Opening times & prices

Unaccompanied children (5-16) are not permitted. They must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Yes, you can buy tickets at the gate (by credit or debit card only).

We have a café, coffee shop and Garden Tea Terrace (all with varying opening times/seasons/menus) with a range of sandwiches, drinks, indulgent cakes & muffins plus Castle made scones and a range of hot food options in the café. On event days our Knights’ Table will serve delicious food & drinks in the grounds.

Visitors are welcome to picnic in the Castle grounds. We encourage visitors to take their rubbish home with them and recycle where appropriate.

Please note that for conservation and for practical reasons, prams & pushchairs need to be left in the 'buggy park' on the lower ground floor at the main Duke Henry visitor entrance to the Castle building.

Only Assistance Dogs are permitted.
Non-accredited/registered Assistance Dogs and Emotional Support/Other Support animals are not permitted.

Yes, in our Plan Your Visit section there is advice on disabled access 

Valid for Garden (only) entry. Not valid on event days or during April. Present your card at the ticket office. A full Castle & Garden ticket is needed to enter the Castle. Upgrades from Garden to Castle & Garden tickets are available. All tickets to be purchased on arrival (no pre-booking option available on the website).

On production of a card, valid Tuesdays to Fridays for Garden (only) entry.

Not valid April, July and August, weekends or event days.

Tickets to be purchased on the gate only on arrival (no pre-booking option available on the website).

Upgrades to Castle entry tickets are not available. Gardeners’ World visitors are welcome to visit the Coffee Shop, Café, Shop and toilet facilities in the Castle.

For adults that require the assistance of a carer, the accompanying carer receives free entry.
Book one ticket on-line or buy at gate and request carer's ticket on arrival at ticket office. For 16s and under requiring the free entry, the adult pays standard entry price. Proof of disability or carer may be requested.

You will have the option to add Gift Aid to your ticket. Gift Aid is a means for charities to claim tax back on your total ticket price which is then used to preserve our historic buildings for future generations.

How it works: You kindly donate 10% extra on your ticket price and on arrival we give you a voucher to spend in our shop or catering facilities. (eg You donate an extra £1.70 for an adult garden entry and we give you a voucher worth £3.40).

The Mill Road pay & display car park is directly opposite the Castle entrance Sat Nav BN18 9PA.
The current charges are from £3.00 for up to 3 hours to £6.00 all day.

Visitors are welcome to wear a face masks should they wish to.  Some of our staff choose to wear face masks.

You need to keep the wheels retracted when inside the castle to prevent damage to the floors.

For the safety of all of our visitors and staff, and for conservation and insurance reasons, please note that bicycles, roller skates, inline skates, skateboards, scooters, etc. are not permitted into, or allowed to be used in the Castle, grounds and gardens.

Visitors are welcome to take still photographs and videos in the grounds & gardens. Only still photographs are permitted inside the Castle. Tripods (or similar) are not permitted anywhere in the grounds,gardens or Castle. No photoshoots or commercial photography of any sort is permitted.

We do not offer facilities for wedding ceremonies, wedding catering or pre-wedding and wedding photography.

We do not offer the castle and grounds for photo shoots.

Drones (remotely piloted aircraft systems) are not permitted within the Castle grounds or gardens. The wider use of drones is governed by the CAA regulations.

The Plant Fair is included in standard garden or castle entry tickets. Plant Fair only (not Gardens) tickets at £5.00 are also available on the day at the Ticket office (not available on line).