Donnington Castle
Newbury, United Kingdom
Donnington Castle
Donnington Castle is a ruined medieval castle, situated in the small village of Donnington, just north of the town of Newbury in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Sir Richard Abberbury the Elder in 1386 and was bought by Thomas Chaucer before the castle was taken under royal control during the Tudor period. During the First English Civil War the castle was held by the royalist Sir John Boys and withstood an 18-month siege; after the garrison eventually surrendered, Parliament voted to demolish Donnington Castle in 1646. Only the gatehouse survives. The site is a scheduled monument under the care of English Heritage.
The manor of Donnington had been owned by the Adderbury family since 1292, Donnington Castle was built by its original owner, Sir Richard Abberbury the Elder, under a licence granted by Richard II in 1386. The surviving castle gatehouse dates from this time. In 1398, the castle was sold to Thomas Chaucer, son of the poet Geoffrey Chaucer, as a residence for his daughter Alice, who later became Duchess of Suffolk. The Duke of Suffolk William De La Pole made Donnington his occasional residence, and considerably enlarged the buildings.
Accommodations near Donnington Castle
Donnington Grove
see price.
Nearby Tours & Activities
Opening times
| Monday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Friday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Saturday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Sunday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
Guests' reviews
Castle ruins located on a hill with good views of the surrounding area. There is parking available but the road up is narrow and the speed humps are *huge* so take them very slowly.
Great little castle to visit if you are near Newbury and have 30 minutes to kill. Don't be put off by the seemingly private road and vicious speed humps; just follow the signs for the castle from the main Newbury to Wantage road and you reach a free car park at the base of the castle hill. The castle is free. Path up is a little steep and not particularly even, so take care if mobility is an issue. The castle itself is just the one standing tower/stone-keep with earthworks and low walls around. If there on a clear day there is a good view of the surrounding area to the south. Windsor Castle it is not, but if you like your history off the beaten track, check it out..
Nice surroundings, view is beautiful during the sunny days. Not much left from the medieval residence except two-tower gate in a good condition. Nice choice to spend an hour together with the walk up from the main road.
Nice little castle and good views of the landscape. Good for a small hike and quick visit. Not much else to do apart from that though.
Good views nice place to visit plenty of space for kids to run round a bit hard to find but worth visiting
Beautiful scenic views of Newbury. Perfect to walk from the Donnington Grove Hotel, relax by the ruins, feel the magic and the greateness of a Castle from 1386 (!) and just enjoy the clean air and beautiful sunsets. In Spring the valley it's beautifully colourful with flowers and around the Castle you can find lots of Bluebells. Summertime has amazing views at the sunset and the smell of the summery wild flowers in the hills. Autumn it's beautiful from the Castle, seeing the valley with golden trees and pastures. Beautiful in the Winter, specially if you go on a rainy day and just watch the rain fall in the town. This year, was amazingly beautiful to see the Castle and all around all snowed.
This ruin is at the end of a winding road and then you hit a small car park that has room for quite a few cars. It is a small walk up to the top of the hill with a bit of a steep walk. It is just a ruin but has great views from the top of the hill. The ruin is locked up so you can only walk around but is a fascinating piece of history.
At the end of a narrow street (you should leave the car in the parking lot outside and walk through it) rise the remains of this 13th century castle almost completely destroyed during the British Civil War. Very nice ruin, only the gatehouse still standing and towering over the green country side. Good for a Sunday walk.
A good walk (from Newbury), the ruins themselves are nothing special - the place is super old and not much left to be seen, but the area and view from there - pretty nice and peaceful. Good for a picnic, a weekend out with the kids and/or pets, or just a place for a walk, meditation, exercise.
Good castle (or better what's left of it) to visit when in Newbury. One can tell it was a fine castle before most of it was ruined. Parking area 3 minutes away with about 20 spaces (no charge). No facilities around. Definitely a site to see when in the area. It only takes around 15 minutes anyways.
Great place to have a picnic or just to read a book in the shadow of the ruins of this beautiful castle. Plenty of space for kids to run around and play.
What's left of the structure looks great and the views and surrounding countryside are lovely. Easy access from car also.
