Stephen Manion worked at
Alnwick Castle in northern England before joining the team at Arundel
Stephen Manion might have been at Arundel Castle for less than a year, but he’s ready to celebrate the historic location’s 950th birthday.
Construction on the first building at this expansive site, located in West Sussex in southeast England, began in 1068, shortly after William the Conqueror was crowned king. “In a way, we’ve been waiting 950 years for this,” says Manion, “and our plans have been bubbling in the background for some years. It’s my job now to deliver these celebratory events.”
And the recent news that the Bayeux Tapestry, which is of the same period, is being loaned by France to the UK coincides happily with Manion’s promotional phase.
“Like all these things, if you have an attraction that sits in a historical period and something national is happening, whether it’s related to World War II or the Napoleonic era, or in this case Bayeux, it brings that period of history to the fore and can spark public imagination. In this business, we do like national stories like this and we’ll be following the story as it progresses.”
Manion brings experience from his work at National Museums Merseyside, Beamish Open Air Museum and, most recently, as manager of Alnwick Castle, built to defend England from the Scots in the 14th century. At Arundel, he wants to make more of that early history and the landmark’s origins.
“A lot of historic houses emphasise the artworks, the furniture, the house itself, but we have this original keep from the Norman period and I want to bring the story back to these early days of the 11th century and ask: why is there a castle here?”
From battlefield to tulip field To do this, Manion commissioned some new permanent exhibitions for the keep and old gatehouse. Set to open on 30th March, they’ll tell the story of Arundel Castle from the 11th century through to the English Civil War in the 17th century. A new welcome zone to introduce visitors to the castle and its timeline is also opening.
Furthermore, the castle’s series of live events from the Raven Tor Living History Group – a regular fixture over the past 10 years – will be bigger and better than ever.
There will be the ‘Normans and Crusaders’ weekend over Easter, where visitors will be whisked back to a 12th century encampment, with combat, falconry displays, archery and more. For history enthusiasts, the three-day ‘12,000 Years of Combat’ reenacts battles from the Stone Age to the Victorian era. The Annual Tulip Festival takes place in April and, perhaps the most anticipated, there’s also a six-day ‘Jousting & Medieval Tournament’ in July, with specially trained horses and armoured competitors.
“The joust will be bigger than ever, with international jousters and a Champion of Champions event. It’s the 10th anniversary of our jousting, so it will be high profile, with knights in armour and the clashing of steel against the backdrop of a medieval village.
“It’s all staged on the lawned area and throughout the 40 acres of grounds and gardens, where there’s everything from the main house and historic keep to woodland walks, medieval fishponds, sculpture and vegetable gardens – and our stumpery, which looks like something out of Jurassic Park. There’s also the rare sight of a Roman Catholic chapel adjoining an Anglican church, which tells a story in itself.”
A place made for exploring Visitors will also bump into different characters as they roam the grounds – a medieval scribe or a dancer or performer, for example – who they can interact with.
“It’s a place that’s made for exploring. There are lots of nooks and crannies, tracks that meander and unexpected views and experiences. People find it quite surprising when they come here.”
Arundel Castle attracts around 180,000 visitors per year, arriving mainly from the local area and the southeast of England, but also from continental Europe, especially France. Although Manion would like to reach out to a less-tapped audience to the west and from within London (less than 100km north), he is wary of increasing attendance.
“Interestingly, we’re one attraction that’s not in the numbers game,” he says. “Last year, we welcomed 182,000, which was a 4 per cent increase, but the Duke of Norfolk and the Trust [who own the property] are not interested in increasing that figure. We’d all be very happy if it stayed at 170,000 to 180,000 because what we’re really looking at is the quality of the visit.
“Having too many visitors at once can spoil the experience, especially indoors. That’s why we’ve been increasing outdoor activities. Visitors often explore the castle and grounds for three or four hours. They feel they’ve spent their time and money well, which means they’ll want to come back and they’ll recommend us to others.”
