The Castle RollsA survey of every visitable castle in the United Kingdom

The Castle Rolls

Family-friendly castles.

23 castles that visitors recommend for a family day out - the ones where people specifically said their kids loved it - drawn from publicly available Google reviews across every operator and all four nations.

England - 15

Bodiam Castle
Bodiam Castle

East Sussex

“…n to the age of the group, so making it fun for kids. There are videos running inside the building telling of th…”

4.7 · 8,078 reviews

Bolsover Castle
Bolsover Castle

Derbyshire

“…indows, ceilings, walls and tapestries. Fun for kids, with a very good dressing up box for to put on costumes an…”

4.6 · 6,758 reviews

Deal Castle
Deal Castle

Kent

“…twear if you're planning to explore it. Family friendly exhibits inside cover the castle's history and stories of t…”

4.4 · 3,293 reviews

Dudley Castle
Dudley Castle

West Midlands

“…otally worth it. Highly recommend for a family day out!”

4.4 · 11,996 reviews

Farnham Castle Keep
Farnham Castle Keep

Surrey

“…nal and well worth visiting. Me and the kids loved this and will return on a Wednesday for the guided tour of…”

4.5 · 762 reviews

Hadleigh Castle
Hadleigh Castle

Essex

“…family picnic and explore the history. Family friendly, lovely for couples and a perfect hang out for teenagers to…”

4.6 · 1,328 reviews

Hever Castle
Hever Castle

Kent

“…places, educational aspect and so much fun for kids - mazes, hills, lakes, boats, archery, playground with sand…”

4.8 · 13,800 reviews

Lowther Castle
Lowther Castle

Cumbria

“…to see. Lovely gardens and grounds too. Kids loved the play area which seemed to have something for everyone.…”

4.6 · 4,609 reviews

Middleham Castle
Middleham Castle

North Yorkshire

“…e best ruined castle I’ve ever visited. Kids will love all the little pitch black nooks/rooms and all the rooms th…”

4.6 · 1,812 reviews

Old Wardour Castle
Old Wardour Castle

Wiltshire

“…le and lake to take in the view of. Our kids enjoyed being able to explore the castle.”

4.7 · 1,903 reviews

Portland Castle
Portland Castle

Dorset

“…love this castle, our second visit. The kids loved playing with cannons and dressing up and watching the helic…”

4.4 · 2,166 reviews

Tamworth Castle
Tamworth Castle

Staffordshire

“…e to Georgian and Victorian settings. - Family‑friendly exhibits - Interactive displays, narrow staircases to explo…”

4.6 · 2,138 reviews

Tintagel Castle
Tintagel Castle

Cornwall

“Great place to visit. Kids enjoyed it. Great scenery. Lots of history to take in. Be prepared…”

4.6 · 18,853 reviews

Totnes Castle
Totnes Castle

Devon

“…ny times, but we had a great visit! The children loved pretending to be soldiers as we walked around the wall. The…”

4.2 · 1,449 reviews

Walmer Castle and Gardens
Walmer Castle and Gardens

Kent

“…all, a great mix of history, space, and family-friendly fun. Well worth a visit.”

4.7 · 4,686 reviews

Northern Ireland - 1

Scotland - 4

Wales - 3

Where this list comes from

Every castle here is listed because a real visitor recommended it for children or a family day out in a Google review - not because it has a car park. It's the castles where families themselves said their kids enjoyed it, so it reflects real visits rather than a marketing claim.

Always check before you book

What suits one family's ages and stamina won't suit another's, and activities and trails are often seasonal or holiday-only. Check the castle's own page (linked from every entry) for what's on before you plan a day around it.