Welcome to Powderham Castle

Powderham Castle is located in a unique, picturesque setting just outside Exeter, beside the Exe estuary. Six hundred years of history are contained within the walls of one of England's oldest family homes. Built in 1391 by Sir Philip Courtenay it has remained in the same family to this day and is currently home to the 18th Earl & Countess of Devon.  The magical setting and convenient location makes it the perfect venue for all manner of events including wedding receptions and business functions. For locals and visitors to Devon it is a 'must see' and with its many attractions - a wonderful family day out!

Regular guided tours offer a fascinating walk through the Castle's majestic rooms, where you can admire the most amazing architecture, hear some remarkable stories and learn about the family history. Our experienced guides are able to adapt the tour according to their audience to ensure our visitors enjoy an informative yet entertaining tour.

Outside there is acres of space to discover and explore too. The Castle is set in the middle of a deerpark, which is home to around 600 fallow deer. Visitors can join a Deer Park Safari and get closer to the amazing wildlife. A short walk from the Castle you will discover the Secret Garden, where you can meet our friendly Powderham pets and Courtenay Fort - our huge adventure play castle - always a hit with children. They will love to make their own discoveries on the nature trail around the grounds and win a prize on the treasure trail. No doubt the biggest thrill will be to hear they can now ride one our friendly ponies!

A hot meal, light snack or cream tea from the Courtyard Tea Room or even your own picnic in the grounds offers you the chance to relax and really savour the atmosphere.

Birds of Prey will be soaring through the skies once again from 18 July to 30 August and as always we have a fantastic calendar of events including themed weeks throughout the school holidays, the Historic Vehicle Gathering in July and Shakespeare in the Gardens in August. Details on all our events are regularly updated on our events pages.

With incredible views, a wealth of beautiful wildlife and a range of exciting activities and shops, it's no wonder Powderham Castle is an attraction visitors come back to again and again.

We hope you enjoy reading our website and come and visit us soon.

The Castle and grounds are open to the public from 1 April to 31 October 2010 Sunday to Friday and this year we will be open on the following Saturdays too: 3 April, 29 May, 28 August and 30 October. The Castle does occasionally close for private functions, please check our Opening Times page for details.

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