Framlingham Castle with kids: Suffolk day out

From its links to royalty and fantastic wall walk to a string of fun family activities, there are so many reasons to love visiting Framlingham Castle with kids.

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One of my own favourite castles, I seized the chance to head back with my daughter on our latest visit to Norfolk, staying just across the border from Framlingham itself in Suffolk.

For anyone who loves history, there’s plenty to discover here, from the first English woman to be made a Duchess in her own right to a baron who helped force King John to sign the Magna Carta, treasonous noblemen and the home of England’s first crowned Queen regnant.

And if you’re visiting Framlingham Castle with kids, the historic attractions are as timelessly tempting as ever.

First up, we headed up to walk around the walls, via the exhibition on Framlingham’s history – most famously as the place where Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII, was proclaimed Queen, and there’s a portrait of the monarch along with recreations of her clothes.

She wasn’t the only powerful noble to inhabit the castle though. Many of the Dukes of Norfolk lived here over the centuries, as likely to be found plotting against the king or queen as advising them.

More than one ended up in the Tower of London or on the scaffold, including the third Duke, Thomas Howard, uncle to both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard (both of whom he was quick to disown when they fell from Henry VIII’s favour).

His own son was beheaded for treason, and only the king’s own death allowed the Duke of Norfolk to escape the same fate.

There’s more about the earliest owners, one of whom challenged King John, another who wielded such power as Countess that she was made Duchess in her own right.

Some of the interactive exhibits in this section were closed when we visited, so after discovering Framlingham’s later fate as a workhouse – the building the exhibition itself is in, along with the cafe and shop – we climbed the spiral stairs to head out onto the walls.

As you’re 10.5 metres up, the views are fantastic, gazing out to the mere behind the castle, which helped supply the castle with water, as well as down onto the grass of the inner Court and across back to Framlingham itself.

There are signs dotted around the walls as you go, plus a downloadable audio guide for your phone with a rather fun kids’ version to listen to.

As normal, my daughter wanted to scamper along the walls rather than hang around listening so we ended up catching up on some of the commentary afterwards over our lunch.

Along the way, don’t miss the amazing decorative chimney pots, which reminded me of Hampton Court Palace – although here, only four of them are actually working chimney.

The rest are purely ornamental, a Tudor status symbol, showing off the latest fashion and the owner’s wealth.

The walls are the most complete part of the castle to survive but there’s still some evidence of the old buildings inside the inner court. We found the foundations of the old kitchens, as well as the site of the chapel, with indentations to show where other chambers would once have stood.

You can spot a few signs around to give hints of life as it would have been in the castle but they’re limited – it’s a good place to let imaginations roam free if you’re visiting Framlingham Castle with kids.

Visit during the school holidays and there are often family activities taking place too. While we were there, the History Tellers duo had a series of performances each day, including sword fighting for beginners and a gallop through the history if castles.

Our favourite was a fantastic little show about armour through the ages, complete with plenty of slapstick and ridiculous stories of armour wearers from centuries past – not to mention a way of measuring weight by number of large dogs, which we enjoyed so much that we’ve taken to using it every day (four large dogs being the heaviest armour and the best way to describe something ridiculously weighty).

Before we knew it, we’d spent several hours exploring inside the walls, with walks outside in the castle grounds to discover too.

You can stroll around the moat, which was a white sea of cow parsley in early June, and a chance to see the old bridge entrance, as well as heading down towards the mere, a nature reserve filled with wildflowers and birdlife.

For more of the best castles in the UK with kids, check out my top choices from around the country

Even if you don’t walk any further along the paths, head round to the back for one of the best views of the castle on the hill – yes, I can’t write a whole post about visiting Framlingham Castle with kids without mentioning that it inspired the Ed Sheeran song.

Whether you’re now humming it or hate it, this is the perfect vantage point to sit and gaze up at those timeless walls, thinking of what life must once have been like here and the drama the stones have witnessed.

Need to know: Framlingham Castle with kids

Tickets to Framlingham Castle cost from £11.30 for adults, £6.80 for kids, with a discount if you book online in advance. It’s free to English Heritage members – there’s currently 15% off using code EHAFF2024 if you join here.

There is a car park on the grass by the castle: there are parking charges for non-members, free for members (bring your sticker or speak to staff at the gate). There are also car parks in Framlingham itself.

You’ll also find signs with the QR code to scan for the audio guide on your phone inside the castle, including the point where you head up to the wall walk.

There are toilets nearby, and a cafe which promises Tudor-inspired dishes – there was a limited selection, takeaway-only during our visit, so I didn’t get to test that out.

There is lots of space outdoor for picnics too. Bring a blanket or you can also find some tables and benches dotted around the grass.

If you want to combine castle and sea, you’re only a short drive from Southwold and Walberswick.

Southwold itself tends to be busier in summer but has other things to do with kids, while Walberswick is known for its crabbing. There are also sand dunes at the harbour end of Southwold beach with a car park nearby that tend to be quieter.

For more things to do in Suffolk with kids, check out my top picks, along with ideas of things to do in Suffolk in the rain with kids

*last updated 2024*

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