Lulworth Castle

Over het museum

Lulworth Castle was built between 1608 and 1610 for Thomas Howard as a hunting lodge, where he could entertain aristocratic and royal guests. In 1641 the estate was bought by Humphrey Weld, an ancestor of the present owners, and the castle became the main family home of the Weld family for the next three centuries. After the Civil War the interior was refurbished to make it comfortable for permanent living.

In 1929 a fire destroyed the interior. For about seventy years the empty shell stood exposed to the weather, and stonework and timber decayed so badly that the building was at risk of collapse. In the 1990s the Weld Estate and English Heritage worked together on a repair programme that first made the masonry safe, then restored the outside and consolidated the inside. The bare walls now show scars of earlier doorways and demolished rooms, which helped to explain how the building changed over time.

The castle reopened to the public in 1998. Visitors can climb the tower for views over the Dorset countryside, read information panels on the history of the building, explore the basement rooms with their displays of memorabilia and watch a film about the fire. In the grounds stand St Mary's Chapel, the first free-standing Catholic chapel built for public worship after the Reformation, and St Andrew's Church, which Thomas Hardy helped to redesign in the 1860s. The castle is privately owned by the Lulworth Estate.

Hoogtepunten

• Climbable tower with views over the Dorset countryside
• Fire-ravaged shell with visible traces of the building's history
• Basement rooms with memorabilia and a film about the 1929 fire
• St Mary's Chapel, a Georgian Catholic chapel in the grounds
• Children's playground and lawn games in the park

Vaste collectie

• Lulworth Castle displays – Information panels explain how the castle was built, burnt and repaired, and basement rooms hold memorabilia collections and a film about the 1929 fire.

Opgericht

1610

Beheerder

Lulworth Estate

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

The admission ticket covers the castle, the castle lawns and the chapel. Tickets can be booked in advance or bought on the day if capacity has not been reached. English Heritage members and Historic House Association members enter free but must bring a valid card; corporate English Heritage, Cadw, Historic Environment Scotland and other affiliated memberships are not valid. Pay-and-display parking (£4 per vehicle for the day) is charged to all visitors, including members, and gives access to the park, woodland walks, playground and picnic areas. During special events (such as the spring, autumn and Christmas family events) a castle admission ticket is needed to enter the grounds and playground.

Toegankelijkheid

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

The main entrance is up 20 stone steps and 5 more steps. Visitors who cannot use steps enter by the north door, using the intercom or doorbell to call a steward, and a lift serves the basement and part of the upper floor. Much of the basement has low headroom and uneven floors, and the tower stairs are steep with no lift. Photographs of the ground-floor information boards are kept in a folder for visitors who cannot reach that floor. Paths in the grounds are slightly uneven and sloping in places. Accessible toilets with baby changing are in the castle. Disabled parking is on the north side of the castle, and the intercom in the lobby alerts staff. Mobile phone reception is limited. Gun and tank fire from the nearby range can sometimes be heard and may be disturbing.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Verschoonruimte
• Speeltuin / speelhoek

The grounds have a children's playground, and lawn games such as giant Jenga, pitch and putt and swingball are offered in summer. Children can hunt for ten hidden bats in the castle. The estate holds seasonal family events, including spring, autumn and Christmas fun days. Peacocks live in the grounds. Pushchairs and wheelchairs use the north door to reach the basement. Baby changing is available in the accessible toilet.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

From Dorchester take the A352 towards Wareham and Wool and follow the brown signs; from Bournemouth take the A35, then the A352 from Wareham. Sat nav postcode BH20 5QS. The entrance has an uncovered cattle grid about 3 metres wide.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Restaurant: niet aanwezig

The Castle Tearoom is in the castle basement and serves scones, cakes, ice cream and hot and cold drinks, with a small range of gifts and souvenirs; it does not serve sandwiches or lunches. The Weld Arms pub just outside the park serves lunches and dinners. Dogs on leads are welcome inside the castle.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

The castle, the chapel and the church are offered as wedding venues.

Je bezoek plannen