Walmer Castle and Gardens - Deal

Daniel

As with all English heritage sites you get greeted by lovely members of staff.
The first thing you should visit here is the magnificent gardens. The gardens here are one of the best of all English heritage sites I’ve visited to date.
The queens mother was a tenant here and she had a great input into the garden.
This was also home to the Duke of Wellington. You can also see his famous wellington boots on display.
The woods is a wonderful walk and lots of activities and play areas for the children.
The old quarry at the far end has been turned into a beautiful garden and is such a peaceful place to just sit and relax and listen to the birds.
This is absolutely worth a visit and a great family day out.

Ben A.

We had a nice half term visit to the castle. Parking is just across the road but is quite limited (lost one star). However, the castle itself is a good day out, lots of history and knowledgeable guides. The gardens are even more lovely than the castle and provided a good walk with lots of interesting places and a kids play area. The shop is the standard English Heritage fare but with the addition of a well stocked second hand book area in the large cellar below. The restaurant served up the usual but delicious range of savoury and sweet food which ended our visit well.

win T.

Another treat for the members of English Heritage. Not doubt lovely place to visit. Not much crowd so relax and learn a bit British history. Very warmly welcomed by the staff and pleasant visit. Plenty to a look for a couple of hours before down by the coast for rest of day.

slik 0.

Lovely little gem located on the Kent coastline neighbouring Deal. Inside the Castle there is a well preserved interior with many furniture pieces and decorations which are reminiscent of the past era. Amazing gardening features including Romans garden which makes a pleasant walk around the Castle. 🏰 🏡 🌲 🌺

Thomas C.

The site is very well maintained and offers a truly pleasant experience. Unfortunately, we arrived a bit late and were only able to visit the gardens. Despite this, we thoroughly enjoyed our time exploring the various activities for children, the scenic walk, and the well-kept green spaces. It’s a visit we would definitely recommend, especially for families looking for a mix of relaxation and adventure.

However, it would be great if there were two separate pricing options: one for just the gardens and another that includes the castle visit, for those who might not have the time to do both. We also noticed a lovely café located in the greenhouse, which looked very inviting, but sadly it was closing as we arrived.

All in all, it’s a beautiful place that’s well worth a visit, even if we didn’t get to see everything this time.

Joy C.

Walmer Castle has been a well-kept, secret, lovely place to visit. An amazing view over the sea from the ramparts and the best gardens, with a taste of time from the past. I love this beautiful place and will visit whenever I am in the area. The fruit scone with jam and clotted cream was all the better (if that is possible!), from being eaten on the ramparts looking out across the sea...

Eleanor T.

What a beautiful castle. Loved the rooms and all the history, especially The Duke of Wellington and Pitt the Younger. Gardens are glorious and the walk through the woods an absolute delight. Conservatory cafe had the most delicious cakes. Views from the bastions are fabulous looking over the sea.

Colin N.

Plenty of car parking space, despite August Bank Holiday week. Nevertheless, there were lots of visitors.
The gardens consist of a long reflecting pool, and an Italianate style shelter at one end with raised viewing platform at the other end. This garden was designed by the Queen Mother. There is a kitchen garden that is very well tended, with glasshouse style cafe alongside. There is a circular woodland walk along which there are placed small wooden figures of native birds on posts with a brief account of the bird.
A pedestrian ramp allows visitors to access the dry moat gardens which display exotic plants around the circumference of the castle.
Inside the castle, at entrance level are two rooms. Whilst currently furnished, they were originally cannon emplacement. There is a small cafe just inside the castle entrance, and a visitor's shop.
Upstairs, the newly opened living accommodation for the current Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Guides are available in the castles who will respond to questions about life at the castle from it's origins up until the present day.
From the roof it is possible to view the cannons which are aimed at the English Channel, and on a clear day, the coast of France can be seen.