Local Guides World
Best Castles in United Kingdom
Top Rated Castles
Top Reviewed Castles
Middleham Castle
Skipton Castle
Whorlton Castle
Kirkby Fleetham Castle
Nafferton Castle
Spofforth Castle
Farnham Castle Keep
Shrewsbury Castle
Dilston Castle
Haltwhistle Castle Hill
Cocklaw Tower
Bellingham Castle
Reviews
Beautiful setting and gardens. Military Museum was excellent really found this an interesting few hours. Lots of history on Kings Shropshire Light Infantry through the last couple of hundred years. Enjoyed my afternoon visit.
Excellent castle.
Well preserved, lots of interesting architecture, good interpretation of the history.
Has an accessible dungeon. Lots of other rooms and levels. Everything explained in detail.
Other good points
Big car park. You pay to park but the money goes towards the castle upkeep.
Tea room sells nice home made cakes and scones. Interesting gift shop.
Staff are friendly and helpful.
Only thing missing was access to the battlements. The views would be great I'm sure
Well worth a visit.
Well preserved, lots of interesting architecture, good interpretation of the history.
Has an accessible dungeon. Lots of other rooms and levels. Everything explained in detail.
Other good points
Big car park. You pay to park but the money goes towards the castle upkeep.
Tea room sells nice home made cakes and scones. Interesting gift shop.
Staff are friendly and helpful.
Only thing missing was access to the battlements. The views would be great I'm sure
Well worth a visit.
Visited this site today, which is located within the village on the main road. Parking appears to be a small area adjacent to the low perimeter wall (but was full of residents cars as no one was at the castle). Finally parked on street outside someone's house, which may cause issues in summer.
Site is unmanned and free to enter.
Dog friendly and nice large enclosed grass area to exercise them.
Couple of useful information boards and a nice little wander around.
Site is unmanned and free to enter.
Dog friendly and nice large enclosed grass area to exercise them.
Couple of useful information boards and a nice little wander around.
Great school visit. Staff were fab with the kids and our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable, shout out to Ron! Really recommend this as a place to visit, some incredible history in the Yorkshire Dales!
A great little stop to view a piece of history. Able to look around with ease as someone has cut locks and made a square opening on the metal grid to gain accesd to upper level. Shame so many people have to lewve rubbish especially when theres a bin.
Interesting castle housing a military museum of the Shropshire regiments and their involvement in conflict. Great views from Laura`s tower within the grounds which are well kept.
Pretty decent ruin. Plenty of castle left to look round. Very interesting place, and set in lovely surroundings
Lovely Ruinous Castle - English Heritage owned but free to visit. Only a short visit needed, 30 mins or less, but still worth a stop!
It's a very small castle compared to others I have visited but really lovely. Could do with some sand or gravel in the grounds as it was quite muddy in the doorways. Would benefit from a couple of picnic benches. It's a lovely spot to stop off and have some lunch. Parking is free but limited and this is not accessible friendly.
Fantastic castle with interesting information boards. Great views from the keep and walls ofcthe surrounding area. The adjacent park is a beautiful walk.
English Heritage site.
Visited on weekday afternoon
Quiet place.
Fun to explore and enjoy.
Be aware of the muddy and slippery grounds if it rains. The drive to the castle is enjoyable too.
Recommended time to spend here 1-2 hrs.
Free for English heritage members, otherwise 7.5 per adult
Visited on weekday afternoon
Quiet place.
Fun to explore and enjoy.
Be aware of the muddy and slippery grounds if it rains. The drive to the castle is enjoyable too.
Recommended time to spend here 1-2 hrs.
Free for English heritage members, otherwise 7.5 per adult
Muddy and slippery after all the rain , worth a look . Ruined motte and bailey castle, dating back to the Norman Conquest
I was in the area and I love a castle so had a look. It's free to enter but it's over very quickly.
Is the way a castle should be. When you walk in you feel that you have gone back 300 years that's for sure. Been a few times now and still don't tire of it. Would recommend to anyone that it is worth a visit
We attended the Burns night party on the evening of 25th January, dining room was packed, everyone walking through was bashing our seats.
The drinks were very expensive.
Shame as it spoilt a good evening.
The drinks were very expensive.
Shame as it spoilt a good evening.
Enjoyed it as a nice chill day out to start the year with. Parking was easy and the nice gentleman at the entrance was very informative and delivered information very well and my little boy a nice badge. Felt relaxed to walk around and enjoy it at our own pace. Had an urge to see what was behind some of the closed off and gated areas but that's just curiosity. Then had a nice walk around the woodland. I'll come back during a seasonal time again. My only room for improvement would be some more filler in the rooms. Some suits of armour replicas maybe. Just to truly get a sense of life in the castle. It's picky I know but just a small thought. For the price it's a good value for money day out.
