The Northumbria Mysteries is a 2026 crime drama series from the BBC, made by the Newcastle-based company Lonesome Pine Productions. It is directed by Gordon Anderson and Duncan Foster. One review lists the writers as Gordon Anderson, Aschlin Ditta, Kitty Percy, Vivienne Harvey and Keith Temple.
The main cast includes Robson Green, Liz White, Gurjeet Singh, Simon Callow, Chris Gascoyne and Paula Wilcox. The series was filmed in Northumberland, with a few scenes shot around Tyneside.
Joe Ruby is an ex-convict who volunteers at a priory, digging in the grounds under the eye of Father David. When a monk’s body turns up hastily buried there, Oxford-educated DI Rose O’Connell and her second-in-command DS Raj Singh arrive to investigate. Joe’s past makes him awkward company for the police, but also useful. It is a mystery with an odd-couple pairing at its centre.
The first episode aired on BBC One at 2pm on Friday, October 23, 2026, and the first four episodes were released on BBC iPlayer the same day. There are eight episodes of about 45 minutes each, shown weekly on Fridays. One report says the second block of four reaches iPlayer on November 20.
Table of Contents
When and Where Was The Northumbria Mysteries Filmed?
| Series Name | The Northumbria Mysteries |
|---|---|
| Genres | Crime, Drama, Mystery |
| Filming Locations | Alnwick, Alnmouth, Bamburgh, Holy Island, Morpeth, Rothbury and other places across Northumberland, UK |
| Filming Dates | Jul 31, 2026 |
| Cinematography by | James Edward Cook |
| Release Date | October 23, 2026 |
The BBC said in March that filming would begin in Northumberland in spring. Wikipedia says production was underway by April 2026. Robson Green was spotted at Alnwick Market Place filming on evenings in late May. The Hexham Courant says production was completed in August after several months on location.
📍Alnwick, Northumberland
Alnwick is where much of the series was shot. Local reports have the crew taking over the Market Place for a couple of evenings, and the town is also where Simon Callow stayed during filming. Episode 4 opens with an aerial view of Alnwick Castle. We could not confirm which other streets or buildings in the town were used.
Visiting: Alnwick Market Place is a public square, but opening times for the castle and garden vary, so please check before you go.
📍Alnmouth, Northumberland
According to TV Guide, the very first scene of episode 1 shows St Cuthbert’s Cross on Church Hill, looking over the Aln estuary. Alnmouth is a small coastal village at the mouth of the River Aln.
Visiting: The cross sits on a public hill, so it should be easy to find. It is best not to assume that any private house in the village was used.
📍Brinkburn Priory and Manor House, Longframlington
Address: Longframlington, Morpeth NE65 8AR, United Kingdom
This is the priory where Joe Ruby volunteers. Brinkburn is an English Heritage site on a bend of the River Coquet, reached by a woodland walk. The priory church dates from the 12th century and was restored in Victorian times, which means it is still a roofed church and not a ruin. A 19th-century manor house stands beside it.
Visiting: The site opens on select dates, so please check English Heritage’s opening days before you travel.
📍Bamburgh Castle and Budle Bay, Bamburgh
Liz White told TV Guide that the crew spent a week filming around Bamburgh Castle and Dunstanburgh Castle. She remembers shooting a car chase with Bamburgh in the background on a bright day. Bamburgh’s Victoria Hotel on Front Street also appears in episode 2.
Budle Bay, a tidal bay a couple of miles north of the castle, was Robson Green’s own favourite place to film. His father kept a caravan there when he was a boy, and the two of them swam in the bay.
Visiting: Bamburgh Castle is a visitor attraction and the hotel is a working business. Please check opening times before visiting.
📍Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland
Address: Dunstanburgh Rd, Craster, Alnwick NE66 3TT, United Kingdom
The 14th-century ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle appear in the series. It is another English Heritage site, sitting on a headland on the coast.
Visiting: Please check English Heritage’s opening times. A coastal walk is usually needed to reach it, so go with suitable shoes.
