Near a city · The Castle Rolls
Castles near Bristol
28 castles sit within 40 miles of Bristol, the second-highest count of any city on this list - Chepstow and the Wye Valley ruins just over the Severn, Cardiff and Caerphilly a little further into South Wales.
Map
Every castle on this list - 30 in total, 11 free to enter, 3 you can stay overnight in
Bristol Castle
Bristol · 0 mi away Free entry
Fragmentary keep, wall and vault remains survive in Castle Park, free to enter at all times.
Photo: Tadeusz Hare, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Thornbury Castle
Gloucestershire · 11 mi away
Tudor castle hotel; dining open to non-residents
Photo: Gareth James, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Caldicot Castle
Monmouthshire · 12 mi away
Free entry Tue-Sun Apr-Oct; country park setting
Photo: Dominic Nelson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Chepstow Castle
Monmouthshire · 14 mi away
Britain's oldest surviving post-Roman stone castle, above the Wye
Photo: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Farleigh Hungerford Castle
Somerset · 16 mi away
Ruins with intact chapel and crypt
Photo: nicksarebi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Berkeley Castle
Gloucestershire · 17 mi away
Occupied by Berkeleys for ~900 years
Photo: Andrew Hackney, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Nunney Castle
Somerset · 19 mi away
Interior closed; exterior viewing from outer moat
Photo: Ian Alexander, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
St Briavels Castle
Gloucestershire · 20 mi away
YHA hostel; bailey usually open 11am-4pm
Photo: Hchc2009, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Newport Castle
Newport · 20 mi away
Interior fenced off; riverside towers viewable externally only
Photo: The original uploader was Owain at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Raglan Castle
Monmouthshire · 25 mi away
Grand late-medieval castle with moated Great Tower
Photo: Bob McCaffrey from Rickmansworth, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Monmouth Castle
Monmouthshire · 25 mi away Free entry
Fragmentary; birthplace of Henry V; regimental museum adjacent
Photo: Scribwik, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Cardiff Castle
Cardiff · 26 mi away
Norman keep, Victorian Gothic apartments, wartime tunnels
Photo: Clint Budd, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Caerphilly Castle
Caerphilly · 28 mi away
Britain's second-largest castle; famous leaning tower and water defences
Photo: Balon Greyjoy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Goodrich Castle
Herefordshire · 29 mi away
Photo: Scribwik, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Castell Coch
Cardiff · 29 mi away
Victorian Gothic fantasy rebuild by William Burges; fully roofed
Photo: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
White Castle
Monmouthshire · 30 mi away Free entry
Best preserved of the Three Castles; water-filled moat; free
Photo: Andy Dingley, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Skenfrith Castle
Monmouthshire · 31 mi away Free entry
NT-owned, Cadw-managed; round keep by River Monnow; free; also listed under National Trust
Photo: Davidmholmes51, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Abergavenny Castle & Museum
Monmouthshire · 31 mi away Free entry
Grounds daily; free museum in castle grounds
Photo: Ethan Doyle White, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Fonmon Castle
Vale of Glamorgan · 34 mi away
Now runs as Jurassic Wales dinosaur attraction plus castle
Photo: FruitMonkey, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Hensol Castle
Vale of Glamorgan · 34 mi away
Gin distillery tours in cellars; wedding/event venue
Photo: TedColes at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Grosmont Castle
Monmouthshire · 34 mi away Free entry
One of the Three Castles of Gwent; free
Sherborne Old Castle
Dorset · 35 mi away Free entry
Free entry; seasonal opening hours
Photo: Mik Peach, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Sherborne Castle
Dorset · 35 mi away
16thC 'new' castle; old castle is EH
Photo: Mik Peach, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Old Wardour Castle
Wiltshire · 36 mi away
Photo: Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Old Beaupre Castle
Vale of Glamorgan · 36 mi away Free entry
Fortified Tudor manor with Renaissance porch; free; field walk
Photo: Gareth James, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
St Quentin's Castle (Llanblethian)
Vale of Glamorgan · 37 mi away Free entry
Twin-towered gatehouse near Cowbridge; free
Photo: Chris Andrews, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Daw's Castle
Somerset · 38 mi away Free entry
Alfred the Great's clifftop burh above Watchet; almost nothing survives above ground
Taunton Castle
Somerset · 38 mi away
Houses Museum of Somerset; free entry
Longtown Castle
Herefordshire · 39 mi away Free entry
Photo: John H Darch, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Tretower Court and Castle
Powys · 39 mi away
Round keep plus adjacent restored medieval manor house
Distances are straight-line ("as the crow flies"), not driving or train time - check the operator's own site for real travel options before you go.
Common questions
How many castles are there within 40 miles of Bristol?
This roll lists 30 visitable castles, fortresses and tower houses within 40 miles of Bristol. Of those, 11 are free to enter and 14 charge admission. The other 5 have restricted access.
Which castles within 40 miles of Bristol are free to visit?
11 of the 30 castles within 40 miles of Bristol are open-access sites with no admission charge, including Bristol Castle, Monmouth Castle, White Castle, Skenfrith Castle, Abergavenny Castle & Museum and Grosmont Castle.
What is the best-rated castle within 40 miles of Bristol?
Caerphilly Castle is among the highest-rated castles within 40 miles of Bristol on this roll - 4.7/5 from 8,511 Google reviews.
Can you stay overnight in a castle within 40 miles of Bristol?
Yes - 3 of the castles listed here offer overnight stays, namely Thornbury Castle, Berkeley Castle and St Briavels Castle.
Can you reach any castle within 40 miles of Bristol by train?
12 of the 30 sit within 1.5 miles of a railway station, the closest being Newport Castle (Newport (S Wales), 0.3 miles), Chepstow Castle (Chepstow, 0.3 miles), Caerphilly Castle (Caerphilly, 0.3 miles) and Abergavenny Castle & Museum (Abergavenny, 0.4 miles). Those are straight-line distances from the station to the castle, so the walk on the ground is longer than the figure.
Can you go inside every castle within 40 miles of Bristol?
Not all of them on the same terms. 5 of the 30 restrict what a visitor can see. Thornbury Castle is a hotel, so there is no way in without booking a room or a table. At Nunney Castle, St Briavels Castle and Newport Castle the building itself isn't open to visitors, so you see it from the grounds or from outside. At Hensol Castle you get the grounds or a booked tour rather than free run of the building.