Oxford Castle and Prison

When William the Conqueror invaded England and won the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Oxford Castle was marked by the Normans as the ideal place for a motte-and-bailey castle. Over time, our site transformed from a castle into a prison. Today, after one millennium, Oxford Castle & Prison is one the most unique treasures of our city. Come along and explore!

Saturday 14th September

Oxford Silver Band 12:00 – 14:00

City of Oxford Silver Band will be performing at Oxford Castle on Saturday. They welcome new players of all ages and all abilities, so come and see, enjoy the music, and learn about how you could play with them. Performances 12:00 – 12.45 and 13:15 – 14:00.

Stone carving event: 09:30 - 17:00

Come along and watch expert stone carvers at work, including Alex Wenham, award-winning stone carver based in Oxford, who created art for St Paul’s cathedral, the Houses of Parliament and many Oxford Colleges.

Climb the mound for free! 09:00-17:00

Climb the mound of the 11th century motte-and-bailey castle with its 13th century well chamber. The view from the top is fabulous!

Sunday 15th September

Climb the mound for free! 09:00-17:00

Stone carving event: 09:30 - 16:00

Ghaetta Medieval Band 10:30 - 12:30

Free tours of Oxford Castle & Prison 10:00-17:00

Free tours every 20 minutes from 10:00 to 17:00. You can reserve your spot for all Sunday tours from 10:00 at the Castle, first come, first served.

Timings & Tours

Sunday 15 September:

1000-1700

Location & directions

Oxford Castle Quarter, New Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 1AY

Contact on day:

Stephen Dawson

Telephone number:

+441865242918

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Book on day

Booking conditions:

Free tours every 20 minutes from 10:00 to 17:00. These can be booked on the front desk on a first come, first served basis.

Accessibility details

The main entrance, Gift Shop, and The Key Learning Centre are all fully accessible.

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