Bodiam Castle

Important notice -

Booking is essential to guarantee entry, particularly on weekends and school holidays. If you arrive without a booking we may not be able to accommodate you and you could be turned away.

Archetypal 14th century moated castle with ruined interior - a glimpse of medieval splendour

Please book ahead before visiting Check availability

More about this place

Adults and two children taking an autumn walk amongst the trees

Which places are open and what you need to know before you visit 

More than 100 gardens and parks and hundreds of coast and countryside places are open in England and Northern Ireland. Many historic houses are open in England. To avoid disappointment please book in advance, especially at weekends and school holidays. In line with Welsh Government legislation, all places in Wales will close from 24 October to 9 November. Please check the property webpage of the place you wish to visit before you travel. Read this article to find out how to book and what to expect from your visit.

Please book ahead before visiting 

The castle, grounds, café, car park, toilets and shop at Bodiam are open. We've introduced advance booking to keep everyone safe and maintain social distancing. To avoid disappointment please book in advance, especially at busier times such as weekends and bank holidays. However, where space is available on weekdays, pre-booing may not always be necessary.

Book now

Upcoming events

See all events

Timed entry to Bodiam Castle (26 Oct - 1 Nov)

Thu 29 Oct 2020
10:00-10:30
Book your timed entry to visit Bodiam Castle.
Back to top
Bodiam Castle

Eating and shopping

A range of the spring garden products 2020

Shopping at Bodiam Castle 

Pop into our Castle gift shop and discover our great range of National Trust gifts, books and accessories. We also have some great local artisan produce and gifts.

Woman holding takeaway hot drink

Feeling peckish? 

Our Wharf tea-room and Castle View Cafe are both open at weekends for hot food, sandwiches and drinks. During the week if the weather is fine you'll find the Castle View Cafe open for takeaway. On poor weather days we'll have the Wharf tea-room open with limited seating. Seating cannot be reserved. We’ve introduced new safety measures including screens at our till and collection points, and waymarked routes. We’ll also only be accepting card payment. We look forward to welcoming you back and know that you’ll support us to make this a safe experience for everyone.

Back to top
Bodiam Castle

Our work

Wildflower meadow

Wildflower meadows at Bodiam Castle 

We're about to start on a long term project, working with the existing grassland areas at Bodiam Castle, to create lowland grassland and wildflower meadows. Encouraging nature and wildflowers back to the castle grounds.

Staff and volunteers conserving a painting at Bodiam Castle, East Sussex

Conservation and regeneration at Bodiam Castle 

Discover how we are conserving our collection in our specialised suite to unlock new research opportunities and move forward to champion our heritage in new ways.

Couple overlooking the castle

Dedicate a donation 

Support Bodiam Castle by dedicating a donation to someone special and add your special moments to our interactive map. A unique way to remember a loved one or celebrate a special occasion. Your donation will help us care for Bodiam Castle for years to come.

Addressing the National Trust's colonial links 

Bodiam Castle, along with a number of other places and collections in our care, deals with contentious political histories. Learn more about what we are doing to be inclusive in our work and acknowledge the impact and legacies of colonialism.

Find out what's in the report
Back to top
Bodiam Castle

History

A view across the moat to Bodiam Castle in the early morning sunshine

Bodiam Castle a brief history 

Bodiam is the quintessential English castle, an echo from distant and very different times. Discover Bodiam's past and how it came to be owned by the National Trust.

A banker's (or craftsman's) mark in the stonework at Bodiam Castle in East Sussex

Bodiam Castle's graffiti uncovered 

Discover what the many marks in the stonework at Bodiam Castle mean and who by and when they were put there.

A frosty view of Bodiam Castle

Exploring Bodiam Castle  

Discover some key features of the castle and how and what they might have been used for.

Back to top
Bodiam Castle

Wildlife

A brown long-eared bat in flight

Bats at Bodiam Castle 

Bodiam Castle hosts one of the largest bat roosts in south-east England, which our team work hard to protect. Look out for our special bat walks in the springtime to get a closer view of the roost.

Back to top
Bodiam Castle

Art and collections

Our collections

Explore the objects and works of art we care for at Bodiam Castle on the National Trust Collections website

Search the collections
Back to top
Close

For everyone, for ever

Download the app

© National Trust Registered Charity 205846 Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2NA

We use cookies to provide you with a better service. Carry on browsing if you're happy with this, or find out how to manage cookies.