Thornbury Castle Hotel
WHERE
Thornbury
What it’s like
A Tudor castle where you can throw hatchets in the grounds, dress up for the gardens, or book a horse drawn carriage ride.
This is not your average heritage trip round a roped-off great hall. Alongside the guided castle tour, the grounds here run to hatchet throwing, birds of prey displays and horse drawn carriage rides, so it's worth deciding in advance which bit you're actually going for rather than turning up hoping to do all of it on a whim. The Tudor costume hire is the nice touch for younger kids who fancy wandering the walled gardens looking the part rather than trailing round listening to architecture facts.
Because so much of this needs booking ahead, this is one to plan rather than one to just rock up to. Hatchet throwing is weekends only and weather dependent, and needs 48 hours notice. Birds of prey displays have to be pre-booked too, and at £420 for 90 minutes that's a treat-day activity rather than a regular one. The castle tour itself is £20 a head but oddly old-fashioned about payment, cash only to the historian on the day, so don't rely on a card at the door even though you booked online.
If you're after something gentler, afternoon tea or cream tea is on offer and gives you a natural pause point in the day, though at £45 a head for afternoon tea it's a proper occasion price rather than a quick sandwich stop. The horse drawn carriage rides are the standout for a special birthday or anniversary trip, with an open carriage seating six adults or a Victorian one for two adults and two children, though £750 per carriage means this is firmly the once-a-year splurge rather than a regular outing.
There's also a fair bit here aimed at grown-up occasions rather than kids, with baby shower and gender reveal party packages running from £250 for the room and up to £1600 for a full gender reveal set-up. Worth knowing if you're picturing a birthday party for a seven-year-old, because that's not really what this end of the offering is built for.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parties
- Baby shower and gender reveal parties available with event room hire from £250 and gender reveal set-up from £1600
- Bring cash for the castle tour, cards won't cut it for that one
- Hatchet throwing only runs at weekends and can be cancelled for bad weather
- Book everything ahead, very little here is a walk-up activity
- Afternoon tea and cream tea are the easiest low-key options if you're not doing the big-ticket extras
Plan your visit
Do we need to book the castle tour in advance?
Yes, pre-booking at reception is essential, and it's £20 per person paid in cash to the historian on the day.
Can we just turn up for hatchet throwing?
It needs booking 48 hours ahead and only runs at weekends, weather permitting.
How much is a horse drawn carriage ride?
It's £750 per carriage. You can pick a Victorian carriage for two adults and two children, or an open one seating six adults.
Can the kids dress up in Tudor costume?
Costume hire is £40 for an adult and £20 for a child, arranged through reception.
What does afternoon tea cost?
Afternoon tea is £45 per person, cream tea is £15, and a glass of prosecco or elderflower presse is £12.
Can we book a birds of prey display?
It has to be pre-booked, and prices start from £420 for 90 minutes.
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