Nunney Castle
Somerset, England
Photo: Ian Alexander, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gallery: Dave C Gray, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Theactivistuk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Operator
- English Heritage
- Condition
- Partial ruin
- Access
- Grounds only
- Entry pass
- English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass
- Nearest station
- Frome, 3.2 miles (straight-line)
- Note
- Interior closed; exterior viewing from outer moat
Pinpoint
Nunney Castle, Castle St, Nunney, Frome BA11 4LW
Telephone 0370 333 1181
Opening Hours
Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.
Open any reasonable time during daylight hours. Please note the castle is exterior viewing only from the outer moat
Checked against the official page on 13 August 2026.
Visitor essentials
- Parking
- Free car park off Castle Hill, a short walk into the village down a moderate hill.
- Facilities
- No public toilets on site; pub and shop in the nearby village.
- Dogs
- Dogs on leads are welcome.
A compact, moated castle that took the Royalist side in the Civil War and was badly damaged for it after a Parliamentarian siege in 1645. The interior is currently closed - the bridge across the moat has structural issues and is awaiting replacement - so the visit is really a walk around the water's edge, complete with resident ducks.
At a glance
Worth the trip
The moat itself, with the castle rising straight out of it - reviewers say it's striking enough from the outside that the closed interior barely dents the visit.
Before you go
You can't currently cross the bridge into the castle - it's closed for structural repairs with no confirmed reopening date - but there's a cafe and pub right by the entrance gate, so it's an easy stop even with access limited to the moat walk.
What visitors say
Nunney Castle reviews · 4.7 / 5 across 696 Google reviews
Nearly every review mentions that the bridge across the moat is currently closed for repair, so visitors can admire the castle's turrets and moat from outside but can't currently cross into the ruins themselves.
Despite this, reviewers consistently find it a striking, free sight, paired with a well-liked village pub and cafe nearby.
“The castle was unfortunately closed as the bridge is under repair, but it was still striking to see from a distance, framed by a deep moat and dotted with ducks. It sits in the charming village of Nunny, with a cosy…”- Laura, visitor review
Within reach of Bristol (19 miles), Cardiff (39 miles) - see what else is nearby.
Getting in - what English Heritage says
Majority of site is level but small number of steps at entry gate and bridge over moat. Deep moat with steep sides.
Taken from English Heritage’s own website and read 28 July 2026 - check the current version. Access can change with building work, weather and staffing - if the visit depends on it, ring ahead.
History
Sir John Delamare · 1370s
A moated tower-keep built by a knight who made his fortune in the Hundred Years War with France, the castle features distinctive design possibly influenced by French military architecture. Parliamentary forces besieged and badly damaged it in 1645, after which it was abandoned and left as a dramatic ruin.
Drawn from English Heritage's own page.
Practical notes from visitors
Quoted from individual Google reviews, not verified with the operator - treat as a steer, not gospel, and check before you travel.
- Parking
- “The castle is free and parking is free.” - Deb Ludford
- Facilities
- “The cafe at the top of Castle street is open Thursday to Sunday 10am to 3pm only, for drinks & light snakes etc.” - Nick Lyles
Common questions about Nunney Castle
Where is Nunney Castle?
Nunney Castle is in Somerset, England, at Nunney Castle, Castle St, Nunney, Frome BA11 4LW.
Can you go inside Nunney Castle?
At Nunney Castle the grounds are open to visit but the castle interior generally isn't, under English Heritage. Check the official site for current access before you travel.
What is the highlight of visiting Nunney Castle?
The moat itself, with the castle rising straight out of it - reviewers say it's striking enough from the outside that the closed interior barely dents the visit.
Is Nunney Castle a ruin or still intact?
Nunney Castle is a partial ruin - Interior closed; exterior viewing from outer moat.
