Porchester Castle:
- Where Hampshire, England, PO16 9QW, UK
- Telephone 011-44-(0)2392 378291
- Access South of Porchester, off the A27; Porchester Rail Station one mile.
- Open Every day except Dec. 24-26 and Jan. 1;
- hours April through September, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; October through March , 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Admission £3.90
All of English history in one place: That's what some people call the very English Porchester Castle. It's Anglo Saxon, within Roman walls, with Norman additions. It was captured by the French from King John, in 1215 during the Baron's Rebellion -- when they forced him to sign the Magna Carta. Richard II turned part of it into a palace in 1396 after the Hundred Years War with France. Henry V left for Agincourt from its ramparts. It housed troops during the English Civil War in the 17th century and prisoners of the Napoleonic wars.
So right in the middle of things then. Anything else?: There's an Augustinian priory chapel built before the castle fell into Royal hands; 18th and 19th century graffitti from the French prisoners,as well as extensive archaeological finds from the Roman and Anglo Saxon era in a special exhibition.
Tell me, why am I interested?: If you are walking the South Down's Way and looking for a little break from your daily hikes -- or something to celebrate completing the challenge -- Porchester Castle is a fascinating glimpse of almost 2,000 years of English history. Easy to reach by train, bus or car, it's so close to stopovers around the middle stretch of the South Down's Way, that even a taxi ride is affordable.
And the facilities?:
- Interactive Audio tour with hearing loop and script available
- Shop with gifts and snacks
- Benches and picnic tables
- Restrooms, including wheelchair suitable restrooms
- Disabled visitors can drive on the gravel roadway inside castle
- Dogs on leashes allowed.
Where can I find out more?: English Heritage, a semi-governmental organisation, part supported by membership dues and visitors admission fees, protects and promotes England's historic heritage. Their interactive website has more information about Porchester Castle as well as other historic properties and scheduled events all over England.
Find out about the best traditional English pub to visit, near Porchester Castle, from our English Pub Pundit, H.O.Ward
