Scarborough Castle

Before you go: the practical facts

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Address

Castle Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO11 1HY. Phone 01723 372451.

Who runs it

English Heritage.

Admission

English Heritage members go free with their card. Booking online by midnight the day before saves 15%, and tickets are valid all day. For ticket prices see the official page.

Opening

on 29 October 2026 the official page showed the castle open daily, 10am to 4pm, last entry 3.30pm. Over Christmas and New Year it is listed as open every day from Sunday 27 December to Sunday 3 January. Check English Heritage's opening times page for other winter days before you set off.

Getting there by car

there is no visitor car park at the castle. English Heritage suggests the Park and Ride or North Yorkshire Council's pay and display Marine Drive car park (YO11 1PG), which has 364 spaces; the council lists charges from 9am to 6pm between 1 March and 31 October only, and Blue Badge holders park free. A few informal disabled spaces on grass at the castle must be booked on 01723 372451. See /plan/parking.

Toilets

male and female toilets with baby changing, plus an accessible toilet. The nearest Changing Places toilet is at St Nicholas Gardens, Foreshore Road, YO11 1NU.

Food and drink

a coffee shed and an ice cream van serve hot and cold drinks, cakes and soft-serve ice cream. Picnics are welcome.

Dogs

welcome on a lead.

Accessibility

paths are mainly grass and cobbles with some bound gravel. Steps lead up to the keep, but other routes avoid them, and a strong pusher is recommended. An all-terrain Tramper scooter can be booked on 01723 372451. Ditches, moat and ramparts are unfenced.

Public transport

Scarborough station is about a mile away. Local buses 8A, 10, 20 and 115 run from West Square, opposite the station, to the Castle Road stop.

What you will see

You enter through the barbican, the fortified gateway on the landward side. Its gate tower and bridge were built for Henry III in 1243 to 1245, and the bridge over a double ditch is still the only way in. Beyond rises Henry II's great tower, over 27 metres (90 feet) high. Its western wall fell after the bombardment of 1645, leaving an open-sided shell. Viewing platforms in the inner bailey and great tower look over both bays. The inner bailey also holds a 14th century kitchen, brewhouse and bakehouse, and a well more than 46 metres deep. The Master Gunner's House, a small early 18th century house with stepped gables, has displays on the site's long story. Near the cliff edge, grassy mounds mark the Roman signal station, with foundations of a chapel built over it around the year 1000. Children can pick up free activity sheets, and there is an audio tour.

A short history

Pottery found on the headland dates from about 2100 to 1600 BC, and people were living here around 800 BC and 500 BC. Around AD 370 the Romans built a signal station to watch the coast; it was abandoned in the early fifth century. The castle was begun in the 1130s by William le Gros, made Earl of York by King Stephen in 1138. Henry II built the great tower between 1159 and 1169, and King John spent more here than on any other castle, adding walls from 1202 to 1212. During the Civil War the Royalist Sir Hugh Cholmley held out for five months before surrendering on 25 July 1645, out of gunpowder, money and food. On 27 July 1648 the Parliamentarian garrison declared for the king, surrendering again that December. On the morning of 16 December 1914 German warships fired more than 500 shells at the town and castle in about 20 minutes. The castle's 18th century barracks was wrecked and the great tower was hit. In Scarborough 17 people died that morning and two more later.

Tips and timing

• The headland is exposed, so bring a warm layer even on a bright day. In winter, check opening days online and arrive early to make the most of the light.

Nearby

• Scarborough
• Things to do in Scarborough
• Whitby
• Whitby Abbey
• The coast

Scarborough Castle FAQs

Is Scarborough Castle open in winter?

It is listed as open daily from 27 December to 3 January. Check the official opening times page for other winter days before you travel.

Can you take dogs to Scarborough Castle?

Yes, dogs are welcome on a lead.

Where do you park for Scarborough Castle?

There is no visitor car park. Use the Park and Ride or Marine Drive car park (YO11 1PG). Disabled visitors can book a space at the castle on 01723 372451.

Is Scarborough Castle free for English Heritage members?

Yes. Everyone else pays admission, with a 15% saving for booking online in advance.

Is Scarborough Castle wheelchair accessible?

Partly. Paths are grass, cobbles and gravel, with steps to the keep that other routes avoid. A Tramper scooter can be booked.

What happened to Scarborough Castle in 1914?

On 16 December 1914 German warships shelled Scarborough, wrecking the castle's barracks and damaging the great tower.

Sources checked 29 October 2026: English Heritage (visit, prices, opening, directions, facilities, access, history, description and shelling; Christmas opening list); English Heritage description; English Heritage history; English Heritage shelling; Historic England 1011374; North Yorkshire Council Marine Drive car park; East Yorkshire Buses.