Old Wardour, in Wiltshire, is a 14th century English castle with a unique hexagonal keep and is remarkably well preserved by English Heritage. It is accessible by car but the final part of the route is single track rural roads. There are often events here, run by English Heritage.
Visiting Old Wardour Castle
Old Wardour Castle is managed by English Heritage and as such, is well looked after, safe and popular. The drive is a bit frustrating due to the single track roads for the last part but once there the castle has plenty of space. There is a decent sized car park, a small gift shop in the ticket office, picnic benches and lots of information boards and activities.
You can walk around part of the lake to view the banqueting hall from that perspective but not far enough round to be able to see the castle itself. EH often host reenactments and events on the site and their page can be accessed here or via the links below.
My Experience
We have visited Old Wardour a few times over the years and it is a great little castle, often with events on. This time was the first visit with our grand daughter and she was able to explore the grotto, climb up the tower and explore the castle.
We spent a couple of hours there and had an ice cream whilst wandering around the grounds. All the rooms are safe to visit, although the spiral staircase in the tower is quite a climb. Even that allows access to the rooms on each floor though so there are no queues or having to pass each other on the stairway.
The castle has some beautiful decorative features and must have been magnificent in its heyday. The information boards given an idea of its medieval splendour and also how tenuous life must have been for the courtiers.
Old Wardour Castle Photo Gallery
History
This section is copied from the Crazy About Castles site, listed in the References:
Old Wardour Castle was built as a secluded luxury home for lords and ladies. Originally constructed by the Lovell clan, under permission from King Richard II, the Arundells later acquired the castle in the 16th-century. By 1644, Wardour Castle became ruined due to siege combat in the English Civil War.
Built in the 14th-century, the hexagonal (6-sided) design of Old Wardour Castle was inspired by contemporary architectural ideas, especially in France. Secluded in the Wiltshire landscape, the castle was built primarily as a luxury estate with guest suites and not necessarily as a defensive stronghold.
Before its eventual ruin via siege warfare in the 17th century English Civil War, Old Wardour changed ownership many times over its history. The Arundells, some of the most active of the Roman Catholic landowners in England at the time of the Reformation, were the most famous and longest-lasting owners.
The castle also experienced additions and attempted renovations by its various owners over time, including a banquet hall and a grotto – even after the siege! The material used for some of these renovations included debris from the civil war siege’s battle damage.
According to Atlas Obscura, the moniker of “Old” is in relation to the fact that a New Wardour Castle was eventually built in the 18th century that the latest owners of Old Wardour moved into. The new castle (which is more like a mansion), unlike the old, isn’t open to the public.
Nowadays, the Old Wardour Castle’s former amenities are ruins for tourists to see. From the Great Hall to the Banquet House to the Tower, they each tell their old stories to travelers willing to walk amongst them and listen. Alternatively, you can listen to the castle’s free audio tour.
References
The English Heritage page for the castle is here, with full information on events, times and costs.
There’s some nice information about the castle on the crazy about castles site here.