Visit

Hastings Castle is a keep and bailey castle ruin situated on the West Hill cliff of Hastings, East Sussex. Its stunning views overlook the English Channel, with Eastbourne, St Leonards-on-Sea and Hastings Old Town being visible from above.

It is now an ancient monument site that is open for community activities, special cultural events, and for us to explore and examine who we are, based on 8,000 years of settlement history.

Due to long periods of inactivity, the natural world has made its mark, and a wide variety of wildlife and plants now call the castle their home.

Opening Hours

We are open to the public every day, 10am to 5pm. Last entry is at 4.30pm.

We are open on bank holidays, but are closed during the winter months.

We may sometimes close for special events so book in advance to guarantee entry.

Getting Here

Castle Hill Rd, Hastings, TN34 3AR

By Train

Hastings Station serves trains from Ashford, Brighton or London.

By Foot

A 15 minute step free walk from Hastings Station or a 10 minute walk from George Street in Old Town which includes steps and steep inclines.

By Car

There is limited on-street metered parking spaces on Castle Hill Road and a small car park towards the bottom of Castle Hill Road. Large seafront car parks include Pelham Place and Rock a-Nore.

Taxis can be ordered by calling 247 Taxi or Carmiles Taxi

By Bus

Once per hour you can catch the 328 bus from Hastings Station to Gordon Rd, then walk 3mins.

By West Hill Cliff Railway

[CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE]

Board a Victorian carriage from George Street in Old Town Hastings to our hilltop castle.

Open 10am - 5:30pm in summer. Not wheelchair accessible, pushchairs to be folded.

Tickets

You can pay for entry at the ticket office on arrival but we recommend booking in advance here.

Online Booking

Adults: £6.95
Kids Under 18: £5.45
Kids Under 5: Free
Hastings Residents*: £5.45
National Art Fund members: £5.45
Family Ticket (1 adult up to 3 children): £16
Family Ticket (2 adults up to 3 children): £21

* Eligible postcodes are BN24, TN5, TN19, TN21, TN31, TN32, TN33, TN34, TN35, TN36, TN37, TN38, TN39 and TN40.

Refunds

We are an open air venue and all bookings are subject to cancellation for bad weather whereby your tickets will be valid on other days or events.

The decision to cancel an event or close the castle for general admission will be decided by the events team on the morning of event.
For advance refund requests please refer to our ticket policy.

Dogs

Hastings Castle is currently part of an exclusion zone and as such, dogs are not permitted on site.

Schools & Groups

We welcome visits from schools and colleges, home schools and tourist groups.

Options include self-guided visits, guided tours and special events.
If you have any ideas or requirements for your visit, we're happy to hear them.

We are currently working on enhancing visits with activities, hand outs and other resources.

Pre-booked groups of 15 or more benefit from a group booking discount. Unbooked groups will be charged at normal admission rates.

To arrange your visit with discounted ticket prices, contact us at:
groups@hastingscastle.org.uk

Good To Know

Accessibility:

We are working on how access can be improved at the castle.

Currently, there is ramp up to the entrance and then two small steps.

To help plan your visit or to discuss your individual needs, please contact us at: hello@hastingscastle.org.uk

Toilets:

There are 3 unisex toilet cubicles on site, one of which is a disabled toilet, and holds a baby changing table.

Take care:

The grounds are bumpy and uneven and we advise visitors to take care when moving around the ancient monument site.

Children should be supervised at all times.

As we are a completely open air venue there is currently no shelter from the weather.

Restricted Areas:

The castle walls are very old and fragile and some areas are in the process of being supported or restored.

Please take note of barriers and signage and do not climb any of the walls.

Drones:

If you wish to film or fly drones over the castle please get in touch.

This site is a grade 2 listed, ancient monument site so damage is a major concern.

Food:

There are cold drinks and ice cream available at the ticket office on site.

The West Hill Kiosk just around the corner, serves hot & cold drinks, pastries and toasted sandwiches.

What's On