I met some locals there and they recommended the castle to me. Everyone in Skipton is very nice and friendly. The Skipton castle is very pretty and you can observe how people used natural ventilation for their buildings back in those days. I recommend going down to the dungeon by yourself, with no one around, for an authentic experience.
Interesting castle to visit (especially when the weather isn't great as it is fully roofed). While the castle is largely intact the self-guided tour is quite dry and lacking any interactivity (just a sign board in each room). An augmented reality app or audio tour would liven things up.
A thousand year old castle/fort hidden gem. I enjoyed how much of the original building still remains. Though no future is left in the castle, much of the stone built utility objects remain. The cafe is very airy and open with a lovely view. I had myself a comforting cup of soup before leaving. The gift shop has many curious and cute items as well. As a history geek, it's an indulgent place to take in an air of English mediaval history.
There was quite abit to look at and information to read, it was a very nice first experience for my children who has never been inside something like this before. There was some clothes for role play and a gift shop at the end, so they were quite happy. The man on the front desk has some very helpful information about the fire that happened in the 90s and all the staff were very friendly.
Really liked Middleham Castle. English Heritage can be a bit pricey but I actually felt this one was about right. Great views from the top and well worth the climb!
Fabulous views on the city, river and beyond. Well worth a visit, the garden and walls a free to access.
Incredibly well preserved, free and open to walk around, good signs outlining the history and age of the site in different spots. Well worth a visit.
What a fantastic castle and exhibition room! And all absolutely free! Wonderful ruins of a historically famous castle, beautifully preserved. Very informative with information dotted around. The exhibition centre is exceptional and well worth visiting. Me and the kids loved this and will return on a Wednesday for the guided tour of the Bishops rooms. Easy 5 stars.
Stunning castle. The views from Laura's Tower are amazing & the museum is fab too. There are toilets onsite. No parking specifically for here but there's car parks all over Shrewsbury (including 2 next to the prison which is just behind here).
Never went inside as we were stuck for time. But had a cheeky walk around the side to take a few pics. Looks like a great castle 🏰 👌
Beautiful day for a stroll and sit in Castle grounds. Great views of the surrounding countryside from Laura's Tower. Spent more time than expected in museum. Fascinating insight into the history of the Shropshire regiments.
This magnificent structure dominates the village which has encompassed it within its growth and daily life. Due to the close proximity of houses and shops there is no dedicated 🅿️ so I would imagine that in summer it may present some challenges if you drive a larger vehicle which I do. This aside the entrance is lovely and the staff were exceptional, it is totally dog friendly, there is no toilet 🚻 so be prepared to use village facilities which are not far away. The castle itself is incredible and loads of books and crannies to explore, one of the biggest keeps, large tower you can go right up, really worth a visit and great for children and adults alike. This is a big structural triumph and great fun
There is a little museum to give you some background that you should see first. The staff are very knowledgeable and are happy to answer any questions. There are helpful placards placed in many locations around the ruins. You can explore in many places and you can go to the top of the keep which was very fun. There’s a spiral staircase but also a normal staircase for those who aren’t as adventurous. A very fun way to spend an hour.
Amazing! The castle is still in excellent condition after 900 years. It was incredible walking through, using the self guided tour. We thoroughly enjoyed every second. Difficult to imagine how life was 900 years ago and how differently they lived back then.
The level of memorabilia from wars is astounding.
Ranging from hundreds of years and every corner you turn there's something more interesting than the last.
I never expected this much in such a small castle.
Its also a real eye opener to what happened during these times.
Ranging from hundreds of years and every corner you turn there's something more interesting than the last.
I never expected this much in such a small castle.
Its also a real eye opener to what happened during these times.
Nice place for a short visit. Plenty of info about the ruins.
Free to visit and parking on roadside.
Free to visit and parking on roadside.
I loved visiting this castle, it has been on my list of places to visit for long time. Although the castle is a ruin there is still lots to see. There is an outer wall plus a keep in the middle of the grounds. Stairs have been added in the keep so the top is accessible which is great for the stunning views. Information boards are dotted around. There is a statue of Richard III in the grounds, this was a childhood home of his and one of his favourite castles. So much history here. There is a small shop on site but no toilets, they are a short walk and cost 20p to use
There is no car park, however parking is available nearby. The site is English Heritage, free entry for members. Lovely staff always friendly and knowledgeable. The village is very pretty too with some lovely old buildings.
