Visiting Tattershall Castle with your dog

Our pawprint rating system

We’ve been working on making it easier for you to find out how dog-friendly your visit will be before you and your four-legged friend arrive. To help with this, we've created a new pawprint rating system and given all the places in our care a rating. You can find this information in the National Trust members’ handbook.

Tattershall Castle is a two pawprint rated place.

This place has a water bowl, dog bin and dog-friendly areas. You’ll be able to take your dog into some areas (the castle grounds), but not everywhere (no dogs are allowed inside the Great Tower - unless you have an assistance dog).

Where can my dog go?

Dogs on leads are very welcome to accompany you to the castle so you can explore the outside grounds together. Only assistance dogs are allowed inside the Great Tower due to the limited access and historic nature of the site.

What do I need to be aware of?

Please check whether there are any events on the day of your visit as there may be lots of children running around or loud bangs from battle re-enactments, both of which may unsettle your dog.

Facilities for your dog

If your dog is getting thirsty, there is a water bowl located just outside the front entrance of the visitor reception building.

The Canine Code

We’ve worked with our partner Forthglade to come up with this Canine Code, which helps to make sure everyone can enjoy their day:

• Keep them close: using a short lead helps to keep your dog from disturbing ground-nesting birds and farm animals. It's essential to use a short lead around sheep. But if cattle approach you, it's best to let your dog off the lead, and call them back when it's safe to do so.
• Pick up the poo: please always clear up after your dog. If you can't find a bin nearby, take the poo bags home with you.
• Watch the signs: keep an eye on local signs and notices wherever you're walking. They'll tell you if a beach has a dog ban, for instance, or if a path has been diverted, or if you're in an area where dogs can run off-lead.
• Stay on the ball: remember that not everyone loves dogs, and some people fear them. So make sure your dog doesn't run up to other people, especially children.

Keeping control of your dog

Our definition of close or effective control is: ​

• Being able to recall your dogs in any situation at the first call
• Being able to clearly see your dog at all times (not just knowing they have gone into the undergrowth or over the crest of the hill). In practice, this means keeping them on a footpath if the surrounding vegetation is too dense for your dog to be visible
• Not allowing them to approach other visitors without their consent
• Having a lead with you to use if you encounter livestock or wildlife, or if you are asked to use one