Information for families visiting Pontefract Castle

$A group of four children and an adult grinning and holding their arms in the air at Pontefract Castle$

Pontefract Castle has lots of fun for families of all shapes and sizes! Here you can find information about visiting the castle for families. This will help you to plan your visit.

We're delighted to have won a Tripadivsor’s® Travellers' Choice® Award 2025. This places us among the top 10% of listings around the world on Tripadvisor.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

A black rotary telephone next to a notepad

Contact us

You can contact us in advance of your visit with any questions. You can email us at castles@wakefield.gov.uk and we will get back to you during office hours. These are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

You can also ring the Visitor Centre on 01977 723440. We will usually pick up the phone during our normal opening hours.

If we cannot pick up the phone, please leave a message with your name and contact number as we will ring you back.

$A group of two adults and three children walking through the main gate at Pontefract Castle$

How to get to Pontefract Castle

Find out how to get to Pontefract Castle by car or public transport on our Plan your visit page.

We have a free car park behind the castle. The postcode for the car park is WF8 2JF. Use What3Words code prefer.frog.pays for the car park location.

Please note: there are limited spaces in our car park. It can fill up quickly on event days.

There is parking available in the nearby town centre (charges apply): Alternative car parks in Pontefract

$Two children looking in a display case containing cannonballs found at Pontefract Castle$

Visual story and floor plans

You can download a floor plan of the Visitor Centre.

You can download a sensory map of the Visitor Centre. This will help you know what to expect on your visit.

$Two toddlers walking along the path at Pontefract Castle with a doll's pushchair$

Arriving at Pontefract Castle

Pontefract Castle is on Castle Chain, Pontefract, West Yorkshire,WF8 1QH.

Use What3Words code bench.visual.field for the main entrance.

Pontefract Castle is free entry for all. You do not need to book a ticket.

Last entry to the castle grounds is 30 minutes before closing. View opening hours before your visit.

You can move around the main castle site on the gravel and stone level access paths. The keep mound is unfortunately only accessible by a series of steps. However, you can view this from the main castle area.

There is no dedicated pushchair storage at the castle.

Toilets and baby changing

An accessible toilet and baby changing space is available in the Visitor Centre entrance. These toilets are open until 4pm daily.

The accessible toilet does not require a radar key.

The level access entrance to the toilets is through a set of double doors. These doors are usually kept propped open, except for when it is very rainy or windy.

Unfortunately, we do not have changing places facilities. The nearest changing places toilet can be found at Junction 32 Outlet Shopping Village, WF10 4FR, 2 miles away.

Pontefract Castle is a breastfeeding-friendly location. You are welcome to breastfeed your baby anywhere on site.

A smiling member of staff in her black uniform serving a customer in the Gift Shop

Assistance

Our staff are happy to help you with anything you might need. Our staff wear a black uniform.

There will always be a member of staff inside the Visitor Centre when it is open.

The Visitor Centre is open:

(1 April - 30 September): Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
(1 October - 31 March): Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm

Most staff have attended Makaton Awareness training, Visual Impairment training, Sighted Guided training and Autism Awareness training.

We often have volunteers on site. Our volunteers wear a green uniform. You can also ask them for help or with any questions.

$A child swinging on a battering ram style swing at Pontefract Castle$

Family activities

There's lots to do at Pontefract Castle. Discover Pontefract’s past through tours, dressing up, smelling the herbs in the garden and getting creative!

Every Sunday, from 11am to 3pm, we have free drop-in craft activities in the Activity Zone.

On the first Wednesday of the month (term-time only) from 1.30pm to 2.30pm we have Ilbert’s Dragon Tales. You can book onto our upcoming Ilbert's Dragon Tales sessions in our online ticket shop.

Open every day is the castle playground. We’ve got battering ram swings, slides and climbing frames. Find out who’s the King or Queen of the castle – and who’s the dirty rascal!

Discover the castle in a new way with our multi-sensory explorer backpacks. It’s full of tools and trails to use on your visit. Free to borrow from the Gift Shop. There is one that can be reserved in advance by calling the Visitor Centre on 01977 723440.

Discover the stories hidden in the castle ruins on a bookable guided Explorer Tour. Suitable for all ages. There is a fee for adults and children (under 5s free). The route is accessible for wheelchair users and pushchairs.

Join us for a bookable tour of the Pontefract Castle dungeon! Soak in the atmosphere of this eerie underground space. A fee for adults and children (ages 5+) apply. These tours are not suitable for under 5s, wheelchair users or blind / partially sighted visitors. The dungeon is only reachable by 44 steep steps. You can also go on a virtual Dungeon Tour on our YouTube.

Pontefract Castle and Wakefield Museum programme a popular term-time Home Education workshop offer. You can book onto our upcoming Home Education sessions in our online ticket shop.

Please note: the Pontefract Castle fire alarm is tested every Wednesday at around 3:30pm. There will be up to 3 different alarm soundings.

Find out what's on at Pontefract Castle

A child and adult doing the Makaton symbol for 'soldier'

Access information

Browse our full access information for Pontefract Castle

$Two members of staff in the café at Pontefract Castle$

Food and drink

You can find The Keep Café inside the Visitor Centre. It is open:

1 April to 30 September: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
1 October to 31 March: Wednesday to Sunday, 10:30am to 2:30pm

You'll find a range of hot and cold drinks, tasty sweet treats and snacks. There's kids' options, and vegan and gluten-free choices available. Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome in the café.

You are also welcome to bring a picnic. You can eat your picnic at benches around the site. We have two on the grassed area with adaptations to suit most wheelchairs.

There are other cafés are in the town centre a short distance from Pontefract Castle.

If you are looking for a restaurant, our friends at Experience Wakefield have lots of suggestions for places to go around Pontefract.

50 things to do

Have you heard of 50 things to do before you're 5 and 50 things ages five to eleven? They're collections of no-cost or low-cost activities for families in the Wakefield district.

The 50 Things app explains each of the recommended activities. It provides a guide to events and opportunities available locally. It is available to download for free on the Play Store and Apple Store.