Tattershall Castle

Tattershall Castle is in the village of Tattershall, Lincolnshire. It’s approx 40 minutes drive from Lincoln and 40 minutes drive to Skegness. It is in the care of the National Trust. The castle was founded by Robert De Tattershall back in 1231.

What is there to do at Tattershall Castle?

The large brick castle which stands today was started in 1434, which makes it quite unusual as castles were mostly made of stone. The great tower of Tattershall Castle is 40 metres high and you can walk all the way to the top, that’s a lot of steps believe me! You can even explore below ground level.

It’s a great place to visit as they have many events throughout the year which often make the castle feel like a very different place. It never takes more than a couple of hours to visit the castle but on an event day you can certainly spend much longer there. We often take a picnic as there is no cafe on site.

You arrive on site over a lovely wooden bridge that crosses one of the two moats. If you are interested you can pick up a multimedia guide to guide you around the castle or you can join one of the guided tours.

The grounds that the castle now stands in aren’t particularly large. There is an old moat which often still has water in. They often have trails around the grounds for Easter and Halloween etc which are great for exploring. Also if you head around the back of the tower you will find a large sandpit for the kids (and adults) to play in.

The tower itself has rooms and levels to explore above and below ground. There are 12 steps down to the basement. It’s very spooky down there and my son loves this part of our visits. The climb to the top has 149 steps in total. These are on a spiral staircase.

The rooms are mostly empty, except for a few information signs. There are some very impressive fireplaces and if you can make it to the top it really is a must as the views are well worth the effort. Plus it helps to have lots of floors to explore as you can rest between each level. Needless to say, there is no lift. The audio guide will help to bring these empty rooms alive so it is worth picking one up at the start of your visit.

Further Information

Is there food and drink available?

There is no on-site cafe.

What are the main things to do?

An intact castle with floors you can explore and views from the top, there is a sandpit for the kids. There are toilets located before you enter the site.

What are the ticket prices?

Free for members of the National Trust. An adult standard ticket is £11.00 and £5.50 for a child. It is free to park. Other pricing options are available.
Prices are subject to change and/or discounts online.