Broughton Castle

About the museum

Broughton Castle began around 1300, when Sir John de Broughton built a manor house on a sheltered site where three streams meet and surrounded it with a moat. In 1377 it was bought by William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor of England. His great-nephew Sir Thomas Wykeham received a licence to fortify it in 1406 and added the battlemented wall to the gatehouse, which gave the manor house its military look and its name. Through a marriage in 1448 it passed to the Fiennes family, whose descendants still live there.

In 1554 Richard Fiennes carried out a major rebuilding, raising the roof to fit two floors above the Great Hall and adding a west wing. The castle was a meeting place for leading Parliamentary opponents of Charles I, including John Pym and John Hampden. After the nearby Battle of Edgehill in 1642 it was besieged and captured by Royalist forces, and repairs followed.

In the 19th century the owners neglected the house and most of its contents were sold in 1837, but this lack of money also saved it from Victorian alterations. Repairs were made in the 1860s with the architect George Gilbert Scott, and the family returned in 1912 after a long lease. Major restoration took place in the second half of the 20th century. Today visitors tour rooms such as the Great Hall, the Oak Room, the King's Chamber and the chapel, and the house has been used for many films and television dramas.

Highlights

• Moated and fortified medieval manor house with a battlemented gatehouse
• Great Hall and Oak Room, both used as film locations
• Meeting place of Parliamentary opponents of Charles I before the Civil War
• Ladies' Garden created in the 1890s, with roses and herbaceous borders
• Chapel consecrated in 1331 and still in use

Permanent exhibition

• The castle rooms – A tour of the lived-in castle takes in the Great Hall, Dining Room, Oak Room, Gallery, King's Chamber, Queen Anne's Room and the chapel, with family portraits and period furnishings.

Operated by

Fiennes family (Lord Saye and Sele)

Admission & discounts

Tickets are bought at the gatehouse on arrival; they cannot be bought in advance, and cash and cards are accepted. Entry is free for members of Historic Houses, who should show their membership card.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The Great Hall, the garden and the shop can be reached without steps. There is one small step down to the Dining Room and the Groined Passage, about six steps up to the Oak Room and two steps up to the table area of the tea room. The tour includes 161 stairs. Mobility scooters are allowed in the grounds and on the ground floor of the castle. The accessible toilet is in the car park and needs a Radar key, which the castle will unlock on request. The castle is about 300 paces from the car park; disabled passengers can be dropped at the castle, and blue badge holders can park under the copper beech near the shop if they notify the castle in advance.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The castle is 2.5 miles from the centre of Banbury and 3 miles from junction 11 of the M40. From Banbury Cross take the B4035 west towards Shipston on Stour and turn right in Broughton village at the crossroads by the Saye and Sele Arms; at the bottom of the hill turn left into the drive. The castle is about 300 paces from the car park.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The Stables tea room opposite the main entrance seats 53 people inside and 24 outside and is open to the public from 1.30pm to 5pm on open days. There is a small gift shop. The only toilets are in the car park. Large bags, rucksacks, tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed in the castle.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

The castle and grounds are available for film and photo shoots, corporate events, small conferences and promotional events, and the tea room can be hired for small events. Enquiries go to office@broughtoncastle.com.

Plan your visit