Stafford Castle

Over het museum

Stafford Castle stands on a prominent hill above the town, a site the Normans recognised as strategic and fortified with a large timber castle by about 1100. It was built by Robert de Toeni, later known as Robert of Stafford, and the fortunes of the castle and the Stafford family rose and fell over the following centuries. In 1347 Ralph, the first Earl of Stafford and a founder member of the Order of the Garter, ordered a stone keep to be built on the motte, and the next year he received a licence to add battlements. In 1444 Humphrey Stafford became Duke of Buckingham and the castle reached its height.

By the early 17th century the castle was in decline. In the English Civil War it was defended for a time by Lady Isabel but then abandoned, and Parliament ordered it to be demolished. In 1813 the Jerningham family rebuilt the keep as a four-storey Gothic Revival house on the old foundations, but it fell into ruin again, was left to caretakers and then abandoned in the 1950s.

After restoration work and archaeological digs, the site is now considered one of the best surviving examples of Norman earthworks in England. It covers more than 26 acres of keep, inner and outer baileys, woodland and a herb garden. Visitors can follow interpretation panels around the site and enter the visitor centre, which shows a film and a scale model of the castle as it may have looked in about 1100. The castle and visitor centre are owned by Stafford Borough Council and run by Freedom Leisure as part of Historic Stafford.

Hoogtepunten

• Norman motte and bailey earthworks and the Gothic Revival keep
• Visitor centre with a film, a timeline and a scale model of the castle in about 1100
• Hands-on items including arms, armour and costumes
• Coin minting and brass rubbing
• Herb garden with sixteen beds based on a 1537 inventory
• Annual summer Shakespeare production in the grounds

Vaste collectie

• Visitor Centre exhibition – A film on the castle's history, a timeline, a scale model of the castle in about 1100, finds from excavations and hands-on arms, armour and costumes.
• Castle keep and grounds – The Gothic Revival keep, the Norman earthworks and a trail of interpretation panels across more than 26 acres, with a herb garden.

Beheerder

Stafford Borough Council, run by Freedom Leisure (Historic Stafford)

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

De toegang is gratis.

Admission to the castle, the keep and the visitor centre is free; donations are welcome. Some events, workshops, tours and school visits may charge a fee.

Toegankelijkheid

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

The visitor centre is fully wheelchair accessible, with no steps. The grounds and woodland are accessible, but there is a steep hill up to the keep, and a woodland path loops around the base of the site without steps, although it can be muddy. The keep is reached by a short staircase and the entrances to the ruins are narrow. An accessible toilet is in a nearby building. Staff describe the displays for visitors with visual impairments, and weapons and armour can be handled. A 3D model of the keep is available online.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations
• Kinderfeestjes

Visitors can borrow free explorer backpacks with a puppet dragon guide, including a neurodivergent explorer bag. The visitor centre has hands-on items such as armour and costumes, coin minting and brass rubbing. Birthday parties last 1.5 hours and include a knighting ceremony and a treasure hunt; only one party is held per day. Themed workshops for children, family events, school tours and castle-themed birthday parties.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The castle is on Newport Road in Stafford (sat-nav ST16 1DJ). The car park is open 7am to 8pm daily from April to October and 7am to 6pm daily from November to March.

Service & horeca

• Café: niet aanwezig
• Restaurant: niet aanwezig
• Museumwinkel

The visitor centre shop sells gifts, souvenirs, traditional toys, local crafts and history books, with ice cream, soft and hot drinks, and hot sausage rolls and pasties. Toilets are in a nearby building.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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