Castles · South East England
Highcliffe Castle
In or near Stanpit.
Highcliffe Castle — Grade I listed historic house museum in Highcliffe and Walkford, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Dorset, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Hinton Admiral · 1.6 km
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
Highcliffe Castle is located in South East England, with the postcode BH23 4LD. The nearest railway station is Hinton Admiral, which is 1.6 km away. Entry is paid, and wheelchair accessibility is limited.
About
Highcliffe Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Designed by William Donthorne. Built in the Georgian architecture style. Heritage designation: Grade I listed building. Wikidata describes it as: "Grade I listed historic house museum in Highcliffe and Walkford, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Dorset, England, UK". Coordinates: 50.7380°, -1.7141°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Highcliffe Castle, situated on the cliffs at Highcliffe, Dorset, was built between 1831 and 1835 by Charles Stuart, 1st Baron Stuart de Rothesay in a Romantic and Picturesque, Gothic Revival style near the site of High Cliff House, a Georgian Mansion designed for the 3rd Earl of Bute (a founder of Kew Gardens) with the gardens laid out by Capability Brown. The design, by William Donthorne, a founder member of RIBA, incorporated large quantities of carved Medieval stonework salvaged from the ruined Benedictine Abbey of St Peter at Jumieges and the Grand' Maison des Andelys, both situated in Normandy, France.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Summary from the official site
Highcliffe Castle is an award-winning visitor attraction and event venue. Visitors can explore the castle's exhibitions and enjoy various events hosted throughout the year.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Avon System SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Highcliffe to Milford Cliffs SSSI
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Highcliffe Castle, situated on the cliffs at Highcliffe, Dorset, was built between 1831 and 1835 by Charles Stuart, 1st Baron Stuart de Rothesay in a Romantic and Picturesque, Gothic Revival style near the site of High Cliff House, a Georgian Mansion designed for the 3rd Earl of Bute (a founder of Kew Gardens) with the gardens laid out by Capability Brown. The design, by William Donthorne, a founder member of RIBA, incorporated large quantities of carved Medieval stonework salvaged from the ruined Benedictine Abbey of St Peter at Jumieges and the Grand' Maison des Andelys, both situated in Normandy, France. A historic Grade I listed building, it is now owned by the Christchurch, Dorset Council.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
s]] The Earl's fourth son, General Sir Charles Stuart sold the estate apart from the nearby smaller Bure Homage House. All that remains of the original High Cliff are the two entrance lodges, now used as a restaurant, also some of the garden walls and features in the lands. The son of Sir Charles Stuart, also Charles Stuart, decided to buy his grandfather's estate and build a new house there.
Visiting
Highcliffe Castle is a Grade I listed building now owned by Christchurch Council, and described as "the most important remaining example of the Romantic and Picturesque style of architecture.” It holds events, is open to the general public throughout the year and can be used for weddings and other private events. In 2008, Dorset construction company Greendale Construction Limited carried out major refurbishment works as part of the sixth phase of a substantial repair, renovation and development programme for the castle. This was the first significant change made to the building in the last decade. As a result of the restoration work, an estimated 55,000 visitors will now be able to access…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 50.7380, -1.7141
- Parish
- Highcliffe and Walkford
- Postcode
- BH23 4LD
- Parliamentary constituency
- Christchurch
- Phone
- +44 1425 278807
- Nearest railway station
- Hinton Admiral — 1.6 km
- Opening
- Sunday - Thursday 10am-4pm
- Official site
- www.highcliffecastle.co.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q5757915 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Highcliffe Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Highcliffe Castle 1.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Highcliffe War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.4 km
Hoburne Park
Caravan parks · 1.1 km
Highcliffe
Castles · 1.3 km
Hinton
Villages · 1.5 km
Avon Beach
Beaches · 1.8 km
PYO
Natural landmarks · 1.9 km
Hoburne Naish
Caravan parks · 2.0 km
Sandhills Holiday Park Christchurch
Caravan parks · 2.1 km
Chewton Bridge
Historic bridges · 2.2 km
Hinton Admiral
Manor houses · 2.8 km
Hinton War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 2.9 km
The Grange School, Christchurch
Natural landmarks · 3.0 km
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Highcliffe Castle?
- Highcliffe Castle is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode BH23 4LD), in the parish of Highcliffe and Walkford.
- What is Highcliffe Castle?
- Highcliffe Castle — Grade I listed historic house museum in Highcliffe and Walkford, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Dorset, England, UK.
- How do I get to Highcliffe Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Hinton Admiral, about 1.6 km away. Drivers can use postcode BH23 4LD.
- Who owns Highcliffe Castle?
- Highcliffe Castle is owned by Christchurch Council.
- Is Highcliffe Castle a listed building?
- Highcliffe Castle is officially recognised as Grade I listed building listed.
- Is Highcliffe Castle a protected site?
- Yes — Highcliffe Castle is part of the River Avon System SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Highcliffe to Milford Cliffs SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Does Highcliffe Castle charge admission?
- Highcliffe Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Highcliffe Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Hinton Admiral, about 1.6 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode BH23 4LD.