Castles by County

Basing House

Visited August 2024

Location	Nr. Basingstoke, Hampshire
Entrance Fee	Yes
Railway Station Nearby	Yes- Basingstoke- approx. 2.2miles
Parking	Yes
Facilities	Gift Shop, Toilets
Map

Basing House is now a ruin, but once upon a time it was one of the largest palaces in England, rivalling the size and splendour of Hampton Court. The Tudor palace was built onto the remains of an earlier castle, of which the foundations and associated earthworks survive today.

First building you come from on the site-the Great Barn
Great Barn 2
Interior view of the barn
Civil War damage to the barn
Hints of an agricultural past
Children's activities in the barn
Follow the path along the river

Category: Hampshire

Round Tower, Portsmouth

Visited September 2022

Location	Portsmouth, Hampshire
Entrance Fee	No
Railway Station Nearby	Portsmouth Harbour
Parking	Car Parks
Facilities	Cafe
Map

Situated in Old Portsmouth and perched on the entrance to the harbour, the Round Tower is one of Portsmouth's oldest fortifications.

View of the tower across the beach

Category: Hampshire

Carisbrooke Castle

Visited June 2013

Location	Newport, Isle of Wight
Entrance Fee	Yes
Railway Station Nearby	No
Parking	Yes
Facilities	Gift shop, Café, Toilets
Map

Carisbrooke Castle is one of the biggest tourist attractions on the Isle of Wight, and it is also the biggest & main castle on the island.

Category: Hampshire

Southampton Castle and City Walls

Visited July 2016

Location	Southampton, Hampshire
Entrance Fee	No
Railway Station Nearby	Yes
Parking	City Centre
Facilities	City Centre
Map

The Bargate, part of the city walls
The Bargate 2
Detail of the gate
Back of the Bargate
Statue of King George III (dressed as a Roman?)on the back of the Bargate

Category: Hampshire

Southsea Castle

Visited August 2012

Location	Southsea, Hampshire
Entrance Fee	No
Railway Station Nearby	Yes- Portsmouth Harbour
Parking	Yes
Facilities	Toilets, Gift Shop, Cafe
Map

Southsea Castle was built by Henry VIII as one of the many coastal defences built to protect England from a sea invasion. It was from the castle battlements that Henry watched as his flagship the 'Mary-Rose' sank to the bottom of the Solent, where it stayed until the 1980's (the remains of the ship can be seen on display at Portsmouth-see our 'other places of interest' page for the link to the Mary Rose museum)