📍Holy Island (Lindisfarne), Northumberland
Holy Island is a tidal island off the Northumberland coast. TV Guide says the cast and crew stood on the sea floor there to watch the sunrise, and Gurjeet Singh named that as a favourite moment. The island’s priory ruins are famous, but the series priory is Brinkburn, so it is best not to assume that Lindisfarne Priory was used.
Visiting: The causeway floods at high tide. Please check the safe crossing times before you go.
📍Morpeth, Northumberland
Locals saw the crew in Morpeth, a market town on the River Wansbeck. TV Guide reports scenes at Fannies Emporium Antique Centre and Courthouse Cafe. Robson Green was also seen on a bike in the town centre, near The White Swan pub.
Visiting: The antique centre and pub are working businesses, so please check opening hours. Another British mystery series in our guides is Marble Hall Murders.
📍Eglingham Hall, Eglingham
Part of episode 3 was shot at Eglingham Hall, near Alnwick. In the series, it is the home of Lady Philippa Armstrong, played by Paula Wilcox. It is a Grade II listed country house with a Georgian front that was rebuilt in 1728.
Visiting: The house is now a wedding venue. Since it is a private venue, please check before visiting.
📍Rothbury, Northumberland
Rothbury is named in several reports, and Robson Green was seen there with Chris Gascoyne at The Turk’s Head pub. That is a sighting only, so please do not take it as proof of a filmed scene.
📍Seahouses, Amble, Embleton and Beadnell
Seahouses and Amble are named as filming areas, and Brit Brief adds Embleton and Beadnell to its list of twelve locations.
📍St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne
Simon Callow says he and Robson Green shot “a wonderful scene” at St George’s church in Jesmond.
Visiting: Please check whether the church is open to visitors.
📍Neptune House, Wallsend
In episode 4, Rose and Raj discuss a case in a house with a staircase and a stained glass dome. TV Guide says this was Neptune House on Neptune Road in Wallsend, part of the old Neptune Bank Power Station. It is a Grade II listed building now used as offices.
Visiting: Since it is a private venue, please check before visiting.
📍Earsdon, near Whitley Bay
Brit Brief lists Earsdon as a location, and one report places the crew at The Red Lion pub there.
The Northumbria Mysteries Behind the Scenes
To make your search for The Northumbria Mysteries filming even more interesting, here is what the cast has shared so far. Robson Green lives near Hexham, and he told TV Guide he had never had a job where he could drive home each night. He also told BBC Look North that the landscape is “a principal character” in the show.
Fun fact: the series had a Newcastle premiere at Tyneside Cinema in mid-October, with a panel afterwards. Green also posted a clapperboard photo on Instagram to mark the wrap. He called it one of the most joyous filming experiences of his career. If you like BBC crime dramas with a quirky twist, our guide to The Hairdresser Mysteries is a good next read.
We will add more cast and crew Instagram posts and set photos here as soon as they are shared.
FAQs
Q1: Where was The Northumbria Mysteries filmed?
A1: It was filmed across Northumberland, including Alnwick, Alnmouth, Bamburgh, Holy Island, Morpeth and Rothbury. A few scenes were shot in Jesmond, Newcastle and in Wallsend.
Q2: When was The Northumbria Mysteries filmed?
A2: Filming reportedly began in spring 2026 and finished in August 2026.
Q3: Which place is the priory in The Northumbria Mysteries?
A3: The priory is Brinkburn Priory and Manor House in Longframlington, an English Heritage site.
Q4: Who stars in The Northumbria Mysteries?
A4: Robson Green plays Joe Ruby and Liz White plays DI Rose O’Connell. Gurjeet Singh, Simon Callow, Chris Gascoyne and Paula Wilcox are also in the cast.
Q5: Can I visit the filming locations?
A5: Many are public places, such as Alnmouth, Bamburgh and Alnwick. Eglingham Hall and Neptune House are private venues, so please check before visiting. Check crossing times before going to Holy Island.
Q6: Where can I watch The Northumbria Mysteries?
A6: It airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The first four episodes are already out.
The Northumbria Mysteries was filmed across Northumberland, with a few scenes in Tyneside.
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