Ford & Etal is one of rural Northumberland’s best kept secrets. Home to the Joicey family for over 100 years, this working estate has fascinating heritage attractions, beautiful countryside to explore, tempting places to eat, drink and shop and a welcoming range of accommodation.
The Estates lie in the valley of the River Till, just a few miles inland from Holy Island and Bamburgh. Close to the Scottish border this green and pleasant land is dotted with castles and battlefields, highlighting long centuries of conflict. Today it is farmed and managed much as it has always been and life is still ruled by the seasons.
Here you can ride a steam train, stroke a heavy horse, learn how the power of water is harnessed to produce flour, or discover a Victorian schoolroom with walls covered in huge Pre-Raphaelite paintings. With a schedule of events throughout the year, there’s always something new to see and do at Ford & Etal Estates.
Events
Place to Shop
Place to Eat
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Things to do
Flooden Battlefield
This famous battlefield, just outside Branxton village, was the scene of one of the bloodiest battles ever to take place in the British Isles. On 9th September 1513, over 500 years ago, 14,000 soldiers from Scotland and England died within a few hours. James IV of Scotland was heavily defeated and became the last British monarch to die in battle in Britain.
Ford Moss Nature Reserve & Colliery
Set in a hollow at the top of the hill to the east of Ford village, with stunning views over the Till Valley and the Cheviots, Ford Moss is an area of wild landscape, exciting flora and fauna, and historical remains of an abandoned mining community.
Ford Moss extends to over 60 hectares (150 acres). It is an area of bog and scrub known as a lowland raised mire. A deep layer of peat, formed by rotting vegetation over many thousands of years, overlies the carboniferous limestone bedrock. Seams of coal were mined on the site from the late 17th to the early 20th century. This coal mine largely operated along the northern and western edges of Ford Moss, where the ruin of an old engine house and a large brick chimney are the most obvious features.
Etal Castle
Set in the charming village of Etal by a ford over the river Till, this Northumberland castle is the ideal location for a family day out.
Built by Robert Manners as a defence against Scots raiders in the mid 14th century, it fell to James IV’s invading Scots army in 1513, immediately before their catastrophic defeat at nearby Flodden. The Flodden Battlefields are just a stones throw away from the castle so make sure to include it in your visit.
To complete your day out, bring along a picnic to enjoy in the surroundings of the Ford and Etal Estates.
Fishing
Come to fish the River Till on the beautiful Ford & Etal Estates waters in rural North Northumberland.
The River Till is England’s only tributary of the mighty River Tweed; as such it is governed by River Tweed fishing regulations. It is particularly well-known for its run of sea-trout from the spring to summer month but grilse and salmon are also regularly taken, as are grayling during winter months.
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Updated:
28 March 2026