Palace

Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace)

Winchester, Hampshire
Directions
  • Open
  • Free entry
  • Dogs in the grounds
  • No car park on site
  • English Heritage
Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace): Winchester, Ruins of Wolvesey Castle, Winchester
Photo: Tilman2007 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

Quick answer

Checked 14 Oct 2026

Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace) is a palace near Winchester, Hampshire, managed by English Heritage. Entry is free. Dogs on a lead are welcome in the grounds but not inside. There is no car park on site.

Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace) opening times

Last checked 15 Oct 2026
  1. Mon 12 Not listed
  2. Tue 13 Not listed
  3. Wed 14 Not listed
  4. Today Thu 15 Not listed
  5. Fri 16 Not listed
  6. Sat 17 Not listed
  7. Sun 18 Not listed
Opening times by season
Season Dates Days Hours Last entry
w/c 19 Oct-28 Dec 2026 (calendar, every week read) 19 Oct to 3 Jan
Daily
10:00 to 16:00
 n/a

Closed on 25 Dec.

Check current times on the official site

Getting to Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace) and parking

Plan your route

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Directions to Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace) View on a map
Parking
No car park on site. Public car parks in Winchester, not managed by EH. Colebrook Street car park, five-minute walk
By train
Winchester is 0.7 miles away.

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 welcome; page doesn't say inside buildings (ruins), so lesser value.

Accessibility

  • Paths and surfaces: Parts of the site uneven and can become muddy; liable to flooding.

Food and facilities

  • Audio guide Yes

What to see at Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace)

  • 01

    Moat

    A ditch, wet or dry, around the walls.

  • 02

    Gatehouse

    The fortified main entrance.

History of Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace)

  1. c.1110 Bishop William Giffard builds the stone west hall
  2. 1138 East hall probably built by this date by Henry of Blois
  3. 1141 Siege of Winchester; Wolvesey's defenders set fire to the town
  4. 1376 Woodman's Gate used as treasury from this date
  5. 1403 Wedding feast of Henry IV and Joan of Navarre prepared here
  6. 1554 Wedding banquet of Queen Mary and Philip of Spain in the East Hall
  7. 1786 Baroque palace largely demolished; west wing survives

Photos

Castles near Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace)

All 5 castles in Hampshire

FAQs

When is Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace) open?

In the week commencing 12 oct 2026 (calendar) season it opens Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00. Check the opening times above for the other seasons and closed dates.

Sources

Every fact on this page last verified 14 Oct 2026
Suggest a correction
  1. Page on english-heritage.org.uk · checked 14 Oct 2026
  2. Page on english-heritage.org.uk · checked 15 Oct 2026
  3. Wikidata · checked 15 Oct 2026
  4. Page on english-heritage.org.uk · checked 15 Oct 2026
  5. Page on english-heritage.org.uk · checked 14 Oct 2026
  6. Page on english-heritage.org.uk · checked 14 Oct 2026

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