Walmer Castle and Gardens

English Heritage site originally built by Henry VIII as a defensive fort, but later became a stately home, including for the Lord Wardens of the Cinque Ports. There are two apartment sections, lovely gardens, cafe, and shop to see. We spent a little over an hour, but could’ve spent more if visiting the cafes or sitting in the gardens. Apartments have two separate parts: 1. Main house, which has six rooms over two floors, including the room where Duke of Wellington died. Significant focus on him plus a few other historic wardens info. Little signage about the rooms, though some objects are marked. Definitely speak to the volunteers for more details. 2. Warden apartments, which are more modern as built in the 1870s and decorated in 20th century. Up one flight of winding stairs and some signs on top. A little less interesting from historical context but still worth seeing. Note: No photos allowed inside, which is disappointing. Gardens are accessed through the house and larger, more varied than expected. Both lovely manicured gardens and wild, forested areas. A few benches and picnic tables to enjoy the scenery. Cafe, clean toilets, and a well-stocked shop (with used bookstore in the shop’s basement) provide a nice visit. Car park is on the grass just a two minute walk from the entrance.

Had a wonderful day at Walmer castle, we arrived just in time for the free Tudor tour and our tour guide Amanda was so knowledgeable. The gardens are stunning and a real treat to explore. I'll definitely be returning!

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.

A fabulous day was spent in the sunshine walking the beautiful gardens and forest. Followed by delicious cream tea with my friend Valerie, We were speaking with so many other visitors. Lots of laughter with Ross, Pete Ruth, and the lovely lady we registered with for our membership. I believe we made their day, but they also made ours with their friendliness, sharing their knowledge, and they all had a wickedly fun sense of human. We will return and definitely share with family and friends to visit you all. Thank you all. Please pass on to all staff members that we met on Monday 14th April 2025.

The castle has a good history although not all the sections were not made accessible due to potential renovation work. The garden is actually a big one and I will recommend to block a good amount of time (at least one hour) espcially if you are in a bigger group. You can even plan for a picnic, just be mindful to pick all the litters to the nearby bins. Definitely not a big castle but overall experience was nice. It could be slightly cheaper though.