Farleigh Hungerford Castle

Over het museum

Farleigh Hungerford Castle was begun in the 1370s by Sir Thomas Hungerford, who had bought the manor in 1369 and who is recorded as the first Speaker of the House of Commons. He built the inner court without the royal licence that was normally needed and received a pardon in 1383. His son Sir Walter Hungerford, who fought at Agincourt, added a larger outer court in the first half of the fifteenth century and turned the neighbouring parish church into the castle chapel.

The Hungerford family held the castle for more than three centuries, with a break in 1540 when Walter, Lord Hungerford, was executed and the property went to the Crown. His son bought it back in 1554. In 1686 gambling debts forced Sir Edward Hungerford to sell the castle, and later owners took away much of its stone and contents. Two corner towers survive from the original quadrangle, while the others collapsed in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

The chapel was repaired in 1779 and used as a museum of curiosities, and its medieval wall paintings were rediscovered in 1844. The Office of Works took the castle into care in 1915, and English Heritage has run it since 1983. Visitors can see the chapel with its family monuments, the crypt with rare lead coffins, some with human-shaped faces, and displays about the family in the Priest's House.

Hoogtepunten

• Two surviving corner towers of the original quadrangular castle
• Chapel with medieval wall paintings and Hungerford family monuments
• Crypt with rare lead coffins, some with human-shaped faces
• Displays about the Hungerford family in the Priest's House
• Audio tour included in the ticket price

Vaste collectie

• Castle ruins, chapel and crypt – The two surviving corner towers, the chapel with medieval wall paintings and Hungerford monuments, and the crypt with rare lead coffins.
• Priest's House displays – Displays about the Hungerford family and the history of the castle in the Priest's House.

Opgericht

1383

Beheerder

English Heritage

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Prices shown are the lowest off-peak prices for tickets booked online in advance (until midnight the day before) without a donation; standard advance adult tickets cost £8.50 and peak advance tickets £9.26. On the day, adult tickets cost £9.00 to £10.90 depending on the date. A ticket with a voluntary donation costs about 10% more. Tickets are free for English Heritage members, whose membership also covers up to six accompanied children.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: niet aanwezig
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: niet aanwezig
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

Wheelchair access is confined to the top lawns, and there is no access into the chapel or the Priest's House. The castle ruins are reached by steps and rough paths, the Priest's House has a spiral staircase, and the museum's upper floor is reached by a difficult spiral staircase. Surfaces are compacted gravel, tarmac, paving, earth and grass with some cobbles, which can be slippery when wet. There is no designated disabled parking, but visitors with limited mobility can be dropped off by the shop if they phone ahead. Induction loops can be plugged into the audio tour and are kept behind the till. Braille guides and large-print information sheets are available, stone carvings in the chapel and museum may be touched, and there is a tactile model of the castle. Assistance dogs are welcome. Benches are spread around the site.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Verschoonruimte

Families can follow the World Builder Challenge trail and borrow activity book boxes for younger children. A family history day with archaeology activities and medieval crafts is planned for 24 October 2026. Baby changing is available in the toilets.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The castle is on the A366, 9 miles south-east of Bath and 3½ miles west of Trowbridge. Satellite navigation: BA2 7RS. National Cycle Network routes can be planned through Sustrans.

Service & horeca

• Café: niet aanwezig
• Museumwinkel

There is no café, but a vending machine sells hot and cold drinks and snacks. The shop sells English Heritage gifts, wine, jams, toys, souvenirs and books. Picnics are welcome in the Walled Garden, the outer moat and on the lawn. Dogs on leads are allowed in the grounds only. Toilets are on site.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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