The Castle RollsA survey of every visitable castle in the United Kingdom
4.5 / 5 · 2,526 reports TICKETED

Conisbrough Castle

South Yorkshire, England


Conisbrough Castle
Conisbrough Castle, further view Conisbrough Castle, further view

Key facts

Operator
English Heritage
Condition
Partial ruin
Access
Staffed, ticketed

Pinpoint

Castle Hill, Conisbrough, Doncaster DN12 3BU

Telephone 0370 333 1181

Website www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/conisbrough-castle

Possible Opening hours

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

Monday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

A cylindrical keep - one of the earliest and best-preserved of its kind in England - built by Hamelin de Warenne in the late 12th century, and famous enough by Walter Scott's day to be used as a setting in Ivanhoe. Restored floors mean you can climb right up through the tower rather than just admiring it from the ground.

Worth the trip

The climb to the top of the keep, where reviewers say the views make the tower worth tackling even if you skip everything else.

Before you go

There's no on-site cafe - just loos and basic snacks - so eat before or after; the paid car park is a common gripe, with several reviewers noting visitors park on nearby residential streets instead, which annoys locals.

WHAT VISITORS SAY · 4.5 / 5 across 2,526 Google reviews

Reviewers consistently rate the climb up the tower and the views from the top as the highlight, alongside the informative visitor centre. Practical notes recur about paid English Heritage admission and limited on-site parking (a disabled-only car park, with most visitors parking on nearby streets), and there's no cafe, just basic snacks and drinks.

Cylindrical keep with restored floors

“Lovely little castle. Nice views from the top.”— Hayley Ashforth, visitor review

Further reading

The English Castle: 1066-1650 cover book
The English Castle: 1066-1650

John Goodall

Find it on Amazon
Castles: Their History and Evolution in Medieval Britain cover book
Castles: Their History and Evolution in Medieval Britain

Marc Morris

Find it on Amazon
book
Castle: A History of the Buildings that Shaped Medieval Britain

Marc Morris

Find it on Amazon