Attractions > Hurst Castle

Hurst Castle

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Is Hurst Castle Open?

Covid-19 Update:  Closed for the season. For the most up-to-date information visit their official website via the link above or view our list of Hampshire attractions.

About This Attraction

Come and discover this artillery fortress, built by Henry VIII, at the seaward end of a coastal spit offering one of the best views in England. Commanding the entrance to the Solent, its strategic location has developed the castle into a powerful fortress, steeped in centuries of military history.

From its beginnings in 1544, as one of Henry VIII’s chain of artillery defences, Hurst Castle, unusually for a Tudor castle, remained in military use until 1956, playing an active role through both world wars.  On occasion it was also used as a prison, most famously in the imprisonment of Charles I in the 17th century, during the Civil War. Hurst Castle defended England from invasion threats in the 19th and 20th centuries and exhibitions around the castle will provide you with an opportunity to learn more about its long history.

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Opening times

 

2 November 2020 – 31 March 2021                          Closed

1 April 2021 – 30 September 2021 daily                   10.00am-5.30pm

1 October 2021 – 1 November 2021 daily                10.30am-4.00pm

Admission price

 

Adult:
£5.50

Concession:
£5.00

Child (5-15 yrs):
£3.50

Family (2 adults & 3 children):
£17.00

English Heritage members & Child under 5:
FREE

Why should I visit?

    • Step inside the heart of Hurst Castle to its Tudor fort, which retains much of its 16th -century appearance
    • Follow the steps to the first floor of the Tudor keep, where it was probably here that Charles I was kept prisoner in 1648.
    • Enjoy the spectacular views from the roof of the Tudor keep across the Needles Passage to the Isle of Wight.
    • Take a visit to the basement of the Tudor keep, used for storage of food, fuel, weapons and gunpowder.
    • Travel through time to the East and West wings, built in 1860s and take a glimpse into the living conditions of a soldier in the First and Second World Wars, with living quarters and washing facilities to explore.
    • Don’t miss the Garrison Theatre, possibly the last theatre constructed by the garrison to survive from the Second World War.
    • Discover the history of the lighthouses on the spit within the Lighthouse exhibition in the West Wing, from the first light built in 1786 to the High Light of 1867, which still functions today.

Facilities

Assistance dogs allowed
Cafe
Dogs accepted
Gift shop
Suitable for ages 12 and above
Suitable for ages 5 and above
Suitable for ages 8 and above
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Next event

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Voucher / Offer

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Where to find us

Address

Hurst Castle
Hampshire
SO41 0TP

Tel:

01590 642500

Email:

[email protected]

Website:

http://www.hurstcastle.co.uk/

Find us online

By car

There is no vehicle access to Hurst Castle. Parking is available at Keyhaven Pay & Display car park. Access to the castle can be via ferry from Keyhaven, which departs from 9.45am then approximately every 20 minutes. The last ferry from Keyhaven is at 5.30pm (Apr-Sep) or 4pm (Oct). The ferry operates daily from March to October. It is also possible to walk to Hurst Castle; it is a 2 mile walk along Hurst Spit (please note this is a shingle spit).

By train

There is no vehicle access to Hurst Castle. Parking is available at Keyhaven Pay & Display car park. Access to the castle can be via ferry from Keyhaven, which departs from 9.45am then approximately every 20 minutes. The last ferry from Keyhaven is at 5.30pm (Apr-Sep) or 4pm (Oct). The ferry operates daily from March to October. It is also possible to walk to Hurst Castle; it is a 2 mile walk along Hurst Spit (please note this is a shingle spit).

By bus

There is no vehicle access to Hurst Castle. Parking is available at Keyhaven Pay & Display car park. Access to the castle can be via ferry from Keyhaven, which departs from 9.45am then approximately every 20 minutes. The last ferry from Keyhaven is at 5.30pm (Apr-Sep) or 4pm (Oct). The ferry operates daily from March to October. It is also possible to walk to Hurst Castle; it is a 1.5 mile walk along Hurst Spit (please note this is a shingle spit).

Kids activities

harry hampshire

  • Plenty of open space for the children to run free.
  • Climb the stairs of the Tudor Castle to its roof to see the amazing view of the Needles and the Isle of Wight.
  • Take a visit to the darkness of the Tudor keep basement, which was used for the storage of food, fuel, weapons and gunpowder.
  • Look out for the collection of guns around the castle, which would have turned this part of the coast into one of the most heavily fortified areas in the world.
  • Travel through time to the East & West wings, built in the 1860s and take a glimpse into the living conditions of a soldier in the First and Second World Wars with living quarters and washing facilities to explore.