Old Wardour Castle
Ruins of a unique six-sided 14th-century tower house in Wiltshire, with lakeside Georgian grounds, a Banqueting House and a Gothic grotto.
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Over het museum
Old Wardour Castle was built in the 1390s for John, Lord Lovell, after Richard II gave him permission to build a castle on the site. It was designed as a luxurious tower house on a hexagonal plan, a form that is unusual in England, and the master mason was William Wynford. The Lovells lost it after supporting the Lancastrian side in the Wars of the Roses.
In 1544 the castle was bought by Sir Thomas Arundell of Lanherne, whose Roman Catholic family later held it. His son Sir Matthew Arundell modernised it in the 1570s, and the family's arms stand on the entrance front. During the Civil War, Lady Blanche Arundell defended the castle for a week in 1643 against a Parliamentary force before she surrendered. Royalists retook it in 1644 by mining the walls, and the damage left it ruined.
Later the ruin became part of a landscaped park. A Banqueting House by the lake was added in the 1770s, and a fantasy Gothic grotto, which includes reused prehistoric stones, followed in 1792. Today English Heritage cares for the castle, and visitors can explore the Great Hall and the East Tower, the lakeside grounds and the Banqueting House. The ruins have also been used as a film location.
Hoogtepunten
- Unique hexagonal 14th-century tower house
- Great Hall and East Tower with views from the top
- Free audio tour about the Civil War siege
- Georgian Banqueting House by the lake
- Gothic grotto and landscaped grounds
Vaste collectie
- Castle ruins and Banqueting House – The Great Hall, the East Tower and other rooms of the hexagonal castle, and a small exhibition on the history of the gardens in the lakeside Banqueting House.
- Beheerder
- English Heritage
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
| Volwassenen | £ 7,65 |
|---|---|
| Met korting | £ 6,88Concessions |
| Kinderen & jongeren | £ 3,82Children aged 5 to 17. |
| Gezinnen | £ 19,29Two adults and up to three children. A one-adult family ticket (up to three children) costs £11.56. |
| Family ticket, one adult and up to three children (advance online, off-peak) | £ 11,56 |
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
- Hulphonden welkom
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: niet aanwezig
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie: geen informatie
Access covers the grounds and the ground floor of the castle only; one grass ramp leads from the rear of the castle to the courtyard. There are 93 steps to the top of the tower and the spiral staircases are often narrow. Paths are bonded gravel, with uneven ground, slopes and unmarked trip hazards in places. Two disabled bays are in the car park about 20 metres from the main gates, and disabled visitors can be set down at the entrance without booking. Accessible toilets are in the admissions building, but there is no adult changing area, no lift and no wheelchair loan. One induction loop is available, and tour transcripts and braille guides can be requested; large-print material is not available. Assistance dogs are welcome and water bowls are provided.
Kinderen & gezin
Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen
| Gezinsticket | £ 19,29 · Two adults and up to three children. A one-adult family ticket (up to three children) costs £11.56. |
|---|
- Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
- Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
- Verschoonruimte
Families can play the game Can you Keep Your Castle?, follow the World Builder Challenge trail, picnic and run around the grounds, and visit the fairy-tale grotto nearby. Baby changing is next to the toilets.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met het openbaar vervoer
The nearest railway station is Tisbury, 3½ miles away. Salisbury Reds bus 26 between Salisbury and Shaftesbury passes Tisbury station.
Met de auto
Gratis parkeren
There are 20 free parking spaces on site and an overflow car park for a further 50 cars. Two disabled bays are about 20 metres from the main gates.
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
The castle is 3½ miles south-west of Tisbury, off the A30, and can also be reached from the A350 along narrow roads. Satellite navigation: SP3 6RP. National Cycle Network routes can be planned through Sustrans.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Café: niet aanwezig
- Museumwinkel
There is no café, but a vending machine sells tea, coffee and hot chocolate, and cold drinks, ice creams and packaged snacks are available. The shop just inside the main gates sells English Heritage souvenirs, books, games and snacks. Toilets are in the admissions building. There are two picnic tables beside the shop, four benches and grass for picnics. Dogs are allowed.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
- Ruimtes te huur
- Bruiloften / trouwceremonies
The Banqueting House is used for weddings.
Je bezoek plannen
| Audiotour | ja |
|---|---|
| Aanbod voor scholen | ja |
| Fotograferen | Amateur photography is welcome and sharing photos on social media is encouraged; commercial or professional photography and filming need prior permission, and drones are not allowed. |
| Goed om te weten | A free audio tour about the castle's history and the siege of 1643 is available on a handset or on your own phone. Group and school visits can be booked through English Heritage. |
