Woodchester Mansion Trust
BEST FOR
Ages 0+
ENTRY
from £1.75
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Stonehouse
What it’s like
An unfinished Gothic mansion with gargoyles, bat CCTV and a muddy woodland walk to reach it.
This is a Victorian mansion that was never actually completed, so the kids get scaffolding poles, half-carved stone animals and gargoyles frozen mid-chisel instead of the usual polished stately home tour. There's a Bat Trail where they hunt for handmade bat models tucked around the building, and CCTV screens showing the real Greater and Lesser Horseshoe bat colonies that breed in the roof. It's an odd, atmospheric sort of place for a wet Sunday, and most families are done in 60 to 90 minutes, which feels about right before the novelty of unfinished walls wears off.
Getting there is part of the deal, and not always the fun part. You park at the National Trust Buckholt car park and it's a three quarter mile track down to the Mansion through the woods, which the trust admits can be rough, wet and slippery in bad weather. There's a minibus, but it runs on volunteers, so don't bank on it turning up when you need it, especially with a buggy or tired legs. Parking itself is £4, cash only, because there's no mobile signal down there to take card payments.
Entry is cheap once you've made it in. Children aged 5 to 16 are £1.75, under 5s are free, and a family ticket covering two adults and up to four kids is £29.50. Because it's an unfinished building with open drops and unsecured features in places, you'll want to keep a proper eye on younger children rather than letting them wander off ahead. Guided tours are pitched at adults and the site itself says they're not really suited to under 12s, so if you've got a tour booked with younger kids it's worth sticking to the self-guided trail instead.
Henry's Bakehouse Café does coffee, cakes, soups and toasties, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, though the kitchen stops serving hot food at 3pm on open days. It's open Friday to Sunday and bank holidays through the season, 11am to 5pm with last entry at 4pm, and there's a Halloween Pumpkin Trail running daily over the October half term if you fancy timing a visit around that.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- School-age kids with steady legs; under 12s suit the trail more than the guided tour
- Last entry
- 4pm
- Booking
- Tickets can be booked in advance online or purchased at the door
- Parking
- £4 at NT Buckholt car park, 3/4 mile away
- How long to allow
- 60-90 minutes
- Food
- Henry's Bakehouse Café serves coffees, teas, cakes, soups, toasties, daal, frittatas, with vegetarian, vegan
- Dogs
- On leads allowed in café room 1 only
- Getting there by bus or train
- Minibus from NT Buckholt car park hourly 11am-4pm (volunteer-dependent)
- Worth knowing
- Adult Season Pass allows unlimited visits for one adult from 10 April to 18 October 2026 for £16
- There's no mobile signal at the Mansion, which is also why parking is cash only
- An Adult Season Pass for £16 covers unlimited visits from 10 April to 18 October
- Brewery Weekend on 3rd and 4th October adds tours and beer tasting to the usual visit
- The building itself is wheelchair accessible, though the woodland track down from the car park is a separate challenge
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£1.75 for a child aged 5 to 16, under 5s go free. A family ticket for two adults and up to four kids is £29.50.
Do we need to book ahead?
No, you can turn up and pay at the door by card or cash, or book online in advance if you prefer.
Is it open all year?
It runs Friday to Sunday and bank holidays from early April to 1 November, 11am to 5pm with last entry at 4pm.
How do we actually get to the Mansion?
You park at the National Trust Buckholt car park and walk three quarter miles down a woodland track, or catch the minibus, though that only runs when volunteers are available.
Is the walk buggy friendly?
It's an unmade track that can get rough, wet and muddy in poor weather, so a sturdy buggy and decent shoes help more than a lightweight stroller.
What's there for younger kids?
Under 5s go free and there's the Bat Trail to follow, though it's an unfinished building with open features in places, so little ones need watching closely.
Is it suitable for a toddler on a guided tour?
The Trust says guided tours aren't really geared towards under 12s, so younger children are better off on the self-guided visit.
What's the parking situation?
It's £4 at the NT Buckholt car park, cash only, since there's no mobile signal to take card payments down there.
What food is on offer?
Henry's Bakehouse Café does coffees, cakes, soups and toasties with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, but the kitchen stops serving hot food at 3pm.
How long should we plan for?
Most visits run 60 to 90 minutes once you're at the Mansion itself, not counting the walk in.
Are dogs allowed?
On leads in the grounds and in one of the café seating areas, but not inside the Mansion tour itself unless they're an assistance dog.
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