Picton Castle

About the museum

Picton Castle stands near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire. A first fortification is thought to have been built by a Flemish settler in the early 12th century, and the stone castle with its unusual plan of seven round towers and no inner courtyard was raised by Sir John Wogan around 1300. It has been lived in ever since, passing by marriage from the Wogan family to the Dunns and then to the Philipps family, who held it for centuries.

The building was remodelled in the Georgian period, when the medieval walls were given elegant state rooms, and these interiors, furnished with original art and antiques, are what visitors see today. The estate also has links to the story of Cesar Picton, a Black child who stayed at the castle in the 18th century and later became a successful businessman, and this history is told in the castle's learning programme.

The castle and its grounds are cared for by the Picton Castle Charitable Trust. The gardens cover around 50 acres and include a walled garden, a jungle garden with a boardwalk, a fernery and woodland walks. The grounds are a Royal Horticultural Society partner garden, and the site also has a restaurant, a bookshop and gallery, an adventure playground and holiday lodges.

Highlights

• Furnished Georgian state rooms inside a medieval castle with seven round towers
• 50 acres of gardens, including a walled garden and a jungle garden with boardwalk
• Peep-in Woods nature walk and seasonal family trails
• Adventure playground and maze for children
• Daily guided castle tour at 2pm (subject to availability)

Permanent exhibitions

• Furnished state rooms – Georgian rooms within the medieval castle, furnished with original art and antiques, open in the afternoons and on the daily guided tour.
• Gardens and woodland – Around 50 acres of grounds with a walled garden, jungle garden with boardwalk, fernery and woodland trails.

Founded

1300

Operated by

Picton Castle Charitable Trust

Admission & discounts

Child tickets are for ages 5 to 15, while the family tickets cover children aged 5 to 17. Prices shown are without the optional 10% Gift Aid donation; with Gift Aid an adult ticket is £14.50. Tickets can be bought online or on arrival, must be activated within 30 days of purchase, and then allow re-entry for 7 days. Royal Horticultural Society members enter free every Monday and every day from 1 October to 31 March; Historic Houses and Art Fund passes are accepted, and Gardeners' World cards give two-for-one entry.

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

About 70% of the garden paths are suitable for wheelchairs, and free all-terrain wheelchairs can be borrowed at the ticket box. The state rooms and undercroft can be reached by alternative routes, but the chapel and bedrooms are reached only by stairs and the castle entrance has a fairly steep slope. The bookshop, gallery and cafe are fully accessible. Accessible toilets are near the courtyard entrance and the walled garden. Mobility scooters and pushchairs cannot be taken into the castle. Ear defenders and blue-light-blocking glasses can be borrowed from the ticket office. Only guide dogs may enter the castle.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area

Families can follow the Peep-in Woods nature walk, a fairy trail with a leaflet and a free sticker, seasonal trails, summer lawn games and geocaching. There is an adventure playground next to the Jungle Garden, a jungle boardwalk and a maze. Children under 5 enter free. Pushchairs and prams cannot be taken into the castle.

Getting there & parking

The castle is on the A40, about 3 miles east of Haverfordwest, and is signposted with brown tourist signs.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Maria's Courtyard Restaurant is run independently and serves Spanish-inspired dishes made with Welsh ingredients, cakes and ice cream; it is open to castle visitors only. There is also a bookshop and gallery.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit