Raglan Castle
Welsh fortress-palace transformed into regal residence
The unmistakable silhouette of Raglan crowning a ridge amid glorious countryside is the grandest castle ever built by Welshmen.
We can thank Sir William ap Thomas, the ‘blue knight of Gwent’, for the moated Great Tower of 1435 that still dominates this mighty fortress-palace. His son Sir William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, created the gatehouse with its flared ‘machicolations’.
These stone arches allowed missiles to be rained down on attackers. But Raglan came 150 years later than the turbulent heyday of castle-building. It was designed to impress as much as to intimidate.
Under various earls of Worcester Raglan was transformed into a magnificent country seat with a fashionable long gallery and one of the finest Renaissance gardens in Britain. But loyalty to the crown was to prove its undoing.
Despite a garrison of 800 men and one of the longest sieges of the Civil War, it fell to parliamentary forces and was deliberately destroyed. Among the looted treasures was a piece of Tudor wooden panelling, now proudly displayed in the visitor centre after being rescued from a cow shed in the 1950s.
How to visit
• purchase your admission tickets on arrival (or book online)*
• view our opening times and prices below
• check Welsh Government health & safety advice before visiting.
*pre-booked tickets are non-refundable.
Gallery
Expand image
Expand image
Expand image
Expand image
Opening times & prices
Opening times
| 1st March - 30th June | 09.30am-5pm |
|---|---|
| 1st July - 31st August | 09.30am-6pm |
| 1st September - 31st October | 09.30am-5pm |
| 1st November - 28th February | 10am-4pm |
|
Last admission 30 minutes before closing Closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January Please note: during extreme weather conditions we may need to close monuments at short notice, please check our social media channels before visiting to ensure the site is open and safe to visit. Facebook @CadwWales | Twitter @cadwwales |
|
Prices
| Category | Price |
|---|---|
| Member - Join now |
Free
|
| Adult |
£9.50
|
| Family* |
£30.40
|
| Disabled person and companion |
Free
|
| Juniors (Aged 5-17) / Students** |
£6.70
|
| Seniors (Aged 65+) |
£8.80
|
|
*Admits 2 adults and up to 3 children All children under 5 receive free entry. **Student photo ID card is required to be shown on entry Blue Light Card holders and HM Armed Forces & Veterans receive 10% off admission (not available online). |
|
Visitor information
Access guide
Please read our accessibility guidance for information on how to plan your visit.
Baby changing
Toilets available with baby changing facilities.
Car park
The car park at Raglan is situated within the castle grounds on a grassed surface.
Car parking for approx. 120 cars; no dedicated accessible parking.
Disabled person access
Inside the monument there are lawns, gravelled and cobbled areas.
There are steps within the monument, Limited wheelchair access
Portable hearing
A portable induction loop is available.
Toilets
Customer toilets available at this site; one accessible toilet at the rear of the visitor centre.
Gift shop
Gift shop at this site offering a range of products and guidebooks.
Picnic tables
Picnic benches and /or tables are available for visitor use.
Venue hire
This site is available to hire for events, filming and exhibitions.
Wi-Fi
Cadw free public WiFi available at this site.
Refreshments
Raglan Castle Café – located approx. 300 metre / 5 min walk from Raglan Castle.
(Please note this cafe is not owned or managed by Cadw – please visit their Facebook page or call 01291 691899 for opening times)
Dogs welcome
Dogs on short leads welcome to access ground floor levels of the site.
Drone policy
Please read our policy information about flying drones at Cadw monuments: read the guidance
No smoking
Smoking is not permitted.
School visits
To book your free self-led education visit to this site, go to our self-led education visits section.
While you're there, check out our free learning resources to help with your time travel adventure!
Directions
Address
Castle Rd, Raglan, Usk NP15 2BT
For contractors, educational visits and deliveries please ring 01291 690228
Rydym yn croesawu galwadau’n Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh
Telephone 03000 252239
Email RaglanCastle@gov.wales
Postcode NP15 2BT.
For further information, please contact: Traveline Cymru on 0800 464 0000 or National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50.
