Walmer Castle and Gardens, Kent, United Kingdom

4Andrew B 5:00 PM Jul 20, 2020

Nice gardens and an enjoyable visit
We visited on an early Monday morning at the beginning of July. As is the norm nowadays we had to book our tickets in advance which was easy to do on line. I did think a concessionary price of £12.50 for the gardens was expensive for the experience. However we liked the colourful and well tended flower/shrub beds either side of the central walkway towards the castle and also the nearby pond around which there were plenty of seats. The circular hand held information signs attached to the seats were brilliant and something I had never seen before. Sweep had his picture taken with a bronze sculpture of one of the Queen Mother's corgis, sitting on a seat. Understandably the castle was closed but you did get nice views from the short raised walkway to the castle, looking down to the grounds below. The cafe did takeaway drinks etc and nearby were I think some new toilets. There is a very large and attractive picnic area with trestle tables - one of the nicest you will see. In summary an enjoyable visit.

5Anou-wandsworth 5:00 PM Jun 27, 2022

A Very Enjoyable Afternoon in a Beautiful Castle!
Walmer Castle is a fabulous building steeped in History! We love the fact that it's built in the shape of the Tudor Rose which gives it a unique quality, giving the rooms within a quaintness and unusual aspect. The Castle has, for centuries, been the official seat of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, a now ceremonial title only. Over the centuries, many Wardens brought in their own furniture and possessions giving the Castle a wonderful, eclectic and fascinating collection of artifacts, some of which are really beautiful! Wandering around the Castle, we loved how the rooms were set out, so many interesting bits of History to explore and wonder at. There's even a pair of The Duke of Wellingtons boots on display (he had surprisingly small feet!). On our way around we stopped to chat with some of the lovely ladies who are the Castle Guides - they were all very informative, friendly and helpful, giving us lots of additional information about the history of the Castle and its collections. The grounds outside are very pretty, although we visited on a rainy February day, we could imagine how lovely it would be in the Summer months. The Castle has a really warm, welcoming feel to it - it was a lovely afternoon and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit!