Key facts
- Operator
- English Heritage
- Condition
- Partial ruin
- Access
- Free, open access
Pinpoint
Old Walls, Shrewsbury SY5 7PE
Telephone 0370 333 1181
Website www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/acton-burnell-castle
Possible Opening hours
Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.
| Monday | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Thursday | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Friday | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Sunday | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
A fortified manor built in the late 13th century for Robert Burnell, Bishop of Bath and Wells and one of Edward I's closest advisors - the walls stand to their full height even though the roof and floors are long gone, which gives a clearer sense of scale than most ruins this size. It's free to enter, with easy, free parking right outside.
Worth the trip
The full-height walls, still standing tall enough that reviewers say it's easy to picture the building as it once was, despite the empty interior.
Before you go
Parking is limited to around ten spaces, so it can fill up on a nice day; it's a popular dog-walking spot, so expect other dogs off-lead in the grounds even if that's not what you came for.
Visitors consistently value the well-preserved outer walls and easy, free access, with several noting it reads more as a fortified manor house than a true castle - it's small in scale and there are no dungeons to explore. One reviewer mentions dogs being let off-lead to run through the grounds as a minor annoyance, but otherwise the reviews are positive.
Shell of fortified 13th-century manor
“Nice place to have a wonder. Easy to get too and around 10 parking spots.”— Solaaris, visitor review
