The Castle RollsA survey of every visitable castle in the United Kingdom
4.6 / 5 · 9 reports HOTEL GUESTS ONLY

Cawood Castle

North Yorkshire, England


Cawood Castle
Cawood Castle, further view Cawood Castle, further view

Key facts

Operator
Landmark Trust
Condition
Partial ruin
Access
Hotel guests only
Stays
Overnight accommodation available

Pinpoint

Castle Gatehouse, Cawood, Selby YO8 3SG

Website www.landmarktrust.org.uk/search-and-book/properties/cawood-castle-6033

Possible Opening hours

Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.

Monday9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed

A gatehouse - virtually all that survives of what was once a palace of the Archbishops of York - now run by the Landmark Trust as a self-catering holiday let, so the interior is only accessible to guests actually staying there. Cardinal Wolsey stayed here in 1530, in the months before his arrest for treason under Henry VIII; everyone else can walk the public footpath alongside to see the medieval features from outside.

Worth the trip

Staying overnight, if you can book it - reviewers who've done so call it a genuine Landmark Trust highlight, not just a novelty.

Before you go

There's no public access inside unless you're a paying guest; non-guests should stick to the footpath along the side of the building, and the small number of reviews here reflects how few people actually get to experience the interior.

WHAT VISITORS SAY · 4.6 / 5 across 9 Google reviews

With only a handful of reviews on file, it's hard to draw a strong consensus, but the available accounts are positive. One visitor explains that public access is limited to the footpath alongside the historic gatehouse and banqueting hall, since the building itself is a private Landmark Trust holiday let; two others, who stayed there, describe an enjoyable week in a lovely village setting. There isn't enough data here to point to any recurring criticism.

Gatehouse holiday let

“Stayed here as its a Landmark trust property so its private. Really had a nice week. Village is lovely and did plenty of walking.”— Emma Dickson, visitor review

Further reading

book
The Boleyns of Hever Castle

Owen Emmerson & Claire Ridgway

Find it on Amazon
book
Windsor Castle: A Thousand Years of a Royal Palace

Steven Brindle

Find it on Amazon
book
Richard III: The Self-Made King

Michael Hicks

Find it on Amazon