Castle Acre Priory
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
King's Lynn
What it’s like
Ruined priory ruins to explore, with a medieval 24-seater toilet block that'll be the bit they tell everyone about.
This is a proper ruin, not a tidied-up model of one. The 12th-century priory church still has its decorative stonework, and there's enough left of the cloister and monks' quarters to work out where everyone slept, ate and prayed. Kids can follow the family trail or the World Builder trail, which gets them building their own forest as they go, and there's an audio tour that plays a 15th-century chant recorded from an actual Castle Acre songbook.
The genuine highlight, though, is a two-storey medieval toilet block that seated 24 people at once. It sounds like a throwaway detail but it's the sort of thing that makes a ruin click for a seven-year-old in a way that carved stone doesn't quite manage. The recreated herb garden is a gentler stop if you need a breather from clambering about.
It's open daily, 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4.30pm, so you've got a good stretch of the day to wander round without rushing. Booking isn't required, you can turn up and buy a ticket, but booking online by midnight the day before saves you 15%, and under-fives can get a free infant ticket rather than going unticketed. It's outdoors throughout, so a dry day makes a real difference to how much fun the ruins are to poke around.
Picnics are allowed if you want to make a proper afternoon of it, and there's a gift shop and toilets on site. English Heritage members get in free, which is worth knowing if you visit historic sites often.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- School-age kids who'll get a kick out of the toilet block story
- Last entry
- 4:30pm
- Booking
- Book online by midnight the day before to save 15%
- Worth knowing
- English Heritage members receive free entry
- The 15% advance discount only applies if you book online by midnight the day before
- Under-fives still need a free infant ticket booked, even though entry costs nothing
- English Heritage members get in free
- It's an outdoor site throughout, so check the weather before you head out
- Students with an NUS card get a concession price, but only if they bring the card
Plan your visit
Do we need to book ahead?
No, you can turn up and buy a ticket on the day. Booking online by midnight the night before gets you 15% off though.
Is it free for under-fives?
You don't pay for under-fives, but it's worth booking them a free infant ticket anyway.
What about older kids, do they need a ticket?
Children aged 5 to 17 need a child ticket.
How long can we stay?
It's open 10am to 5pm daily with last entry at 4.30pm, so there's plenty of time to explore properly.
Can we eat there?
Picnics are allowed on site if you bring your own food.
Can I change my booking if plans shift?
Tickets aren't refundable or transferable, so once you've booked a date and time you're stuck with it.
Featured in 1 Huddlepin list
See all Castles, Historic Houses & Heritage in Norwich · Things to do in Norwich
MAKE A DAY OF IT
