Portchester Castle is open daily until Sunday 1 November 2026, then closed every day into March. Hours, adult tickets from £8.50 and what to do instead.
Portchester Castle is open every day until Sunday 1 November 2026 and then closed every day from Monday 2 November through to the middle of March 2027. That is English Heritage’s own opening calendar, read on 25 September 2026 (English Heritage).
So there is no winter or Christmas opening at the castle this year. If you want to climb the keep before spring, October half term is the last chance.
The quick answer
- Open daily to 1 November: 10am to 5pm until 24 October, then 10am to 4pm from Sunday 25 October, when the clocks go back.
- Closed every day from 2 November until at least 16 March 2027, the furthest date English Heritage’s calendar covers.
- Adults from £8.50 on weekdays if booked online by midnight the day before; English Heritage members free.
Opening hours, autumn 2026
| Dates | Days | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 25 Sep to Sat 24 Oct | Every day | 10am to 5pm |
| Sun 25 Oct to Sun 1 Nov | Every day | 10am to 4pm |
| Mon 2 Nov to mid March 2027 | Closed every day | Closed, including Christmas and New Year |
Ticket prices
English Heritage prices weekdays in autumn as off-peak and weekends as standard. Booking online by midnight the day before is cheaper than paying on the day. These are the prices without the optional Gift Aid donation, which adds about 10%.
| Ticket | Weekday, online | Weekday, on the day | Weekend, online | Weekend, on the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | £8.50 | £10.00 | £9.26 | £10.90 |
| Child (5 to 17) | £4.25 | £5.00 | £4.59 | £5.40 |
| Concession | £7.65 | £9.00 | £8.50 | £10.00 |
| Family (2 adults, up to 3 children) | £21.25 | £25.00 | £23.12 | £27.20 |
| English Heritage member | Free | Free | Free | Free |
Source: English Heritage’s published price and calendar data for the castle, read on 25 September 2026. Tickets are valid all day.
Before you go
From English Heritage’s facilities page:
- Parking is charged, about 200m from the entrance, and is not run by English Heritage.
- There are no toilets on site. The nearest are in the large car park outside the castle walls.
- Dogs on leads are welcome throughout.
- The outer bailey is more than nine acres of grass, with an outer walk around the castle and views over the harbour. Ball games and kites are allowed.
- Pushchairs can reach the ground floors only; the exhibition in the keep has a ramp. Snacks and drinks are sold on site.
What to do instead this winter
Fort Nelson, the Royal Armouries’ Victorian fort on Portsdown Hill above Portchester, is free to enter. In term time it opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm, and advance booking is recommended (Royal Armouries). Its winter extras:
- Halloween Fun at the Fort, free, daily from 24 October to 1 November, the same week as the castle’s last opening days
- East Tunnel Tours on Saturday 14 November 2026 and Saturday 16 January 2027, at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2pm, £12, for ages 12 and over, into a tunnel normally closed to the public (Royal Armouries)
Parking at the fort is £3 per vehicle for non-members.
Still to be confirmed
- The castle’s exact 2027 reopening date and prices: English Heritage’s calendar currently stops at 16 March 2027.
- Fort Nelson’s opening days from December: bookings are currently open only to 27 November.
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