English Heritage summer line-up of North East family fun with knights, Romans and medieval secrets

English Heritage is offering a range of activities for families across their North East historical sites throughout the school holidays this summer.

The charity is giving visitors the chance to step back in time over the next few weeks with a special line-up of fun, from a knights' tournament to learning all about what daily life was like in a medieval encampment. Tickets can be bought separately for each location, or English Heritage is currently offering 20% off a membership, giving you access to more than 400 places alongside extra perks, with code SUMMER24.

The summer programme kicks off next weekend on July 27 and 28 when the Knights' Tournament will take place at Belsay Castle, where families can experience the battles and contests for themselves while kids meet characters from the past and take part in workshops and tutorials. On Saturday, July 27, English Heritage members can also attend Knight Club, giving them the opportunity to hang out with the knights in their camp as they get ready for action before the site opens (9am-10am).

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Knight Club members will have the chance to ask the knights everything they want to know about their armour, tactics, and weapons, and will receive a goodie bag to take home with them. Suitable for families with kids over four, the Knight Club costs £5 as an add-on experience, and will also be taking place at Warkworth Castle on July 30-31 and Tynemouth Priory on August 10-11.

Next month, Belsay Castle will also play host to the Flying Falcons event on August 10 and 11, where visitors can listen to historical falconers tell the stories behind the fascinating skill that was used by Romans and Norman royalty. And from now until September 1, Belsay Castle guests can play Where's My Shadow, joining Noble the dog on his quest for hidden clues in the grounds, an activity also available to join at Hadrian's Wall, Tynemouth Priory and Warkworth Castle.

In addition, Warkworth Castle is offering families the chance to take part in some Medieval Mischief with its event on August 6 and 7, where they can soak up the sights, smells and sounds of a medieval encampment as food is cooked on open fires and medieval folk go about their daily lives. And over at Chesters Roman Fort and Museum on Hadrian's Wall, the Hail Hadrian event will see the Romans return, with visitors able to get a glimpse of life in a Roman encampment and listen to tales of what daily life was like.

These aren't the only events to look forward to at the region's rich collection of historical sites this summer, with the National Trust also running events at many of their North East locations in the coming weeks. From the Cragside Summer Challenge to the Summer of Play programme at Wallington, there's plenty for families to enjoy - read more about some of the highlights here.