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Industry Opinion: Waterparks
More water leisure operators are investing in becoming more accessible, writes WWA's Aleatha Ezra
Industry Opinion: Zoos & Aquariums
Species survival expert Bill Robichaud shares the trials of the saola and what zoos are doing to save this near-extinct creature
Interview: Bob White
Bob White, COO of Village Roadshow, on
weathering a dip in attendance and keeping
his eyes on investment and expansion
Inclusivity: Open to All
Kath Hudson reports on some inspiring
initiatives to help include people who
face physical, social or economic
obstacles to visiting attractions
Heritage: Lofty Ideals
Westminster Abbey is getting an attic
conversion of sorts. We found out more
Waterparks: Under the Weather
Meet the team who helped bring
Epic Waters to fruition – an undercover
Texas waterpark on an epic scale
Profile: Andreas Andersen
IAAPA’s new chair Andreas Andersen sat
down with Tom Anstey to talk about industry
growth, sustainability – and queueing
Theme Parks: Think Big
Liseberg CEO Andreas Andersen reveals
details of the park’s €200m expansion
Themed design: The Story Builders
Disney’s Joe Rohde and Scott Trowbridge
and Universal’s Thierry Coup reveal the
secrets of their trade – well, some of them!
Arundel Castle will have a packed 2018 schedule of 13 historical events from the professionals at the Raven Tor Living History Group / PHOTOS: JULIA CLAXTON
Arundel Castle will have a packed 2018 schedule of 13 historical events from the professionals at the Raven Tor Living History Group / PHOTOS: JULIA CLAXTON
The Jousting and Medieval Tournament takes place in July and is set against the backdrop of a tented encampment on the American lawns
The Jousting and Medieval Tournament takes place in July and is set against the backdrop of a tented encampment on the American lawns
The Annual Tulip Festival in April will showcase 70,000 tulips throughout the gardens
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Omnisens
Rooted in nature and guided by a holistic philosophy, Omnisens' treatments and products are crafted [more...]
Stephen Manion worked at
Alnwick Castle in northern England before joining the team at Arundel
Stephen Manion might have been at Arundel Castle for less than a year, but he’s ready to celebrate the historic location’s 950th birthday.
Construction on the first building at this expansive site, located in West Sussex in southeast England, began in 1068, shortly after William the Conqueror was crowned king. “In a way, we’ve been waiting 950 years for this,” says Manion, “and our plans have been bubbling in the background for some years. It’s my job now to deliver these celebratory events.”
And the recent news that the Bayeux Tapestry, which is of the same period, is being loaned by France to the UK coincides happily with Manion’s promotional phase.
“Like all these things, if you have an attraction that sits in a historical period and something national is happening, whether it’s related to World War II or the Napoleonic era, or in this case Bayeux, it brings that period of history to the fore and can spark public imagination. In this business, we do like national stories like this and we’ll be following the story as it progresses.”
Manion brings experience from his work at National Museums Merseyside, Beamish Open Air Museum and, most recently, as manager of Alnwick Castle, built to defend England from the Scots in the 14th century. At Arundel, he wants to make more of that early history and the landmark’s origins.
“A lot of historic houses emphasise the artworks, the furniture, the house itself, but we have this original keep from the Norman period and I want to bring the story back to these early days of the 11th century and ask: why is there a castle here?”
From battlefield to tulip field To do this, Manion commissioned some new permanent exhibitions for the keep and old gatehouse. Set to open on 30th March, they’ll tell the story of Arundel Castle from the 11th century through to the English Civil War in the 17th century. A new welcome zone to introduce visitors to the castle and its timeline is also opening.
Furthermore, the castle’s series of live events from the Raven Tor Living History Group – a regular fixture over the past 10 years – will be bigger and better than ever.
There will be the ‘Normans and Crusaders’ weekend over Easter, where visitors will be whisked back to a 12th century encampment, with combat, falconry displays, archery and more. For history enthusiasts, the three-day ‘12,000 Years of Combat’ reenacts battles from the Stone Age to the Victorian era. The Annual Tulip Festival takes place in April and, perhaps the most anticipated, there’s also a six-day ‘Jousting & Medieval Tournament’ in July, with specially trained horses and armoured competitors.
“The joust will be bigger than ever, with international jousters and a Champion of Champions event. It’s the 10th anniversary of our jousting, so it will be high profile, with knights in armour and the clashing of steel against the backdrop of a medieval village.
“It’s all staged on the lawned area and throughout the 40 acres of grounds and gardens, where there’s everything from the main house and historic keep to woodland walks, medieval fishponds, sculpture and vegetable gardens – and our stumpery, which looks like something out of Jurassic Park. There’s also the rare sight of a Roman Catholic chapel adjoining an Anglican church, which tells a story in itself.”
