- Open
- Free entry
- Dogs in the grounds
- Parking on site, free
- English Heritage
Quick answer
Ludgershall Castle is a castle near Ludgershall (Wiltshire), Wiltshire, managed by English Heritage. Entry is free and the site is open at any reasonable time. Dogs on a lead are welcome in the grounds but not inside. There is a free car park on site, about 50 m from the entrance.
Getting to Ludgershall Castle and parking
These open in your own maps app. Nothing is sent from this page until you choose one.
- Parking
- Car park on site, free. Small free car park, about four spaces, on Castle Street; drop-off possible at the gate. About 50 m to the entrance. Car park in St James Street, town centre (not EH); on-road parking in the town.
- By train
- Grateley is 6.2 miles away.
- Public transport
- Nearest stop Ludgershall War Memorial (0.5 km). Joint Service 8 Andover–Salisbury; Bus 80 from Swindon, 4 journeys a day Mon–Fri.
Dogs, accessibility and facilities
Dogs
Partly- Welcome: in the grounds.
- Not allowed: inside the buildings.
- Leads: dogs must be kept on a lead.
- 'Dogs on leads are welcome' at an open ruin; no buildings to enter, lesser value used.
Accessibility
- Paths and surfaces: Narrow wooded footpaths can be muddy; grassed earthworks around the ruins are steep.
What to see at Ludgershall Castle
- 01
Great hall
The main hall, used for feasts and ceremony.
- 02
Chapel
A chapel inside the castle.
History of Ludgershall Castle
- c.1100 Castle becomes royal property; John the Marshal fortifies it.
- 1210 King John repairs and improves the castle.
- 1244 Henry III builds a new great hall.
- 1251 Henry III adds a great chamber for his son Edward.
- c.1317 Referred to as 'the king's manor', given to queens and royal dependants.
- c.1540 By the 1540s buildings levelled into a garden; tower kept.
- 1964 Excavations begin (1964-72).
Photos
-
David McCalmont · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source -
Andrew Mathewson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
Castles near Ludgershall Castle
All 3 castles in WiltshireFAQs
Where do you park at Ludgershall Castle?
There is a free car park on site, about 50 m from the entrance. Car park in St James Street, town centre (not EH); on-road parking in the town.
Sources
- Page on english-heritage.org.uk
- Page on english-heritage.org.uk
- Wikidata
- Page on english-heritage.org.uk
- Page on english-heritage.org.uk
We are independent and not affiliated with English Heritage. Prices and times can change at short notice, so check the operator's site on the day. How we check our data