Bristol Castle

A short history

The castle was built in the late 11th century at the eastern end of what is now Castle Park. In the early 1100s Robert, first Earl of Gloucester, rebuilt the keep in stone. After the Civil War, Oliver Cromwell ordered its destruction in 1655, and the work was finished within a fortnight. The area was later built over, then heavily bombed in November 1940; Castle Park opened on the cleared site in 1978.

What survives

The best-preserved piece is the Vaulted Chambers on Tower Street, carved stone arches over two rooms that probably formed the entrance to the great hall. It is a scheduled monument and has housed the Vaulted Chambers Cafe since 2021. Elsewhere, look for the 12th-century south curtain wall with a slit window on the lower riverside path, traces of the west wall and a sally port near St Peter's Church, and keep foundations merging with later foundry brickwork.

Visiting

Castle Park is open public parkland, so you can wander the remains at any time. The sally port is usually locked but tends to open during Bristol Open Doors in September. Pair the walk with the bombed-out shell of St Peter's Church, now a memorial to Blitz victims, then try a local beer at the Left Handed Giant Brewpub across the water.

Highlights

• Remains of a late 11th-century Norman castle
• Scheduled Vaulted Chambers, now a café
• 12th-century curtain wall and keep foundations
• Sally port opens for Bristol Open Doors
• Free to explore in Castle Park

Good to know

• The sally port is usually locked; it is normally opened during Bristol Open Doors in September.
• The south curtain wall is reached from the lower path beside the river.
• St Peter's Church ruin nearby is a memorial to civilians killed in the Bristol Blitz.

Frequently asked questions