Farleigh Hungerford Castle is a ruined medieval castle set beside the River Frome near Bath in Somerset, managed by English Heritage as a paid visitor attraction. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport, parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips for planning your visit.
This guide was last updated in March 2026 to reflect the 2026/27 admission prices, valid from 28 March 2026. Farleigh Hungerford has no café — only a vending machine. The car park is free for all visitors. Coaches cannot enter the site and must park in dedicated bays opposite the gateway.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | Farleigh Hungerford, Norton St Philip, Bath, Somerset BA2 7RS |
| Opening hours | Daily 10am–5pm (summer); reduced days in winter (see below) |
| Adult ticket | £7.65–£9.26 depending on date and day |
| Nearest train | Avoncliffe (~2 miles); Trowbridge (~3.5 miles); Bath Spa (~8 miles) |
| Parking | Free on-site car park (30 spaces, 100m from ticket office); overflow available |
| Time needed | 1–1.5 hours |
Farleigh Hungerford Castle opening hours
The 2026/27 schedule (28 March 2026 – 16 March 2027): 28 Mar – 24 Oct, daily 10am–5pm; 25 Oct – 1 Nov, daily 10am–4pm; 2 Nov – 12 Feb, Sat–Sun only, 10am–4pm; 13–21 Feb (half-term), daily 10am–4pm; 22 Feb – 16 Mar, Sat–Sun only, 10am–4pm; 24–26 Dec, closed. Last admission 30 minutes before closing. Opening hours last updated in May 2026.
Farleigh Hungerford Castle ticket prices
English Heritage members enter free. Concessions apply to visitors aged 65+, students with a valid ID, and jobseekers with relevant ID. A free audio tour is included with admission.
Super Saver — Mon–Fri, 28 Mar–22 May & 1 Sep–1 Nov; daily, 2 Nov–16 Mar
| Visitor | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | £7.65 |
| Concession | £6.88 |
| Child | £3.82 |
Saver — Sat–Sun & bank holidays, 28 Mar–22 May & 1 Sep–1 Nov; Mon–Fri, 23 May–31 Aug
| Visitor | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | £8.50 |
| Concession | £7.65 |
| Child | £4.25 |
Standard — Sat–Sun & bank holidays, 23 May–31 Aug
| Visitor | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | £9.26 |
| Concession | £8.50 |
| Child | £4.59 |
Groups of 15 or more receive a 10% discount at this English castle. Guided tours are available and must be pre-booked in advance. Ticket prices last updated in May 2026.
Is it worth paying for English Heritage membership?
Entry prices for English Heritage sites, including Dover Castle, Stonehenge and Tintagel Castle, can seem extremely expensive. This is clearly a deliberate ploy to push visitors towards taking out annual English Heritage membership.
Membership gives free access to more than 400 sites across the country, and costs £82. That is, unless you get a special deal – there was a 25%-off Black Friday deal in November 2025, for example.
Whether that £82 is worth it depends on how many sites are near you (there are lots in the south of the country, not so many near me in Yorkshire). And, critically, whether you’re going to visit them with children.
Each member can take up to six children with them free of charge. Given the steep one-time entry fees, an adult member with two children is likely to recoup the cost of their membership by visiting just two or three sites within the year.
For an individual without children, I’d say English Heritage membership is worth it only if you’re planning to blitz a few sites in one year. For an individual with children, membership is a smart investment that will likely pay itself back within one school holiday. To me, it’s a no-brainer.
The real question is whether it’s worth renewing English Heritage membership after a year. That’s debatable, as you’re unlikely to go to many of these sites twice. I eventually renewed after I was offered 20% off the price. I’ll probably recoup the membership price visiting two sites in summer next year, even if I’ve ticked off most of the best ones near me.
If you buy membership through this link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
How to get to Farleigh Hungerford Castle
Farleigh Hungerford Castle is 9 miles south-east of Bath and 3.5 miles west of Trowbridge on the A366, in the village of Farleigh Hungerford beside the River Frome.
By train and bus: The nearest stations are Avoncliffe (~2 miles), Trowbridge (~3.5 miles), and Bath Spa (~8 miles), all served by Great Western Railway. Libra bus 94 and Frome Minibuses X96 from Trowbridge pass close to the site (stopping at Wingfield, approximately 1.5 miles from the castle). Check traveline.info for current timetables.
By car: Use postcode BA2 7RS or what3words rounds.police.into. Follow the A366 from Trowbridge or Bath. No ULEZ charges apply. Cycling routes at sustrans.org.uk.
Parking at Farleigh Hungerford Castle
Free on-site parking for approximately 30 cars, 100 metres from the ticket office. Overflow parking is available in the coach car park when the main car park is full. Coaches cannot enter the site — dedicated coach parking bays are opposite the gateway; group operators should contact English Heritage in advance. There are no designated disabled parking bays; however, visitors with limited mobility can be set down by the shop — call the site in advance to arrange this.
