Arundel Castle Guide

Arundel Castle, West Sussex
Arundel Castle - © Gregg M. Erickson

Arundel Castle is located in the town of Arundel on the South Coast of England, the medieval castle has been the home of the Earls of Arundel and the Dukes of Norfolk. Today the castle remains the home of the Duke of Norfolk and visitors to the castle can take a tour of the main castle building, see the interiors of the stately home with its great collections and explore the medieval parts of the castle. The castle and its grounds offer visitors a historic heritage site located in scenic countryside offering an interesting day out for the whole family.

Attractions


Arundel Castle is a medieval castle set in stunning grounds that overlook the River Arun in West Sussex. The castle was built towards the end of the 11th century by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel. The site contains the famous castle and stately home and has been the home of the Dukes of Norfolk and Earls of Arundel for many generations.

There is plenty of history and culture contained in the castle stretching back nearly 1,000 years, visitors can view the range of artefacts that have been collected over the years. There are works by Gainsborough and Reynolds on show among others. Outside of the castle there are the Victorian Gardens that have been restored offering a chance to relax and enjoy the scenic environment.

The Stately Home and a Fortified Castle form the basis of the site that has been the seat of the Dukes of Norfolk since back in 1067. Inside there are impressive collections of paintings, clocks, furniture, tapestries, armour and many more items that have been collected over the years. There are also some of the personal possessions of Mary, Queen of Scots.

The Castle was chosen in the film The Young Victoria released in 2009, the Arundel site was chosen and features in the film as the backdrop to a number of scenes. The castle has also been used by other film and TV projects over the years attracted at the well known locations and scenery at the site.

The Earl's Garden is a formal garden that has been built as a tribute to Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Arundel. The garden been conceived as a Jacobean formal garden. The garden is divided into formal courts and contains a centre canal pond and tufa-lined cascade.

Arundel Castle has a rich history and has been associated with a number of influential and prominent figures in history. The castle was damaged during the civil war in the middle of the 17th century, restoration of the castle began in the 18th century that ensured original Norman features in the castle were once again restored. It was during the period at the end of the 19th century that the castle underwent its most dramatic building changes, the 15th Duke of Norfolk embarked upon a building plan that would see the castle transformed in keeping with a gothic style.

The Fitzalan Chapel was founded back in 1390 by the 4th Earl of Arundel and is located in the grounds of Arundel Castle. The Fitzalan Chapel is still the burial place of the Dukes of Norfolk, the chapel represents a great example of Gothic architecture with features such as the choir stalls and timber roof. The carved stone tombs are of great interest for those interested in artistic design. Back in 1879 it was decided that the Chapel was not to be included in the Protestant parish church thus it remains Catholic.

The Gardens at the site have been open to the public since the middle of the 19th century, the gardens have over the years undergone much change and restoration. The gardens had unfortunately become neglected and not in the best of condition. Over a period of years the 2 acres of the gardens have undergone a great change and have become transformed to a thriving garden. The gardens contain a number of herbaceous borders along with contrasting foliage plants.

The Ornamental Victorian kitchen garden provides a range of fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers. The lean-to peach house and vinery that was first built back in 1850 has been restored to the glory it once had and houses a range of exotic fruit and vegetables. The Fitzalan Chapel too has its own small garden planted in white. There is now a rose garden where there was once a bowling green in the 18th Century.


How to Get There


By Car:

The castle is located 4 miles north of Littlehampton and in between Worthing and Chichester on the A27. From the A27 there are brown and white coloured tourist attraction road signs, follow these to get to the castle.

For those using Satellite Navigation systems the postcode to use is BN18 9AB.

There is a Pay & Display car park located opposite the Castle's Lower Lodge entrance in Mill Road.

By Train:

There are train services from London Victoria station to Arundel Station, the journey time is approx 1 hour 35 minutes. There are also train services from Brighton, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, Chichester and Portsmouth among others.

The Arundel train station is approx a 10 minute walk from the castle. Alternatively visitors can take a taxi from the station to the castle.

By Bus/Coach:

Stagecoach Coastliner Service 700 offers a half hourly service from Mon to Sat from Worthing to Arundel.

National Express offers daily services from Eastbourne to Falmouth stopping at Arundel. This represents a cost effective way to get to the castle.

Contact Details


Arundel Castle
High Street
Arundel
West Sussex
BN18 9AB

Telephone: +44 (0)1903 882173

Fax:: +44 (0)1903 884581

email: info@arundelcastle.org

Website: Arundel Castle

Facilities & Information


Opening Times:

Opening Dates:

From early April until November:

Open from Tuesday to Sunday and Mondays in Aug and Bank Holiday

For Castle and Grounds:

10.30 to 16.30 (with last admission at 16.00)


Further Information:

Admission Prices:

Gold Plus:

Adult: £15.00 approx, Children: £7.00 approx, Concessions: £12.50 approx, Family Ticket: £38.00 approx

NOTE: The Gold Plus admission ticket offers entry to all the attractions at the site, there are cheaper admissions for the Gold, Silver & Bronze tickets that offer entrance to a more limited number of attractions at the site.

The Castle Restaurant provides eating facilities on site with a range of sandwiches, snacks, light lunches and cakes along with a range of hot and cold drinks.

Map



View Larger Map

For Local Search and Directions see: Arundel Castle Map

Tips & Other Considerations


There may be some variations on the opening hours depending on the time of year and the attraction you wish to see. It is wise to double check before going to ensure the attraction you wish to see is open and avoid disappointment.

Remain alert, vigilant and aware of your surroundings & environment at all times when travelling. Make sure your wallet/purse and valuables are hidden away from public view (especially at tourist attractions & places with crowds). If you have a bag try to use a shoulder bag with a good quality, strong strap, that is put across your shoulder not on your shoulder making it more difficult for anyone to take your bag.

If you are travelling by car to Arundel ensure you are well prepared with maps and Sat Nav to aid your journey, particularly if you are not familiar with the local area and roads. Check traffic updates before you travel.

If you are travelling by public transport, check for service updates prior to beginning your journey for any delays, disruption or cancellations to services that may impact on your journey. Ensure you have the service timetables for the trains, buses and coaches. Remember when the last services are and ensure you make it to the train/bus/coach stops well in time to avoid missing the service.




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