A place made for exploring Visitors will also bump into different characters as they roam the grounds – a medieval scribe or a dancer or performer, for example – who they can interact with.
“It’s a place that’s made for exploring. There are lots of nooks and crannies, tracks that meander and unexpected views and experiences. People find it quite surprising when they come here.”
Arundel Castle attracts around 180,000 visitors per year, arriving mainly from the local area and the southeast of England, but also from continental Europe, especially France. Although Manion would like to reach out to a less-tapped audience to the west and from within London (less than 100km north), he is wary of increasing attendance.
“Interestingly, we’re one attraction that’s not in the numbers game,” he says. “Last year, we welcomed 182,000, which was a 4 per cent increase, but the Duke of Norfolk and the Trust [who own the property] are not interested in increasing that figure. We’d all be very happy if it stayed at 170,000 to 180,000 because what we’re really looking at is the quality of the visit.
“Having too many visitors at once can spoil the experience, especially indoors. That’s why we’ve been increasing outdoor activities. Visitors often explore the castle and grounds for three or four hours. They feel they’ve spent their time and money well, which means they’ll want to come back and they’ll recommend us to others.”
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Industry Opinion: Waterparks
More water leisure operators are investing in becoming more accessible, writes WWA's Aleatha Ezra
Industry Opinion: Zoos & Aquariums
Species survival expert Bill Robichaud shares the trials of the saola and what zoos are doing to save this near-extinct creature
Interview: Bob White
Bob White, COO of Village Roadshow, on
weathering a dip in attendance and keeping
his eyes on investment and expansion
Inclusivity: Open to All
Kath Hudson reports on some inspiring
initiatives to help include people who
face physical, social or economic
obstacles to visiting attractions
Heritage: Lofty Ideals
Westminster Abbey is getting an attic
conversion of sorts. We found out more
Waterparks: Under the Weather
Meet the team who helped bring
Epic Waters to fruition – an undercover
Texas waterpark on an epic scale
Profile: Andreas Andersen
IAAPA’s new chair Andreas Andersen sat
down with Tom Anstey to talk about industry
growth, sustainability – and queueing
Theme Parks: Think Big
Liseberg CEO Andreas Andersen reveals
details of the park’s €200m expansion
Themed design: The Story Builders
Disney’s Joe Rohde and Scott Trowbridge
and Universal’s Thierry Coup reveal the
secrets of their trade – well, some of them!
Arundel Castle will have a packed 2018 schedule of 13 historical events from the professionals at the Raven Tor Living History Group / PHOTOS: JULIA CLAXTON
Arundel Castle will have a packed 2018 schedule of 13 historical events from the professionals at the Raven Tor Living History Group / PHOTOS: JULIA CLAXTON
The Jousting and Medieval Tournament takes place in July and is set against the backdrop of a tented encampment on the American lawns
The Jousting and Medieval Tournament takes place in July and is set against the backdrop of a tented encampment on the American lawns
The Annual Tulip Festival in April will showcase 70,000 tulips throughout the gardens
People taking GLP-1 weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound
may be losing weight, but they’re also becoming less physically active, according to new
research presented at the ENDO 2026 annual meeting of the Endocrine Society
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Global retreat trade show, Synergy The Retreat Show, has launched a resource called The
Source, which hosts an open-access online Transformation Series programme.
The Standards Authority for Touch in Cancer Care (SATCC) charity has announced its first five-
day Living with Cancer and Beyond retreat, which will be held at Carden Park Hotel and Spa in
Cheshire, UK, between 1 and 5 September.
Patmos Aktis, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, has opened in Greece, with a renovated and
rebranded wellness offering called Ansana Wellness and Spa.
The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an Autograph Collection property in Hawaii, US, has opened its
22,000 sq ft indoor-outdoor Spa at Mauna Kea as the final step in the property’s overall
renovation, which has cost more than US$180 million (€166 million, £140 mill
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced
it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House
Hotel in St Albans, UK.
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this
percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey’s Future of
Wellness 2026 research report.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of
a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Omnisens Rooted in nature and guided by a holistic philosophy, Omnisens' treatments and products are crafted [more...]
