England’s countryside is dotted with ancient fortresses that have witnessed centuries of history, from medieval battles to royal scandals. Many of these magnificent structures now welcome overnight guests, offering a unique opportunity to sleep where knights, lords, and ladies once roamed. Beyond the well-known tourist attractions lie hidden gems that combine historical significance with modern comforts, allowing visitors to experience life as nobility without sacrificing contemporary amenities.
Here is a list of 20 hidden historic castles in England where you can book a stay and immerse yourself in centuries of history while enjoying a unique accommodation experience.
Augill Castle
Nestled in the picturesque Eden Valley between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, Augill Castle combines Victorian flamboyance with medieval charm. The castle features 15 individually designed bedrooms, each maintaining original architectural elements while offering modern luxuries.
Guests can explore 15 acres of private grounds, dine in the original great hall, and even enjoy afternoon tea in the orangery overlooking the countryside.
Langley Castle
Built in 1350 during Edward III’s reign, Langley Castle has survived wars, abandonment, and fire throughout its turbulent history. Its seven-foot-thick walls house luxurious rooms with four-poster beds, window seats tucked into the ancient stonework, and stunning views of the Northumbrian countryside.
Visitors particularly love the castle’s medieval banquets, with period entertainment and authentic cuisine prepared using historical recipes.
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Pentillie Castle
Overlooking the River Tamar on the Cornwall-Devon border, Pentillie Castle sits amid 55 acres of woodland gardens originally designed by Humphry Repton. The castle offers nine elegant bedrooms in a more intimate setting than some of England’s larger fortress accommodations.
Guests can fish in the castle’s private waters, explore the restored Victorian bathing hut, or wander through the estate’s ancient mausoleum, where the castle’s original owner is entombed.
Amberley Castle
Dating back to 1103 and surrounded by a 60-foot curtain wall with an original portcullis that’s still lowered each night, Amberley Castle epitomizes medieval fortress architecture. Inside these ancient walls, 19 luxurious rooms feature whirlpool bathrooms, antique furnishings, and views of the Sussex countryside.
Dinner in the Queen’s Room beneath a 12th-century barrel-vaulted ceiling offers a dining experience unchanged for centuries except for the addition of modern gourmet cuisine.
Walworth Castle
Built in 1189, this 12th-century castle near Darlington has served as everything from a fortress to a prison throughout its long history. The castle’s tower houses some of the most atmospheric accommodations, including rooms with exposed stone walls, ancient fireplaces, and views across County Durham.
Guests often report strange occurrences during their stays. Walworth is famous for its resident ghosts, including a stable boy who allegedly still tends to horses in the castle grounds.
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Thornbury Castle
As the only Tudor castle operating as a hotel in England, Thornbury offers visitors the chance to sleep in the bedchamber where King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn stayed during their honeymoon tour in 1535. The castle’s stone spiral staircases lead to 27 bedchambers featuring open fireplaces, ornate four-poster beds, and tapestries that reflect its royal heritage.
The castle kitchens have served sophisticated dishes using herbs and vegetables grown in the same gardens, producing food for noble tables for over 500 years.
Studley Castle
Built in the 1830s in the Gothic Revival style, Studley Castle in Warwickshire offers a slightly more modern castle experience with Art Deco influences in its recent renovation. The castle’s 209 rooms balance historic architecture with contemporary design, featuring rainfall showers, luxury bedding, and views of the 28-acre estate.
Evening entertainment in the castle’s theater, swimming in the glass-roofed pool, and archery on the grounds make stays here active and atmospheric.
Swinton Park
Set within a 20,000-acre estate in the Yorkshire Dales, Swinton Park Castle has been home to the same family since the 1880s and maintains a distinctly lived-in aristocratic atmosphere. The castle’s 32 rooms and suites are named after local villages and landscape features, each decorated with antiques and family portraits that tell the region’s story.
Guests can join the castle’s cookery school, try falconry with the resident birds of prey, or fish in the estate’s rivers and lakes using techniques unchanged for centuries.
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Roch Castle
Perched dramatically on a rocky outcrop overlooking St Brides Bay in Pembrokeshire, Roch Castle was built in the 12th century as a Norman fortress. The castle has been meticulously restored, blending medieval stone walls with sleek modern interiors and floor-to-ceiling glass sections that maximize the panoramic coastal views.
With just six bedrooms, this exclusive retreat offers tranquility, privacy, and a private chef service for authentic Welsh feasts in the atmospheric dining room.
Hever Castle
Once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, Hever Castle in Kent offers luxury bed and breakfast accommodations in the Astor Wing and Anne Boleyn Wing, adjacent to the historic castle itself; the castle’s interiors showcase one of the finest collections of Tudor portraits outside the National Portrait Gallery, including two rare portraits of Anne Boleyn.
Guests enjoy private evening access to the castle gardens after the day visitors have departed, allowing for moonlit strolls through the Italian Garden and along the lake where Anne once walked.
