FAQs

Powderham is open from Sunday 12th February - Sunday 29th October 2023, Sunday - Friday (closed on Saturdays), 10am - 5pm. Please check our Opening Times page for further information and for closure dates.

https://www.powderham.co.uk/plan-your-visit/opening-times

The ground floor of the Castle is accessible to wheelchair users and electric scooters. The tractor/trailer has a ramp and the Walled Garden Play Area & Pets Corner is accessible, although there are some steep slopes. The Courtenay cafe is also accessible. Disabled parking is available and there are accessible toilets in the castle courtyard and welcome centre.  

For more information please see our accessibility page. 

Accessibility

We have a free car park, which is located down the main drive, over the bridge and on your left.

Disabled parking is also available in the courtyard.

Yes, please visit our Group page.

A reduced rate is offered to groups of 15 or more.

You can take as many photographs as you like outside.

Photography is allowed in the Castle however film is prohibited.  

We have two unique guided tours available with our brilliant guides, but we also run daily Open House sessions for those who wish to wander the Castle at their own pace!

Our tours lasts approximately 45 minutes to an hour. 

We have our Courtenay cafe, in the courtyard which is open from 10am-4pm.

Alternatively you could picnic in the grounds.

Powderham Castle has been privately owned by the Courtenay family since 1391, so we are not a National Trust property. We do, however, offer several other discounts for English Heritage members, Historic Houses, Royal Oak and more. Please see our ticket and prices page to see our current promotions for 2020.

Any codes from previous years (2020/2021/2022) are now invalid. 

The code CHRI22RV expired on 31st December 2022. This code allowed a discounted return visit during 2022 Christmas at the Castle only. 

If you have a different code, which is not working please contact the team on [email protected]. 

Yes!

Your furry friend is more than welcome to visit Christmas at the Castle, and can go everywhere you can as they are kept on the lead at all times. 

There is free on site parking at Powderham Castle, with an overflow car park next to the Powderham Country Stores.

This parking is limited so please do consider car sharing and alternative travel options, with the bus and train only a short walk away. 

Accessible parking will be reserved in the Castle car park for those who need it. 

The time that your ticket expires will be stated on your ticket. Christmas at the Castle day time slots finish at 3pm. After 3pm, the grounds will close for 1 hour whilst we reset for the evening and give our teams a break. 

If you wish to attend the event in the evening, you will need to purchase a ticket for evening admission. (4pm - 9:30pm).

During the day, all of the grounds and entertainment will be open including the Secret Garden Pets Corner so you will have plenty to enjoy whilst you are here with us. 

Please note that Christmas music will be playing across site during open times and the Castle and Grounds can get busy, especially on the weekends and week in the run up to Christmas. 

On Mondays between 4pm & 5pm we will be operating a quiet hour. During this time, all music will be played at a low level and the event capacity will be decreased. This is to allow more space for those who need it, to enjoy the full Christmas at the Castle Experience at their own pace. 

Visits between 11am & 3pm on weekends can also be expected to be less busy, which may be more suitable for individuals with additional needs. 

If you have any questions on quiet hour, please contact [email protected] or speak to the team on 01626 890243.

The Christmas Barn will be open from 27th November - 31st December and will include; 

• Local Food Traders, catering for a wide range of dietary requirements
• Bar 
• Live Music on selected nights

Accessible parking is adjacent to the Welcome Centre, which has ramped access.

The Christmas light walk route is wheelchair accessible, at any point where there are steps a steward will be available to suggest an alternative route. 

Mobility Scooters will be available to hire when on site. These are very popular, so please book ahead by contacting [email protected]. 

Yes of course!

Your carer admission ticket must be purchased alongside the admission ticket of the supported person. Please note, you will need to provide Proof of Carer and select the tick box at the checkout to confirm that you have this.

The pre-release mailing list is now closed. The mailing list for the 2024 pre-release tickets will be open to new subscribers soon.

Please check your junk/ spam inbox - our emails often find their way in there!

If you are a Powderham Member, your event admission will be free of charge. Please book a Members ticket online, to secure your visit, your Membership card will be required on arrival.

Tickets for the Christmas Grotto are £8 per child and must be purchased as normal for every child receiving a gift from Father Christmas.

Your grotto must be booked at the same time as your free of charge Members admission ticket. 

Christmas at the Castle tickets should only be purchased from the Powderham Castle website. Any tickets sold online or on social media cannot be verified and may not be valid. 

If you no longer need your ticket please do not resell online, as this enables scammers to promote false tickets. Instead, contact us and we will assist you. 

If you are concerned that the ticket you have purchased is not genuine, please contact our team. 

Grotto tickets must be purchased alongside admission tickets. Please check that;

• Your admission ticket and grotto ticket are for the same date and time period
• Your admission time is before your grotto time slot
• Each child attending the grotto, has both a grotto ticket and an admission ticket

Under 3’s admission is free of charge, you can book this online.

The Christmas grotto gas a ticket price of £8 for children of all ages.

There is a 15-minute slot for the grotto and you can book up to six children for the grotto. You may be waiting with other families,  but we will aim to see everyone within the allocated time. 

The ‘Christmas Grounds’ admission ticket allows you access to the Christmas light walk, and all of the Christmas at the Castle experience from 27th - 30th November.

The inside of the Castle will be open from Friday 1st December.

For 2023, we will be closed on Thursday 30th November as well as, Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th December.

In the case of severe weather, our safety team will assess the site for the safety of our visitors.

If the site is deemed unsafe due to high winds or other circumstance, you will be contacted by email and offered to change the date of your visit, free of charge.

Please complete form here, and our team will do our best to reschedule your booking.

Please note, this will not be possible if the event is at capacity.

Due to limited capacity in the Grotto, which is highly popular each year, Grotto bookings are non-transferrable, unless the grotto cannot open on the date of your booking due to unforseen circumstances.

In this case, you will be contacted by our team and offered an alternative date. 

If you wish to request a refund, please complete form here. The team will be in touch shortly. 

Yes! Use code BLUELIGHTCATC23 for 10% off your booking.

Please note that the code is applicable for admission tickets only, grotto bookings are not included in this offer. You will be required to show proof of employment with an emergency service on arrival.

There is not a locals discount for this event.