The Four Best Gloucestershire Castles

 

Fancy a day out exploring a castle in Gloucestershire? It’s a good plan – there are some very well-preserved and captivating fortifications to see in the county. Perhaps you’re looking for a way of inspiring your kids with an interest in history? Or looking to learn more about the heritage of this region, poised between England and Wales and so often fought over in the past? Here’s our list of the four best castles to visit in Gloucestershire, where you can frolic in forts and ramble through ruins to your heart’s content… 

And don’t forget – if you’re considering a stay in Gloucestershire’s fabulous countryside, Pitchup has an excellent range of campsites to suit all budgets. 

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Berkeley Castle

This pink-stone castle and its surrounding 6,000-acre estate is on the south-east side of Berkeley, a market town close to the Little Avon river and about 20 miles south of Gloucester. The keep (a fortified tower that was built to defend the castle from the Welsh) and sections of its surrounding curtain walls date back to the 12th century. Most of the remainder was added around 200 years later and very little has changed since the 14th century – not even the owners, for the Berkeley family have called this place home since 1153, and it’s the only castle in the country to be still inhabited by the family that built it. 

It was here that the murder of Edward II took place on 21st September 1327 – his remains are buried in an ornate alabaster tomb at Gloucester Cathedral, and other royal visitors include Queen Elizabeth I, who purportedly once played bowls on the green. 

Berkeley Castle is open to the public from Sunday to Wednesday between April and October. The ticket price covers self-guided tours of parts of the castle, admission to the medieval deer park, the restored 18th-century walled garden, lily ponds and terraced gardens designed by Gertrude Jekyll.

Family-friendly facilities include a gourmet café, a visitor centre, play areas and frequent events such as jousting bouts and falconry displays. Check the Berkeley Castle website to see what’s on.

Chepstow Castle

On the border between England and Wales, mighty Chepstow Castle sits on a clifftop above a meander in the River Wye; it is exceptionally well preserved considering construction started on it in 1067. Its first owner was a supporter of William the Conqueror, who over the years turned it into the first Norman stronghold in Wales, and for several centuries it was one of the most important power bases along the border. 

However, its power had waned by the 16th century; although it was garrisoned during the English Civil War the castle subsequently fell into disrepair. Today it has been partially restored and you can wander vast galleries lined with stone walls and mighty fireplaces, see the original 12th-century doors (the oldest in Europe, no less) to the massive twin-towered gatehouse, stroll around the battlements and climb up inside one of the towers.  

Good to know: Lots of family-friendly events are hosted here, such as wildlife trails and crafting workshops for younger visitors. Double check events on Chepstow Castle’s website, where you can also find exact opening times as they change seasonally. 

St Briavels Castle

Managed by English Heritage, St Briavels is the remains of a medieval edifice – you can visit the moat and castle exterior at any time in daylight for free – on a hilltop overlooking the River Wye. It began life as a motte-and-bailey fortress built by Norman aristocrat William Fitz Baderon after he bought the land in 1086. In the 12th century, this was replaced with a square stone keep thought to be over 100-feet high, and under KIng Edward I it functioned as a crossbow-bolt factory using iron sourced in the Forest of Dean.

Originally St Briavels was an important royal castle on the frontier of Wales but over the years its significance declined; it has operated as a court and was a notoriously harsh debtors’ prison until 1842. The surviving buildings were restored in the early 20th century, and today it acts as one of the UK’s more glamorous youth hostels.

Combine a visit to St Briavels with a local stroll – perhaps along the Offa's Dyke Path to the limestone Devil’s Pulpit (90 minutes’ walk) beauty spot for spectacular views of Tintern Abbey. 

You can normally visit the inner bailey and courtyard between April and October, but keep an eye on the St Briavels Castle website for current opening times. To see more of the county, take a look at Pitchup’s top eight things to do in Gloucestershire.

Sudeley Castle and Gardens 

Dating from the mid-1400s and still privately owned, Sudeley Castle is the final resting place of Catherine Parr, the last wife of King Henry VIII who managed to survive his tyranny. Her ornate tomb is in St Mary’s Church, surrounded by a garden filled with white flowers. 

Altogether the 1,200-acre estate is home to 10 award-winning gardens, each with a distinctive focus, whether it be roses, intricate box-hedge designs, medicinal plants in the Tudor Physic Garden or romantic ruins and follies from the Civil War era (1642–51). 

As a reward for the kids being patient while you explore the castle’s elegant interiors and exhibitions, let them loose in the fort-inspired adventure playground, where they can run around in medieval costume, climb the zipwires and ambush each other on the assault course. All the family will be fascinated by the Animal Ark, a collection of life-size sculptures depicting wild beasts from around the globe. 

Good to know: the castle is only open between March and November. 

If you’d like to know more about Gloucestershire and what you can get up to with family or friends, take a look at Pitchup’s comprehensive guides to Central England. If you’re staying in the county, Pitchup has a huge choice of campsites to suit all sizes of pocket and family needs. 

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