There is no car park, however parking is available nearby. The site is English Heritage, free entry for members. Lovely staff always friendly and knowledgeable. The village is very pretty too with some lovely old buildings.
An interesting keep with accompanying exhibit. Only the keep remains, which offers a decent view of part of the town.
Lovely set of castle ruins less than an hour's drive from Leeds. Enjoyed being able to walk around and through the grounds
To be honest I wasn't expecting much but yet we managed to spend hours in it because of the kids activity hunts. Beautiful building and very interesting displays. Very proud of their history of the county regiments but I wish there was more about the castle itself besides a small room that if the shop keeper didn't tell you about you would walk right past it.
£15 for a family ticket. 2.5hrs to get round doing the activity hunts. Kids enjoyed it.
£15 for a family ticket. 2.5hrs to get round doing the activity hunts. Kids enjoyed it.
Small but cute and very quiet when I went. You can climb you some stairs to see the inside from a higher angle.
The castle is a lovely day trip out. With a little shop and friendly staff it was a really plesant day. With a tower to climb and plenty of boards to read about the history of the castle there enough to do. As well as being located at the top of the little village so can walk down and have some lunch or a drink I'm the village. Parking right next to the castle is tight but plenty of parking around the village in a close walking distance. We will be going again.
The site seems to attract people who leave litter. The path to the back was overgrown with nettles. The front gate is closed so you have to get through the jungle to access the site. The inner gate is open.
The ruins themselves are good and a QR code linking to an information page would be great.
The ruins themselves are good and a QR code linking to an information page would be great.
Very impressive castle, remarkably intact, with a great view and a dauntingly deep well in the middle.
Lots to learn, with various information boards around the castle as well as a separate building which has plenty of history recorded.
Completely free as well, so well worth a visit if you're in the area.
Lots to learn, with various information boards around the castle as well as a separate building which has plenty of history recorded.
Completely free as well, so well worth a visit if you're in the area.
Nice history. Bishops safe 'Motel' on journey to London. Ruins better than expected. Sadly most part of surrounding buildings is open only on Wednesday's 2pm-4pm. Still recommend to visit
Nice to visit if in area. Parking for 2-3 cars outside or grass verge further down towards old church which is worth a visit too. You can now access the inside of castle as locks cut. No information boards.
Lovely little spot with plenty of benches about to make the most of the relaxing environment and it’s nice that you’re free to wander round the castle remains as you wish. There’s some good signs explaining the history and everywhere has been maintained well. Highly recommended if you’re in the area!
Attended on a weekday, early evening. Google said the castle was closed but there’s open access to the castle and grounds at all times.
Castle is set back on the edge of a well kept green surrounded by houses and mature trees. It was quiet with only one couple visiting at the same time.
The castle is dog friendly but there’s not a lot of shade so maybe not recommended on a hot day. We spent around 20 minutes looking around the ruins. Would be a great place for a picnic on a nice day/evening but I wouldn’t plan a whole day out there. There are not really any other amenities near by.
There is no set parking for the castle so you are forced to park on the roadside, but it wasn’t an issue as it wasn’t busy.
Castle is set back on the edge of a well kept green surrounded by houses and mature trees. It was quiet with only one couple visiting at the same time.
The castle is dog friendly but there’s not a lot of shade so maybe not recommended on a hot day. We spent around 20 minutes looking around the ruins. Would be a great place for a picnic on a nice day/evening but I wouldn’t plan a whole day out there. There are not really any other amenities near by.
There is no set parking for the castle so you are forced to park on the roadside, but it wasn’t an issue as it wasn’t busy.
Incredible ruins but closed to public for safety. A small path around the back but again, not advised for safety. The church and graveyard just up the road from it is quite interesting too!
It's free, so you can't complain at the price, but it's also well worth a visit. Very interesting to see the way it was built, not your traditional castle build. Farnham is a lovely little town to wander around in after aswell
Got there and thought the castle was locked up, went round the back to have a look through the back gate and realised the gate had been cut open so managed to look inside too. Lovely little place to have a look round.
Not a lot of castle but nice to discover it
Nice old castle. Not much there and kids playing around the walls was nice to see.
Such an interesting ruin which seemed so small for a castle. After walking through and out the other side we were greeted with views that are second to none in every direction! Very peaceful and calm place to sit and enjoy the landscape and its history.
Farm with medieval tower
This Tower is on private land and is not open to the public. The Tower is not accessible to the public because the entrance is well above ground. The views here are beautifully rural Northumberland. I am friends with one of the farmers and know the others quite well so can get closer than most to the Tower.