meals detailed are included. Conact us at enquiries@stayinacastle.com

Games We Play

Whether you are visiting for a romantic weekend or you are hosting a party or wedding, we can help you arrange any number of activities and entertainments. Try quad-biking, go-kart racing, archery, shooting and falconry organised for you in the castle grounds or at nearby Greystoke Castle www.greystoke.com. Nearby sporting estates and activity centres can offer a wider range of activities including off-road driving, climbing, kayaking, sailing and even skiing. The castle's own 1967 MGB Roadster with fully laden picnic hamper strapped to the back can be hired by the day. For party entertainment with a twist, how about a casino night, a themed murder mystery evening or even a wild west bucking bronco? www.thefuncasinocompany.com. The castle has an all-weather tennis court complete with automatic ball machine if you can't find a willing partner and nearby are indoor and outdoor swimming pools, natural swimming holes, golf, horse riding and endless uncrowded walking.

Where We Are

Terms & Prices

Hire of the castle includes accommodation, dinner & breakfast for up to 20 adults. There is no reduction for under occupancy. Further day guests are charged per head. An exclusive hire booking can be confirmed on receipt of a non-refundable £500 deposit. Payment of the balance of the booking is due no later than 28 days prior to the event. Notice of cancellation can only be accepted in writing from the client who confirmed the original booking. Charges will apply to bookings cancelled within 60 days of the event. No contract exists between us and suppliers of any third party activities ancilliary to the supply of accommodation, food & drink. We cannot supply any food or drink sourced by anybody but ourselves. This is a summary of our full terms & conditions which are available on request.