How long to spend at Farleigh Hungerford Castle
Most visitors spend 1 to 1.5 hours. The ruins, chapel, crypt, Priest’s House museum, walled garden, chapel garden, and outer moat can all be seen within this time. Allow additional time if combining with the village walk along the River Frome.
Accessibility at Farleigh Hungerford Castle
Wheelchair access is confined to the top lawns. The castle ruins are negotiable only via steps and rough paths. There is no wheelchair access to the Chapel or the Priest’s House. Grounds are accessed on compacted gravel, tarmac, paved and earth paths and fairly smooth grass, with some cobbled areas. There are no disabled parking bays — visitors with limited mobility can be set down by the shop with advance notice. There is one spiral staircase in the Priest’s House; some uneven steps are on site.
Accessible toilets with baby-changing facilities are on site. Braille guides are available. A herb garden in the Chapel Garden provides a scented sensory experience. Benches are scattered around the site. Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds only — not inside the chapel, crypt, or Priest’s House. No dog bowl or waste bins on site.
Inside Farleigh Hungerford Castle: what to see
Farleigh Hungerford was built by Sir Thomas Hungerford in the late 14th century — the first person recorded in Parliament as a ‘Speaker’ (1377). The family held it for over 150 years, and their history provides the castle’s most compelling narratives.
The medieval chapel of St Leonard is the best-preserved structure on site, containing remarkable 15th-century wall paintings of saints — among the finest surviving examples of medieval ecclesiastical painting in the south-west. Below the chapel, the crypt holds several lead coffins from the Hungerford family, still in place — an extraordinarily rare survival of intact medieval funerary arrangements.
The Priest’s House exhibition tells the story of Farleigh’s turbulent owners through displays, artefacts, and suits of armour. The most dramatic episode concerns Lord Walter Hungerford (2nd Baron), who imprisoned his wife Elizabeth in the Lady Tower for almost four years, subjecting her to starvation and poisoning attempts; she survived by drinking her own urine and was helped by local women who smuggled food. Walter was executed in 1540 alongside Thomas Cromwell. His father had been convicted of having his steward murder a previous wife and burn the body.
Free activity sheets, bows and arrows (and targets) for children, a reading room with book box, and a Folktale Creature Trail are all available. There is no café — a vending machine provides hot and cold drinks and snacks. Picnic areas are in the Walled Garden, outer moat, and lawn. The shop sells English Heritage gifts, wines, jams, books, and souvenirs.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| No café — vending machine only | Hot and cold drinks and snacks from a vending machine. Bring a picnic — walled garden and outer moat provide pleasant picnic spots. |
| Free parking for all | The on-site car park is free for all visitors, including non-members. |
| Coaches must park opposite the gateway | Coaches cannot enter the site. Pre-book with English Heritage for group visits. |
| No disabled parking bays | Visitors with limited mobility can be set down by the shop — call in advance to arrange. |
| Chapel is the main highlight | The 15th-century wall paintings and lead coffins in the crypt are exceptional. Allow time here rather than rushing through. |
| Dogs in grounds only | Dogs are not permitted inside the chapel, crypt, or Priest’s House. |
Frequently asked questions about Farleigh Hungerford Castle
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is there a café at Farleigh Hungerford Castle? | No. A vending machine provides hot and cold drinks and snacks. Bring a picnic — grounds are well suited to outdoor eating. |
| Is parking free at Farleigh Hungerford Castle? | Yes. The on-site car park (30 spaces) is free for all visitors including non-members. |
| Is Farleigh Hungerford Castle accessible for wheelchair users? | Only the top lawns. The ruins require steps and rough paths. No access to the chapel or Priest’s House. No disabled parking bays on site. |
| Are dogs allowed at Farleigh Hungerford Castle? | Yes, in the grounds only. Dogs are not permitted inside the chapel, crypt, or Priest’s House. |
| Is Farleigh Hungerford Castle suitable for children? | Yes. Bows and arrows, activity sheets, creature trail, reading room, and open grounds all suit children. |
| Is Farleigh Hungerford Castle free for English Heritage members? | Yes. Members enter free and can bring up to six children free. |
Things to do near Farleigh Hungerford Castle
Bath (~9 miles west) is a UNESCO World Heritage City with the Roman Baths and Thermae Bath Spa. Bradford on Avon (~4 miles north) has a medieval tithe barn (English Heritage, free) and Saxon church. Stourhead (National Trust, ~12 miles east) is one of England’s finest landscape gardens. Longleat (~10 miles east) is a safari park and stately home. Lacock Abbey (National Trust, ~8 miles north) is a medieval abbey used as a film location.
More Somerset travel
Other Somerset travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Key details for visiting No. 1 Royal Crescent in Bath.
- Visitor guide to the Jane Austen Centre in Bath.
- What to look out for at Wells Cathedral.
- Learn the witch legend at the Wookey Hole Caves.
- What to know before visiting Cleeve Abbey in Somerset.
