The Castle RollsA survey of every visitable castle in the United Kingdom
4.6 / 5 · 1,444 reviews TICKETED

Berry Pomeroy Castle

Devon, England


Berry Pomeroy Castle
Berry Pomeroy Castle, further view Berry Pomeroy Castle, further view

Key facts

Operator
English Heritage
Condition
Partial ruin
Access
Staffed, ticketed

Pinpoint

Berry Pomeroy, Totnes TQ9 6LJ

Telephone 01803 866618

Possible Opening hours

Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.

Monday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

A Tudor mansion built inside the shell of an older medieval castle, left to decay after the family who built it ran out of money - the result is two ruins layered on top of each other, deep in Devon woodland. Reviewers rate the audio guide highly for bringing the place to life, and dogs are welcome throughout.

Worth the trip

The Tudor mansion's glazed windows, still largely intact - reviewers say the scale and completeness of the window openings is unusual for a ruin this old.

Before you go

The circuit through the woods to see the full site is rocky and uneven in places, not recommended for prams; the on-site cafe gets solid reviews if you want to make a full visit of it.

WHAT VISITORS SAY · 4.6 / 5 across 1,444 Google reviews

Reviewers consistently praise Berry Pomeroy Castle's atmospheric ruins, dog-friendly grounds, and the on-site cafe, which every reviewer mentions positively. One visitor notes the castle's well-known mural has been mostly damaged by bats over time, but this is a minor point within an otherwise uniformly positive set of reviews.

Tudor mansion shell within medieval castle

“I love this castle, such huge and complete, glazed windows. A pity that the famous mural is almost obliterated now - apparently the bats' fault. Some decent views. A sweet, good value/quality independent cafe on site,…”— Julie Barrett, visitor review

Further reading

book
Kenilworth Castle (English Heritage Guidebook)

Richard Morris

Find it on Amazon
The Six Wives of Henry VIII cover book
The Six Wives of Henry VIII

Alison Weir

Find it on Amazon
book
Richard III: The Self-Made King

Michael Hicks

Find it on Amazon