Caldicot Castle

About the museum

Caldicot Castle was begun by the Norman earls of Hereford around 1100 and was later rebuilt in stone by the Bohun family. It passed to Thomas of Woodstock, a son of Edward III, in the late 14th century and then to the Crown, and in later centuries it fell into neglect and was used as a farmyard.

In 1885 the solicitor and antiquarian Joseph Richard Cobb bought the ruined castle and restored parts of it as a family home. The Cobbs furnished rooms with memorabilia from HMS Foudroyant, Nelson's former flagship, and a 12-pounder cannon from that ship still stands in the courtyard. The family owned the castle until 1964, when Chepstow Rural District Council bought it for £12,000.

The castle opened to the public in 1965 with a small museum, and it is now run by Monmouthshire County Council as a visitor attraction within Caldicot Castle Country Park. Visitors can explore the courtyard, the medieval towers and the dungeon, learn about the castle and its owners through the museum displays and enjoy views over the park and the Severn estuary.

Highlights

• Medieval towers, gatehouse and battlements
• Dungeon and courtyard with HMS Foudroyant cannon
• Museum displays on the castle and its owners
• 55-acre country park with river and wildfowl pond
• Free entry except on event days

Permanent exhibitions

• Castle museum displays – Museum displays on the history of the castle and its owners.
• Towers, dungeon and courtyard – Medieval towers, a dungeon and a 12-pounder cannon from HMS Foudroyant, with views over the country park and the Severn estuary.

Founded

1965

Operated by

Monmouthshire County Council (MonLife)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry to the castle and country park is free except on certain event days, when charges apply as advertised.

Accessibility

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

The courtyard, the entrance and the tea room can usually be reached by wheelchair users and pushchairs, but the grounds are rough and uneven and the path from the car park climbs about 50 m over gravel and a wooden bridge. The towers, the banqueting hall and the solar can only be reached by stairs. Videos of the upper areas can be watched on an iPad in the tea room. There are three Blue Badge spaces, an accessible toilet in the car park (RADAR key from the tea room) and another next to the tea room, a hearing loop and wheelchairs for loan. Only assistance dogs are allowed in the castle buildings; other dogs on leads are welcome in the courtyard and park.

Kids & families

• Baby changing facilities

Baby-changing facilities are in the accessible toilet. The courtyard, park and wildfowl pond suit families; quieter days to visit are normally Tuesday to Thursday outside school holidays.

Getting there & parking

From the M4 take junction 23A and the B4245 to Caldicot; the satnav postcode given by the castle is NP26 4NU. The castle is near National Cycle Route 4. Drop-off at the front of the castle can be arranged in advance.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Caldicot Castle Tea Room (hot drinks, light refreshments) and a gift shop; picnic site and public toilets in the park. Bike hire (£10 for two hours, £30 for a family of four) can be booked by e-mail.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Weddings / ceremonies

Weddings are offered at the castle and country park with a dedicated planning team, and the castle can be hired for events.

Plan your visit