Tamworth Castle
BEST FOR
Ages 2-16
ENTRY
from £6.95
WHERE
Tamworth
What it’s like
Climb 900 years of chambers and stairs, from Saxons to Victorians, in a proper working castle right by the town centre.
This is a castle you actually get inside, not just admire from a car park. The rooms take you through Saxons, Normans, Tudors and Victorians in order, so a nine-year-old doing castles at school will actually recognise half of it, and there's enough in the South Range about the families who lived there to hold a younger one's attention too.
Fair warning on the stairs. It's steep and narrow in places, all the way up, and pushchairs get stopped at reception or the courtyard, so if you've got a toddler you're probably carrying them for most of the visit. Under 2s go free, and everyone under 16 needs an adult with them, no dropping teenagers off to explore alone.
A family ticket for five comes to £47.50, which beats paying separately if there's more than two kids with you. Ground floor only is £6.95 if the full climb isn't happening that day, a decent option with a baby or a bad hip. There's no booking for general admission, you just turn up, though term-time weekdays can have a school party in the building between 10:30 and 2, so a weekend or holiday morning is the calmer bet.
It's shut in January, open the rest of the year, with last entry an hour before closing. The Castle car park is right there but small and capped at four hours, so most people park at Jolly Sailor for £2 a day and walk the five minutes in.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 5 to 12; toddlers can go but the stairs are a lot to carry them up
- Last entry
- 4pm (Thu-Sat), 3pm (Sun & bank holidays)
- Parking
- Jolly Sailor car park £2/day, 5-7 min walk
- Pushchairs
- Cannot be taken beyond reception or castle courtyard
- Wheelchairs
- See access page for wheelchair access information
- Getting there by bus or train
- Tamworth Railway Station, 10-minute walk
- Blue Peter badge holders aged 5-15 get in free with valid ID and an accompanying adult
- Carers go free with proof such as a registration or DWP letter
- Coach parking at Jolly Sailor is currently limited if you're arriving by minibus or coach
- The castle's about a 10-minute walk from Tamworth Railway Station if you're coming by train
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£11.95 for an adult, £9.50 for a child aged 2 to 15, under 2s free. A family ticket for up to five is £47.50, and ground floor only is £6.95.
Do we need to book?
No booking for general admission, just turn up. Special events sometimes have their own tickets and prices.
Is it OK for a toddler?
Under 2s go free, but pushchairs can't go past reception or the courtyard, so you'll need to carry a very young one round the stairs.
What are the opening hours?
10am to 5pm Thursday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm on Sundays and bank holidays. Last entry is an hour before closing.
Is it open all year?
It shuts for January but runs the rest of the year, including bank holidays other than Christmas, and every day of Staffordshire school holidays.
Where do we park?
The Castle car park is closest but small and limited to four hours. Jolly Sailor car park is cheaper at £2 a day and a five to seven minute walk away, with free disabled parking in council car parks.
Can teenagers visit without an adult?
Anyone under 16 has to be with an adult the whole time.
Are there discounts for larger groups?
Groups of six or more pay £9.50 a head, and home schooled children get in for £7.50 on Thursdays and Fridays.
Will there be school groups when we visit?
During term time, school parties can be in the castle on weekdays between 10:30am and 2pm, so those hours are busier if you'd rather avoid them.
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