Berkhamsted Castle

Brilliant walk around the site! As I make LiDAR images of archaeological sites around the UK I thought i'd do 'Berko castle after my visit. Fascinating history and well worth a walk around the ramparts. Look for old Roman tile being re-used in the walls. Bit of info: Castle construction (during Norman conquest): c1066AD on the orders of William the Conqueror.Castle given to Thomas Becket by Henry II in 1155. (Castle extended at this point)Taken back by the king in 1164 when he fell out of favour. Henry II liked the site so much he spent a lot of time here.Berkhamsted as a town recognised by Henry II in 1156.King John owned the site until his death in 1216 when the castle was sieged by Louis VIII with new trebuchets from France. The inhabitants lasted two weeks before surrendering to the 'damnable stones'.The last occupant was Cecily Neville, the duchess of York and then abandoned after her death in 1495.The site was then robbed of its stone to build Berkhamsted Place (demolished in 1967).There is so much history relating to this castle I left out quite a bit from the timeline (1200-present day) as it would be pages long.

Wonderful medieval castle. Once home to the Black Prince, this is a really fine example of a Motte and Bailey castle. It can be dated from the 11th-15th centuries so this is really a very fine example of a Norman castle. The form is very well preserved, the motte remains very high and steep, the most is well preserved and often filled with water. The walls have survived less well but are still full of features including fireplaces that speak to its past. The castles history is interesting and include royalty and a siege in its past. Today the site is very accessible being next to Berkhamsted railway station and easily accessible from the town and it's bus stops, or nearby car parks. There are no facilities on site but there was no charge, at least when I visited anyway.

The castle structure has stood the test of time and cannot believe it dates back 10 centuries!! Upon entrance, there are detailed posters highlighting the history of Berkhamstead castle. Visit was well worth it.

An amazing site to visit! There's lots of information displayed about the historical significance of this castle. We had a great time exploring, going up the steps to get a bird's eye view of everything and the wells were so interesting too! Would recommend a visit.

On a nice day it’s a pleasant walk around the walls and a peaceful retreat. There’s a small amount of signage around explaining the history but otherwise climb the stairs to the top of the mound and enjoy the view! No doubt due to the pandemic, the cottage was shut when I visited and there’s no other facilities, but that helps to keep it authentic and reminds you of the history more. Being so conveniently located right outside the train station means it’d be a shame not to pay a visit and the free entrance is brilliant.

Amazing piece of history. I liked the way they led you on a self-guided tour with the informational plaques, each one describing and illustrating an area and its function before directing you to the next area. I highly recommend taking the walk to the top of the mott; the view from there was spectacular. Imagine how far you could see from the top of the tower that once stood on it! The volunteers we spoke to were lovely; well-informed, friendly, and enthusiastic about the subject. The handouts provided, which were keyed to the informational plaques with numbers and maps made it very easy to imagine how the place looked in its heyday. Well maintained grounds, and not a scrap of refuse to be seen. Highly recommended!

Great place! On weekdays it’s nice and quite so you can enjoy it at your own leisure without having kids and dogs running around! There is some restoration planned to go ahead but still a great visit. The moat is filled currently so it’s a great time to visit. The castle has easy access just across the road from the railway station. Free access just a option to donate on your way out which is recommended! So try preserve this great bit of history for as little as £3.00!

This was obviously once a beautiful place dating back to William the conqueror 1066 , there is not much of it left but the history of the site is fascinating. There is no toilet or food available but it is very tranquil with lots of green space a lovely place to take your children or dogs for a walk . Also it was quite noisy as it was right next to an extremely busy railway line . And parking was limited but it is a free English heritage site and well worth a visit for the history of it .

I'd looked at this Castle from the train many times and wondered what it was all about. Yesterday we visited and I was very impressed, with the castle that is not the railway line that was put in through park of the castle structure; Infrastructure over history. There were some nice volunteers about and the castle was very popular. We arrived early on to miss most of the crowds and got to share the boundary walks with the geese and goslings. So much history in one place, great place to visit if you are a history buff.

As a sightseeing place, this ruin is lovely. Walk around the moat & then come to the middle to read about the history of the castle. Bring a picnic, bring a ball to play. A few benches to sit on or bring your blanket. Went on Bank Holiday Friday, wasn’t to busy. We parked in the Berhhamsted station, it was £6, you can stay 6 hours, not that you will need it. We spend around 90 minutes at the castle, kids played etc.As lovely the place is there are no toilets sadly. Or no refreshments, bring your own.If you cross from the castle under the bridge, there is a little play area for kids or you can walk along the canal.Overall a nice trip for a nice day.The castle is free, you can give a voluntary contribution if you want to, but no pressure.Great for a short family day out.