The extensive ruins of Baconsthorpe Castle, a moated and fortified 15th-century manor house, are a testament to the rise and fall of a prominent Norfolk family, the Heydons. Over 200 years, successive generations of this ambitious family built, then enlarged, and finally abandoned this castle. Sir John Heydon probably built the strong inner gatehouse and curtain wall, during the turbulent Wars of the Roses. In more peaceful times, his descendant Sir Christopher Heydon converted part of the house into a textile factory, and added the turreted outer gateway, inhabited until 1920.
NEW FOR 2008:
New information panels illustrate the story of the Heydon family, builders and owners of the castle. There is also a downloadable audio tour on www.english-heritage.org.uk/audio
| Dates | Opening Times | Opening Days |
|---|---|---|
| All year | Any reasonable time | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, & Sun. |
