Near a city · The Castle Rolls
Castles near Manchester
Just 10 castles sit within 40 miles of Manchester, one of the thinnest counts on this list. The nearest are a 20-mile drive out - Halton to the west, or Peveril in the Peak District.
Map
Every castle on this list - 10 in total, 4 free to enter, 1 you can stay overnight in
Halton Castle
Cheshire · 21 mi away
Open days; grounds access via pub
Photo: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Peveril Castle
Derbyshire · 21 mi away
Photo: Darren Copley from Sheffield, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Clitheroe Castle
Lancashire · 28 mi away
Free keep; museum in castle grounds
Beeston Castle
Cheshire · 31 mi away
Crag-top ruin with woodland park
Photo: TCExplorer, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Peckforton Castle
Cheshire · 31 mi away
Full-scale Victorian castle hotel
Photo: Bs0u10e01, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Sandal Castle
West Yorkshire · 33 mi away Free entry
Wars of the Roses battlefield site
Photo: Abcdef123456 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Chester Castle: Agricola Tower and Castle Walls
Cheshire · 34 mi away Free entry
Free; volunteer-run weekend openings April to October
Photo: Richard Nevell from London, United Kingdom, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Skipton Castle
North Yorkshire · 35 mi away
One of England's best-preserved medieval castles
Photo: Adrian Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Ewloe Castle
Flintshire · 39 mi away Free entry
Hidden Welsh castle in woodland; 500m walk across farmland; free
Photo: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Flint Castle
Flintshire · 40 mi away Free entry
First of Edward I's Welsh castles; detached great tower; free
Photo: Gary Bealr, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
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 Manchester?
This roll lists 10 visitable castles, fortresses and tower houses within 40 miles of Manchester. Of those, 4 are free to enter and 4 charge admission. The other 2 have restricted access.
Which castles within 40 miles of Manchester are free to visit?
4 of the 10 castles within 40 miles of Manchester are open-access sites with no admission charge, namely Sandal Castle, Chester Castle: Agricola Tower and Castle Walls, Ewloe Castle and Flint Castle.
What is the best-rated castle within 40 miles of Manchester?
Flint Castle is among the highest-rated castles within 40 miles of Manchester on this roll - 4.6/5 from 1,320 Google reviews.
Can you stay overnight in a castle within 40 miles of Manchester?
Yes - Peckforton Castle offers overnight stays.
Can you reach any castle within 40 miles of Manchester by train?
7 of the 10 sit within 1.5 miles of a railway station, the closest being Flint Castle (Flint, 0.2 miles), Clitheroe Castle (Clitheroe, 0.2 miles), Sandal Castle (Sandal & Agbrigg, 0.5 miles) and Skipton Castle (Skipton, 0.5 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 Manchester?
Not all of them on the same terms. 2 of the 10 restrict what a visitor can see. Peckforton Castle is a hotel, so there is no way in without booking a room or a table. At Halton Castle you get the grounds or a booked tour rather than free run of the building.