Highcliffe Castle

About

Highcliffe Castle is not only a beautiful and historical building, but the surrounding grounds are perfect for a relaxing stroll or a family picnic on the lawns. There is direct access to both a wonderful sandy beach and the unspoilt nature reserve of nearby Steamer Point.

The Castle has been described as arguably the most important surviving house of the Romantic and Picturesque style of architecture. It is a grade 1 listed building built mainly between 1831 and 1836 by Lord Stuart de Rothesay.

The magnificent building, once lavishly furnished in the 18th century French style, remained a family home until the 1950’s. Whilst two fires destroyed the rich interiors in the 1960’s, the Castle’s renovated exterior is testimony to the remarkable skills of craftsmen and women who carried out a huge repair and conservation programme in the 1990’s.

The team of knowledgeable room hosts will bring to life the detailed history of the building and its residents, amongst whom was Harry Gordon Selfridge, who founded the London based department store Selfridges. Mr Selfridge lived in the Castle between 1916 and 1922, and is buried with his wife and mother at St Mark’s churchyard just across the road from the Castle.

Upgrade your admission ticket for just £3 and you will be able to join a tour with one of our knowledgeable volunteer guides. The tour takes you behind the scenes in areas of the Castle you will not get to see on the public route, including unrestored parts of the Castle, as well as the heritage rooms. Tours last approximately one hour.

If you have children with you, there are indoor and outdoor trails to follow, you can play dress-up in period costumes and take part in craft activities during school holidays.

You will find the The Castle Kitchen Tearooms within the grounds, which provides hot and cold drinks along with delicious snacks and homemade cakes. In summer you can sit outside and admire the castle and grounds while enjoying your meal.

Events are held throughout the year, including family-friendly shows, live music, classic car shows and more.

Located just 10 miles from Bournemouth and 3 miles from Christchurch, there is easy access by car, public transport, on foot or by bike.

Opening Times

2019 Opening (5 April 2019 - 23 December 2019)
Day	Times
Monday - Sunday	10:00	- 17:00
Bank Holiday	10:00	- 17:00

* Last admission to the Castle is one hour before closing time.
Occasionally, the Castle may be closed early or all day due to a function. Please refer to our website for more information.
The Castle grounds are open daily at 7am and close at: 6.30pm – November to March, 7.30pm – April and October, 9pm – May and September and 10pm – June, July and August. Entry to the grounds is free, parking charges apply.

Guide Prices

Ticket Type	Ticket Tariff
2 Adults and two children	£15.00 per ticket
5 - 16 years old	£3.00 per ticket
Adult admission charge	£7.00 per ticket
Seniors	£6.50 per ticket
Students	£6.50 per ticket
Under 5s	Free

Entry to the grounds only is free.
Accompanied children under 5 are free.
Behind the Scenes Tours take place daily* at 12pm. These take in some of the unseen areas such as the wine cellar. This is an add on option at £3 for adults or £1 for children on top of the admission price.
Please be aware that car parking charges apply in addition to admission.
*Tours do not take place on Saturdays due to weddings

Website

Telephone: +44 01425 278807

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating:

621 reviews

Excellent
268
Very Good
217
Average
82
Poor
35
Terrible
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Recent Reviews:

Giveupsoon
Should be able to mark it 0
Sunday, 13th October 2019
My husband and I made a 120 mile round trip to see Highcliffe and of all the historic buildings we have visited this has to be the biggest let down. First of all this is not by any stretch of the... Read full review
BournemouthChris
bournemouth
Amazing afternoon Tea
Monday, 14th October 2019
My friend arranged an afternoon Tea for three of us yesterday, Sally did all the preparations, including balloons on the table as it was a birthday treat. All the staff were happy and attentive, the... Read full review
Frances G
Winchester, United Kingdom
A very interesting place to while away a couple of hours
Sunday, 20th October 2019
We visited the castle to take a look at the walkway to the beach which was opened this year. It is very attractive, completely accessible, and was being enjoyed by dog walkers, joggers and... Read full review

Write a review

Facilities

Other

Gift Shop

Accessibility

Accessible to Wheelchair Users
All Areas Accessible to Disabled Visitors
Facilities for the Disabled
Guide Dogs Permitted
Parking Areas for Disabled Visitors
Ramp/Level Access
Toilets for Disabled Visitors

Attraction Facilities

Shop
Tea Rooms

Catering

On-Site café/restaurant - Tearooms. Contact (01425) 270924
Picnic Site

Children & Infants

Facilities for children - special events

Establishment Features

Available for wedding receptions
Cater for groups
Coach drop-off point
Dogs Accepted - On leads, in the grounds only.
Event Venue - see www.highcliffecastle.co.uk/events for all event listings.
Licenced for civil marriages - see www.highcliffecastle.co.uk/weddings for comprehensive information.
On-site Restaurant/Cafe - Contact on 01425 276190.
Printed Material in Foreign Languages - Room information available
Shop
Toilets
Wedding Venue

Key Features

Approx length of visit - 03:00
Film or TV location
In town/city centre - 10 minutes walk from Highcliffe village.
Indoor Attraction
No Smoking Attraction
Of historic, literary or architectural interest - Grade 1 listed building, once the home of Lord Stuart de Rothesay.
Outdoor Attraction - Access the gardens free of charge. Direct access to Highcliffe Beach and Steamer Point Nature Reserve.
Weddings

Parking & Transport

On Bus Route - Wilts & Dorset bus X1 and X2 and Yellow bus 111 from the centre of Christchurch
On site parking - pay and display parking.
Parking (charge) - Car Parking charges apply. Maximum stay 4 hours.

Payment Methods

All major credit cards accepted - American Express cards are not accepted.
Android pay accepted
Apple pay accepted
Contactless payment accepted
Delta accepted
Maestro accepted
MasterCard accepted
Special group rates
TIC Staff Admitted Free
Visa accepted

Tours and Demonstrations

Educational Visits Accepted
Guided Tours Available for Groups - From 1st May 2019.
Guided Tours Available for Individuals - From 1st May 2019.

Travel & Trade

Group discounts available
Wi-fi available

Venue Facilities

Beach adajacent for photography
Choice of marriage rooms
Garden/grounds available for photography
Groups Accepted - Essential to pre book.
Late licence for evening receptions
Licenced for civil marriages
Sea views available for photography
Special rates for small/midweek weddings - Afternoon Tea midweek wedding packages available.
Use of cake stand and knife

Map & Directions

View Map

Road Directions

Road From A35 follow signs to Highcliffe.

Public Transport Directions

Bus: Wilts & Dorset and Yellow Buses operate services to and from Highcliffe town centre.

Rail: 15 minutess walk from Hinton Admiral Railway Station.

Air: 20 minutes drive from Bournemouth Airport.

Journey planning: Contact Traveline on 0871 200 2233 or visit their website: www.travelinesw.com to look up bus timetables. From 1st January 2019, calls cost 12p per minute plus your phone company's access charge.