This bettered Northumberland, which is known to be home to the most castles in the UK, but our research shows that this north-east coastal haven actually comes in second with 81 castles! Aberdeenshire takes third place with 78 castles followed closely by Cumbria (77) and the Highlands (70).

The UK county with the most castles is Northumberland, located in North East England. Known as the "Cradle of Christianity" and the "Land of the Far Horizons," Northumberland boasts over 70 castle sites, more than any other county in England. This high concentration is a direct result of its turbulent history as a border region between England and Scotland; for centuries, the area was a "buffer zone" plagued by cross-border raids from "Border Reivers," necessitating the construction of defensive fortifications for every noble family. Famous examples include Bamburgh Castle, which sits majestically on a coastal cliff; Alnwick Castle, famously used as a filming location for Harry Potter; and the haunting ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. While Wales as a country has the highest density of castles per square mile in the world, on a county-by-county basis within the UK, Northumberland remains the undisputed champion for those seeking a landscape dominated by medieval towers and historic fortresses.