Things To See and do at Framlingham Castle
Visit Framlingham Castle for a fun day out exploring one of England’s finest baronial fortresses. Below you’ll find our highlights for your trip: the breathtaking walk; the fun audio guide; the interactive displays in the Workhouse; and the eating and shopping options for your day.
Walk the wall
Embark on a journey of discovery around the magnificent wall walk. At a spectacular 10.5 metres high and 2.3 metres thick, this curtain wall has stood for more than 800 years. Listen to the free audio guide (one for adults; another, one for kids) as you go. Look down if you dare…
The castle's curtain wall has been carefully conserved so future generations are able to enjoy spectacular views of Framlingham mere and surrounding countryside. Take the opportunity to count the chimneys; these are the oldest surviving 12th-century and Tudor chimneys in the country.
Visit the Workhouse
Take a look inside Framlingham's workhouse, the only building remaining inside the castle walls today. Built around the shell of the castle's medieval great hall, the workhouse provided works and lodging for the town's paupers from the 17th to the 19th century.
The building was previously known as the poorhouse, but research has revealed that the Red House of 1664 and the adjacent stone building of 1729 were actually built as workhouses.
Workhouses were places where the poorest members of the community carried out useful work in return for financial support, and accommodation. Institutions like the Framlingham workhouse gave way to the notoriously harsh workhouses of the Victorian age.
Explore the exhibition
Discover the stories of Framlingham Castle in the exhibition on the reinstated mezzanine level in the Workhouse.
Get to know the castle's varied owners in the exhibition walkthrough. Former residents included the famous Howard family and Mary Tudor. Mary was proclaimed Queen of England at Framlingham castle in 1553.
A game inspired by Duchess Margaret Brotherton challenges you to create plates of food and place them next to the class that would have eaten them in 'Who Eats What?'. Or you can challenge the monarch by playing 'Spin the King' to see their fate.
And you can try on everything from a Norman helmet to a workhouse cap in the ‘Hats Through the Ages’ dressing up section.
Stop for a bite
Top up your energy with a tasty treat from the Framlingham Castle cafe.
Choose from a selection of hot and cold seasonal meals, hot snacks, sandwiches and baguettes, and cakes and bakes. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options are available.
Children’s meals, lunch boxes, and highchairs are also available. You can find allergen and nutritional information here.
Thank you! Every cuppa, cake, chutney or crime thriller you buy helps us look after England’s heritage.
Build your own … forest
Throughout England’s history, people have always been connected to forests, whether they lived in a palace, castle, abbey or village. Forests provided timber for building houses and firewood to keep warm, while kings and queens hunted among the trees.
What will your forest look like? Which trees, flowers, bushes and plants will you have? What animals will call it home? Follow the trail (one of four World Builder Challenge trails at our sites) and come up with your own answers.
Find out more about the World Builder Challenge trails and where you can find them.