Castle Street, Nunney, near Frome, Somerset BA11 4LW
Nunney Castle
Castle
Place photograph
7.0
Wildland
Under 1 hour
Time
Free
Cost
Atmospheric
Feel
Why it's Wildland
7.0Built in the 1370s for local knight Sir John de la Mare, Nunney Castle is a compact medieval stronghold whose tall central keep and four round corner towers still rise above a deep encircling moat. Parliamentarian forces besieged and damaged it in 1645.
Nunney Castle earns its place for the unusual clarity of its design: a remarkably well-preserved tower keep, four rounded corner towers and a moat tightly enclosing the ruin. The visit is brief and exterior-only, but the castle’s scale and setting make the architecture easy to read from the moat-side approach.
Atmospheric · Ancient-feeling
Find your way
Open mapCastle Street, Nunney, near Frome, Somerset BA11 4LW
Opening map…
Know this place a little better?
The experience
A short, exterior-only visit focused on the castle’s tower, four round corner towers and moat. Walk the moat-side approach, cross the bridge if access allows, and take time to read the ruin’s shape from outside; do not climb the walls.
Things to do
Take in the four-towered keep
View the ruin from the outer moat and trace the tall central keep, four round corner towers and connecting walls. The castle is exterior-viewing only.
Under 1 hour
Cross the bridge over the moat
The entrance route includes a bridge over the moat. English Heritage notes steps at the entry gate and onto the bridge, and warns that the moat has deep water and steep sides.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Under 1 hour
Quick Escape: read the castle from the moat
- 01
Walk from the nearby car park off Castle Hill towards the castle; the route descends a moderate hill into the village.
- 02
Follow the outer-moat viewing route and look at the tower keep, four round corner towers and connecting walls.
- 03
Cross the bridge only if it is open and safe to do so; view the ruin from outside and do not climb the walls.
Half day · Half day
Make a half day of it: castle and Nunney village
- 01
Visit Nunney Castle during daylight hours and explore its exterior from the outer moat.
- 02
Allow time to look around the village; English Heritage lists a pub and a shop, but check what is open before you go.
- 03
For a further heritage stop, consider Farleigh Hungerford Castle or Bradford-on-Avon Tithe Barn, both suggested by English Heritage; check their current access and opening details separately.
Verified history
Nunney Castle dates from the 1370s and was built by Sir John de la Mare, a local knight. English Heritage says it was much modernised in the late 16th century and besieged and damaged by Parliamentarian forces in 1645 during the English Civil War. Its surviving great tower is encircled by four round corner towers and connecting walls, all enclosed by the moat.
Hidden details
The moat is part of the castle’s defensive composition — Notice how closely the moat surrounds the tower keep, corner towers and connecting walls. The moat has steep sides and deep water, so keep to the permitted visitor route.
When to go
· Daylight hours; English Heritage says the site is open at reasonable times during daylight.
The supplied official information gives daylight access rather than a seasonal visiting preference. No particular month or seasonal feature is verified.
The approach includes a moderate hill down into the village. Check conditions and current access before travelling; uneven surfaces and steps are noted on site.
Worth pairing with
Farleigh Hungerford Castle
English Heritage suggests combining Nunney Castle with this nearby castle, set in the valley of the River Frome. Check its current opening and access details before visiting.
Bradford-on-Avon Tithe Barn
English Heritage recommends the 14th-century monastic stone barn as another heritage stop. Check current visitor information before travelling.
What to look for
- 01
Look for the tall central tower keep, its four round corner towers, the connecting walls and the deep moat that encircles them. The bridge crosses the moat at the entrance
- 02
the former drawbridge arrangement is described in the supplied travel account.
The story
Medieval fortified architecture; the English Civil War
Best time to go
Any season; the castle is open during daylight hours, subject to current access conditions.
Visit during daylight hours. English Heritage says the site is open at reasonable times during daylight; check its current page before setting out.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
History lovers · Photographers
Before you go
Address
Phone
Website
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
Free entry; open at reasonable times during daylight hours. Viewing is from outside the castle, around the outer moat. Check the English Heritage page before travelling.
Check before visiting
Parking
English Heritage reports a free car park a short walk away, off Castle Hill; the route down into the village includes a moderate hill. Check current arrangements before travelling.
Check before visiting
Toilets
No public toilets in Nunney, according to English Heritage.
Food & drink
English Heritage lists a pub and shop in Nunney. Check current opening and food availability before visiting.
Check before visiting
Dogs
Dogs on leads are welcome, according to English Heritage.
Accessibility
The site is mostly level, but there are a small number of steps at the entry gate and onto the bridge over the moat. English Heritage notes a deep moat, steep sides and uneven surfaces. Check current access details if mobility is a concern.
Check before visiting
Cost
Free
Water
Moat; deep water is identified as a site hazard. Swimming and paddling permission are not established.
Gallery
Place photographs
Keep exploring
Around Nunney Castle
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
