Castle hotel
Amberley Castle
Amberley, West Sussex
Level 4 Castle-Style MansionLevel 4: a genuine medieval castle licensed in 1377, but Civil War damage in 1643 meant much of today's fabric is a later rebuild. Some bedrooms sit inside the old walls, others in later buildings.
Some rooms inside the walls
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Amberley Castle is a Grade I listed castle hotel near Arundel, West Sussex, built from 1377 with an earlier core dating to about 1140. Rated Level 4 on our Castle Authenticity Scale, it suits couples, wedding parties and dog owners exploring the grounds on a lead.
Quick facts
- Castle Authenticity Scale
- Level 4: Castle-Style Mansion
- Where you sleep
- Some rooms inside the walls
- Built
- Walls, gateway and towers built 1377 to at least 1382; earlier manor house on the site from about 1140 to 1330; rebuilt after 1643
- Architecture
- Medieval fortified manor house within a curtain wall, with later 17th-century rebuilding
- Heritage status
- Grade I listed, listing recorded 15 March 1955
- Rooms
- 19
- Star rating
- Four-star (Booking.com)
- Guest rating
- 8.3 out of 10 on Booking.com (September 2026)
- Dogs
- Dogs are welcome on the grounds and local walks on a lead, but cannot go onto terraces, into public areas or into the restaurants. Guide and assistance dogs are allowed throughout. (hotel policy)
- Restaurant
- Yes (hotel website)
- Weddings
- Yes (hotel website)
- Exclusive use
- Yes (hotel website)
- Listed on Booking.com
- Restaurant, Parking, Free wifi
- Last checked
- September 2026
The story
The story of Amberley Castle
Amberley Castle stands in the South Downs near Arundel, West Sussex. Bishop William Rede obtained a licence to crenellate and built the present walls, gateway and towers between 1377 and at least 1382, replacing an earlier stone manor house that had stood on the site from about 1140 to 1330. Historic England lists the castle as Grade I, with the listing recorded on 15 March 1955.
During the English Civil War in 1643, Parliamentary forces dismantled large parts of the castle, removing an estimated 20 to 30 feet from the curtain wall and demolishing the Great Hall. London cloth merchant John Butler subsequently built a Manor House from the ruins within the surviving walls. The castle remains enclosed by a curtain wall reported at 60 feet high, with a twin-tower gatehouse and a working portcullis lowered each night.
The property is now a hotel within the Brownsword Hotel group. Dining takes place in the Queen's Room, which the hotel describes as having a 12th-century vaulted ceiling, and in the Great Room, which the hotel dates to 1165. Both spaces predate the Civil War rebuilding.
The sleep
Rooms at Amberley Castle
The hotel has 19 bedrooms across five categories. Classic and Junior Deluxe rooms are in Tower House Mews, and Gatehouse Suites occupy the 17th-century Bishopric Dairy, which the hotel says stands just outside the castle walls. Superior and Premier Deluxe rooms are described by the hotel as having original features and unique character, in keeping with the historic core rebuilt after the Civil War.
Rooms are named after Sussex places, including Bramber, Rye, Hastings, Chichester, Sherbourne, Lewes and Herstmonceux. One ground-floor room is designed for guests with mobility needs. If sleeping inside the walled castle itself matters to you, ask which category sits within the curtain wall when booking, since the Gatehouse Suites do not.
The table
Eating at Amberley Castle
Amberley serves meals in the Queen's Room or the Great Room, both inside the historic core, with afternoon tea served daily from 12.30pm to 4pm. The hotel does not publish set menus or prices on its general information pages, so current details are best confirmed directly when booking.
The grounds
Around Amberley Castle
The castle sits within the South Downs near Arundel, enclosed by a curtain wall reported at 60 feet high, with square corner towers and a working portcullis lowered every night. A dry moat lies along the south walls, and formal gardens sit within the walled enclosure.
Dogs are welcome on the grounds and on local walks, kept on a lead, though they cannot go onto terraces, into public areas or into the restaurants. Guide and assistance dogs are allowed throughout.
What we'd flag
What we'd flag
- Gatehouse Suites occupy the 17th-century Bishopric Dairy, outside the castle walls, unlike the Classic, Superior, Junior Deluxe and Premier Deluxe rooms.
- Dogs are restricted to the grounds and cannot enter terraces, public areas or the restaurants, other than guide and assistance dogs.
Who it's for
Who Amberley Castle suits
Amberley suits couples and small groups wanting to dine and sleep inside a genuine medieval walled castle, and it suits wedding parties given the exclusive-use option. It suits dog owners happy to exercise dogs on the grounds rather than bring them indoors, since dogs cannot enter the restaurants or public rooms. It suits fewer guests who want a bedroom specifically inside the oldest fabric, since some room categories are in later buildings rather than the medieval core.
Nearby castles to visit
Where Amberley Castle is.
Map tiles from OpenStreetMap.
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Rooms outside the historic walls
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Amberley Castle: questions
Is Amberley Castle a real castle?
Yes. Bishop William Rede obtained a licence to crenellate and built the walls, gateway and towers between 1377 and 1382, and Historic England lists the building as Grade I. Civil War damage in 1643 led to a later Manor House being built from the ruins within the original walls.
Who built Amberley Castle?
Bishop William Rede built the present castle between 1377 and at least 1382, replacing an earlier stone manor house on the site from about 1140 to 1330. London merchant John Butler rebuilt the Manor House from the ruins after Civil War damage in 1643.
Do all the rooms sleep inside the castle walls?
No. Gatehouse Suites are in the 17th-century Bishopric Dairy, outside the castle walls. Classic and Junior Deluxe rooms are in Tower House Mews, while Superior and Premier Deluxe rooms are in the historic core rebuilt after the Civil War.
Are dogs allowed at Amberley Castle?
Dogs are welcome on the grounds and local walks on a lead, but cannot go onto terraces, into public areas or into the restaurants. Guide and assistance dogs are allowed throughout.
Can you get married at Amberley Castle?
Yes. The hotel hosts weddings and private events, and exclusive use of the property is available.
Sources and checks
Last checked: September 2026. We checked these sources for this page. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
- britishlistedbuildings.co.uk: listing grade, listing date, medieval build history, Civil War damage
- amberleycastle.co.uk: dog policy, dining rooms and hours, general history, weddings and exclusive use
- amberleycastle.co.uk: room categories and their locations relative to the castle walls