Farnham Castle
WHERE
Farnham
What it’s like
A grand old castle on the Surrey Hampshire border that's set up mainly for weddings and events, with in-house catering and 33 en-suite rooms.
This one's less about wandering round with the kids and more about booking the place out. Farnham Castle sits just off the A31 and A325, an hour from London, and it's run these days as a wedding and events venue with show-rounds available every day of the week from 9am to 7pm. If you're picturing a National Trust style day trip with a gift shop and a trail sheet, this isn't quite that.
Where it does score for families is if you've got a wedding or a big event to attend there. There are children's menu options alongside the vegetarian and vegan ones, so a family table isn't an afterthought, and Head Chef Simon Lloyd's team do seasonal menus for the main sit-down meal. The ground floor is reached by ramp and there's a disabled WC, so getting a buggy or a wheelchair in for the day should be straightforward.
Stopping over turns it into something bigger. There are 33 en-suite bedrooms across the estate, which means you don't have to pour everyone back into the car after the speeches, though you'll need to ring ahead to book rooms rather than sort it online. Parking is free on site but it's subject to availability, so if you're driving a full car of relatives to a wedding, don't assume there'll be a space right by the door.
The setting is the sort of thing you'd want to save for an occasion rather than a rainy Tuesday afternoon, since it's built around functions rather than open-day wandering. If a wedding or event brings you here, the accommodation and the children's catering option make it easier to bring the kids along rather than leaving them at home.
What’s on here
Facilities
Need to know
- Booking
- Show-round appointments available 7 days a week, 9am to 7pm
- Parking
- Free on site, subject to availability
- Food
- In-house catering with Head Chef Simon Lloyd and classically trained chefs
- It's primarily a wedding and events venue rather than a day-trip attraction
- Show-rounds run daily from 9am to 7pm by appointment
- Accommodation bookings go through a phone call, not online
- Free parking is on a subject to availability basis, so it can fill up for big events
Plan your visit
Can we just turn up and look around?
It's set up for show-rounds by appointment, available seven days a week from 9am to 7pm. It isn't really a wander-in heritage site.
Is there parking?
Parking's free on site, including disabled spaces, but it's subject to availability so don't leave it too tight if you're heading to an event there.
Is it wheelchair and buggy friendly?
The ground floor has ramp access and there's an accessible toilet on site, which covers most of what a buggy needs too.
What's there to eat, and is there anything for children?
In-house chefs do seasonal menus with vegetarian, vegan and children's options, plus an evening menu if you're staying into the night.
Can we stay over?
There are 33 en-suite bedrooms across the estate, handy if you're at a wedding there. You'll need to call to book rather than do it online.
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