Yarmouth Castle
Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Henry VIII's last and most advanced coastal fort, right on Yarmouth harbour, so an easy stop to fold into an Isle of Wight day with your dog.
This was the last coastal fort Henry VIII built and the most technically advanced. Unlike his earlier rounded, clover leaf forts, Yarmouth is a square blockhouse incorporating the first new-style arrowhead bastion ever built in England, a design imported from Italy that would dominate European fortification for the next two centuries. It was built to protect Yarmouth harbour and defend the western end of the Solent, and it stayed garrisoned right up until 1885.
As you take in the gun platform and the views straight out across the Solent to the mainland, your dog gets an easy stop rather than a walk, sitting in a pretty seaside town right by the harbour and the ferry terminal, which makes it simple to fold into a bigger Isle of Wight day.
There is no official guidance on dogs here, so keep your dog on a lead throughout, particularly on the gun platform and near the water. Pay and display parking is less than five minutes' walk away across the road, and note the parking postcode differs from the site postcode. There is a shop, toilets, exhibition, gardens and picnic seating.
At a Glance
- Site Type
- Castle & Fort
- Entry
- £8.50 adult
- £4.25 child · £21.25 family
- Members
- Free for English Heritage members
- Facilities
- Exhibition, Gardens, Parking, Picnic seating, Shop, Toilets
- Telephone
- 01983 760444
- Parking
- Pay-and-display parking (not managed by English Heritage) is less than 5 minutes’ walk away, across the road, next to the Wightlink ferry.
English Heritage Membership
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Planning Your Visit
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- Closed
- Wednesday
- 10:00 - 17:00
- Thursday
- 10:00 - 17:00
- Friday
- 10:00 - 17:00
- Saturday
- 10:00 - 17:00
- Sunday
- 10:00 - 17:00
Opening times and prices were checked on 26 August 2026 and are subject to change, and some sites close for events or over winter. Confirm on the English Heritage site page before you travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yarmouth Castle dog friendly?
Dogs are welcome at Yarmouth Castle, making it a straightforward stop to include in an Isle of Wight day out. There's no official guidance on dogs here, so the sensible approach is to keep your dog on a lead throughout your visit, especially on the gun platform and near the water.
Are dogs allowed at Yarmouth Castle year round?
The listing doesn't include specific seasonal restrictions for dogs, so there's nothing to suggest access changes throughout the year. As always, it's worth checking directly with the site before visiting if you're planning a trip around a particular time.
What should I know before visiting Yarmouth Castle with my dog?
Keep your dog on a lead throughout, particularly on the gun platform and anywhere close to the water's edge. Parking is pay and display, less than five minutes' walk away across the road next to the Wightlink ferry terminal — worth knowing that the parking postcode differs from the site postcode, so double-check before you set off. On site you'll find a shop, toilets, an exhibition, gardens, and picnic seating, so there's plenty to make an afternoon of it.
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