Sherborne Old Castle
Dorset, England
Key facts
- Operator
- English Heritage
- Condition
- Ruin
- Access
- Free, open access
- Nearest station
- Sherborne, 0.6 miles (straight-line)
Pinpoint
Sherborne Castle, New Rd, Sherborne DT9 5NR
Visitor essentials
- Parking
- On-site parking by £3 donation, payable by text message.
- Access
- A long gravel path and a bridge lead in; terrain is mainly grass and gravel, level on the main site with a slope down to the moat.
- Facilities
- No on-site facilities; Sherborne town centre, under a mile away, has cafes, restaurants and toilets.
- Dogs
- Dogs on leads are welcome.
- Safety
- The grounds are very exposed, with no shelter in extreme weather.
The original medieval castle at Sherborne, built in the 12th century by Roger of Salisbury and later owned by Sir Walter Raleigh, who found it too impractical to live in and built the 'new' castle nearby instead. It was slighted after a Civil War siege and is now a free, unstaffed English Heritage ruin with seasonal opening hours.
Who to know
Sir Walter Raleigh · owner who found it too impractical to live in
Worth the trip
Standing in the ruin that Sir Walter Raleigh himself gave up on - a historical figure's verdict on a building, surviving alongside the building itself.
Before you go
Check the seasonal opening hours before travelling, since access isn't year-round, and it's a separate site and ticket from Sherborne Castle down the road.
Free entry; seasonal opening hours
Common questions about Sherborne Old Castle
Where is Sherborne Old Castle?
Sherborne Old Castle is in Dorset, England, at Sherborne Castle, New Rd, Sherborne DT9 5NR.
Is Sherborne Old Castle free to visit?
Yes - Sherborne Old Castle is a free, open-access site with no ticket booth, looked after by English Heritage. There may still be a charge for nearby parking, and open-access arrangements can change, so it's worth a quick check before you travel.
What is the highlight of visiting Sherborne Old Castle?
Standing in the ruin that Sir Walter Raleigh himself gave up on - a historical figure's verdict on a building, surviving alongside the building itself.
Is Sherborne Old Castle a ruin or still intact?
Sherborne Old Castle is a ruin - Free entry; seasonal opening hours.
