Once
upon a time,
the city was threatened by attack from the sea.
Henry VIII ordered that Southsea Castle be built to defend Portsmouth
and it harbour. Since then the Castle has been guarding the city for
over 400 years.
Visitor Information
Please click here to see the admission charges for Southsea Castle >
Opening Times
Open Daily:
April-September - 10am-5.30pm
October-March - closed except by prior group booking.
Last entry is 30 minutes before closing time.
Admission
UB40: Holders of UB40 admitted at student rate.
Senior Citizens: Concessions for adults aged 60 or over.
Children: aged 13 and under are free if accompanied by a full paying adult.
To see the admission charges, please click on the link at the top of this page.
Education
British schools free if booked in advance.
Telephone +44 (0) 23 9229 6905 for reservations.
Groups
Discounts if booked 48hrs in advance, for parties of 20 or more.
Telephone +44 (0) 23 9229 6905 for reservations.
Car parking
Car and coach pay and display parking is available near the museum, including in the D-Day Museum car park, and on Clarence Esplanade and the Avenue de Caen. To find out about current car parking charges in Portsmouth, please click here. Prices and availability of parking spaces may vary between different locations.
Travelling by public transport
Southsea Castle is roughly the same distance from both Portsmouth Harbour, and Portsmouth & Southsea train stations. There are taxi ranks at both stations, or else you can catch the No.700 bus from Portsmouth Harbour station, or the No.19 bus from near Portsmouth & Southsea station. To find out more about bus routes in Portsmouth, click here.
Location Map