Tawstock Castle
Rebuilt in 1787 on the foundations of a medieval fortress, Tawstock Castle in Devon offers self-catering accommodation within an octagonal central keep complete with battlements. The castle sleeps eight guests in four bedrooms and includes a terrace with 360-degree views of Barnstaple Bay and the surrounding countryside.
Despite its imposing exterior, Tawstock feels cozy rather than cavernous inside. It has a wood-burning stove, window seats perfect for reading, and a kitchen for preparing feasts worthy of medieval lords.
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Warwick Castle
While well-known as a tourist attraction, few visitors realize that Warwick Castle offers exclusive overnight stays in its historic Knight’s Village and Tower Suites. The opulent Caesar’s Tower Suites occupy the castle’s 14th-century tower, offering four-poster beds, arrow-slit windows, and a dedicated castle constable as a private concierge.
Overnight guests enjoy after-hours access to the castle grounds, private tours of areas closed to day visitors, and breakfast in the castle’s Great Hall beneath ancient suits of armor.
Bickleigh Castle
Dating from the 11th century, this former military stronghold in Devon’s Exe Valley now offers romantic accommodations in thatched cottages within the castle grounds and select rooms within the castle itself. The castle’s ancient chapel, featuring original medieval stained glass and stone walls, hosts intimate weddings and private prayer services for guests.
Morning tea served in the Great Hall, surrounded by suits of armor and centuries-old tapestries, provides a peaceful start to days spent exploring the castle’s six acres of grounds and the nearby river.
Cawood Castle
Once a residence of the Archbishops of York, Cawood Castle in North Yorkshire now offers self-catering accommodation in its historic gatehouse, the only remaining section of this once-vast medieval palace. Visitors access cozy rooms through Cardinal Wolsey’s former chambers, which feature exposed beams, stone fireplaces, and views across the countryside where kings once hunted.
The castle played a significant role in English history as the site of Cardinal Wolsey’s arrest for treason in 1530, ordered by Henry VIII when the cardinal failed to secure the king’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
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Castell Deudraeth
Located on the edge of the famous Portmeirion village in North Wales, Castell Deudraeth combines Victorian castle architecture with ultramodern interior design. The castle’s 11 rooms feature original fireplaces, Gothic windows, contemporary Welsh oak furnishings, and underfloor heating in sleek bathrooms.
Guests enjoy access to all Portmeirion facilities, including Italian gardens, woodland walks, and the coastal paths that inspired the classic television series The Prisoner, which was filmed on the estate.
Astley Castle
Winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture, Astley Castle in Warwickshire represents an innovative approach to castle conservation. Its modern living spaces are built within the ruins of the ancient structure. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls frame views of the medieval stonework, creating a dialogue between past and present that allows guests to experience castle life without sacrificing contemporary comfort.
The castle sleeps eight in four bedrooms and includes a walled garden within the original moat, offering complete privacy for contemplating the building’s 800-year history.
Acton Castle
Acton Castle, built in 1775 for the naturalist John Stackhouse to study marine algae, overlooks Mount’s Bay in Cornwall. It offers apartment accommodations within a castle setting. Original features include a stone spiral staircase, arched doorways, and thick stone walls that frame stunning views across to St. Michael’s Mount.
Guests enjoy exploring the castle’s former laboratory spaces, now converted to living areas, where Stackhouse documented previously unknown seaweed species during the Enlightenment.
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Manorbier Castle
This Norman fortress in Pembrokeshire allows guests to rent the entire castle, complete with Ga reat Hall, chapel, and gatehouse accommodations. The castle overlooks a pristine beach and has remained largely unaltered since the 12th century, with original defensive features, including arrow slits and battlements, still intact.
Gerald of Wales, the medieval chronicler born at Manorbier, described it as ‘the pleasantest spot in Wales,’ a sentiment modern visitors echo when watching the sunset over the castle walls.
Clytha Castle
Built in 1790 as a folly by William Jones in memory of his wife, this Gothic castle in Monmouthshire now serves as an atmospheric holiday home managed by the Landmark Trust. The castle features battlements, turrets, and arched windows, which create a romantic silhouette against the Welsh hills.
Inside, just three bedrooms, a living space centered around a massive fireplace, and a kitchen occupying the former guardroom provide cozy quarters for experiencing the solitude and reflection that inspired the castle’s creation.
Dacre Castle
One of England’s few remaining pele towers, Dacre Castle in Cumbria, was built in the 14th century to defend against Scottish raids and now offers self-catering accommodation for history enthusiasts. The castle features four-foot-thick walls, original arrow slits, and a spiral staircase leading to bedrooms with views across the Eden Valley to the Lake District fells.
Despite its defensive origins, Dacre now welcomes visitors seeking tranquility, with local red squirrels, deer, and owls frequently spotted from the castle battlements.
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Where History Meets Hospitality
These hidden castle accommodations offer far more than just a place to rest your head—they provide a tangible connection to England’s rich past that no history book can match.
Staying within ancient walls and witnessing centuries of human drama transforms a simple vacation into a journey through time. From four-poster beds to secret passages, these castle stays create memories long after the drawbridge is raised behind you.
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