Oxford Castle and Prison Guided Tour

Overview

Available languages

English

1 hour

Mobile ticket

Explore the 1,000-year history of Oxford Castle and Prison. Step back in time with our costumed guided tours and see fascinating stories come to life. Hear the great tales of Empress Matilda, the fate of Mary Blandy and step inside our padded jail cell.

Find gorgeous views atop of St. Georges' Tower and then descend into the atmospheric crypt of St. Georges’ Chapel. Here you can touch the stones where Oxford University was rumoured to begin and stand in the birthplace of Geofrey of Monmouths’ King Arthur. Wander the austere confines of the prisons’ D-Wing and learn about our youngest inmates.

After your guided tour, you can explore the prison cells at your own leisure and dress up like a prisoner in our exhibition space. Head outside and climb the mound, the remains of our motte and bailey castle.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Public transportation options are available nearby

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Children under 5 years of age will not be permitted access to St George’s Tower due to health and safety regulations.

Visitors unable to climb the tower may wait at the bottom with a guardian and watch our “Story of Oxford Castle” video. Once the tour group returns from the Tower, you are then able to rejoin your group as the tour continues. To find out more about this policy, click here to view our access information.

Due to the historical nature of the building Prams & Pushchairs do not fit through our doors, so they need to be left in the reception area where they will be looked after from a member of our team.

Payment must be made at the time of booking by credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, Switch or Delta).

No dogs are allowed in the attraction, the mound, Castleyard Cafe or the gift shop except for guide dogs.

Opening times may be subject to change; for up-to-date information on admission prices and opening times, please telephone our information line on +44(0)1865 260666

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Costumed Character Guide

Guided Tour

Souvenir photos (available to purchase)

What To Expect

Oxford Castle & Prison

Take a guided tour today and let the characters reveal their fascinating stories entrenched in the building’s 1,000 year history. When William the Conqueror invaded England and won the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Oxford Castle was marked by the Normans as the ideal place for a motte-and-bailey castle. Today, after almost one millennia, Oxford Castle & Prison is a visitor attraction with a past stretching far beyond your imagination. Guided tours last approx. an hour and run every 20 minutes and are led by one of the castle's costumed character guides. The rich history of Oxford and the castle is revealed as you climb the Saxon St George’s Tower, one of the oldest buildings in Oxford, and enjoy its stunning 360° panoramic views over the historic city of Oxford. Then, descend deep underground into the dark atmosphere of the 900 year old crypt, the only surviving remains of St. George’s Chapel where it is said, began the education for which Oxford is famed, and where Geoffrey of Monmouth penned the Legends of King Arthur. Explore the austere confines of the 18th century Debtors’ Tower and Prison D-Wing and scale the Mound of the 11th century motte-and-bailey castle. After your tour, you will be inducted into the castle’s prison and wider site where you will be able to explore at your own leisure. Admission to the castle is by guided tour only.

Admission Included

Options

Tours 2024/25

Guided Tour

Reviews

4.77

1,350 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

1129

166

Not to be missed but you do need a degree of fitness
776dyt,
Nov 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
Really enjoyed the tour, the history and how it was set out. However, there are a lot of steps and I did slow the group up! Think many might not make the tower. Lovely guide but she was quietly spoken and not very clear so my friend and I missed so much detail and there is a lot of history to digest. Some history sheets would have really helped. The admission fee I think is fair and the length of visit about right. Probably could have lingered longer towards the end though. Now going to Google the history to digest at leisure!
Must do experience in Oxford.
T3094BFspencerh,
Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Really insightful, educational and informative. Our guide (Yiyang) particularly was very engaging, clearly knew the history of the castle and was also quite funny. She was also incredibly attentive to the groups health and safety throughout our trip.
Loved the tour
jennatR5570WX,
Nov 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Super interesting information presented in an extremely entertaining way! Highly recommended Raven as a tour guide. She interacted with my group as a wonderful tour guide! So interesting to learn about the castle and prison in all the centuries and how each time period handled the prisoners.
Entertaining and informative history experience.
E4401ZImattb,
Nov 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A great experience. Our guide Natalia (I think)... or "un-named ghost" was friendly, informative and a very good story teller, in character. The tour was entertaining and educational, visiting all areas of the Castle/Prison and learning a lot about its role and inhabitants through the ages.
Very Good Tour & Highly Enthusiastic Guide
DingDangD0,
Nov 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The prison and castle tour lasts round an hour, and is very good indeed. Our costumed guide, whose name I’m afraid I can’t recall, was highly enthusiastic, which considering she said that she did 6 tours a day, is to be commended. To keep that level momentum up must be very difficult, and yet she certainly did keep it up ! Your ticket also allows you entry into the castle mound as well, which is handy if you have some time before the next tour starts. The one thing I would stop doing is the photo thing at the end; it’s 2025, and most places stopped doing this type of thing several years ago now. It’s just not needed anymore. But, apart from the photo taking, I’d highly recommend the castle and prison tour.
The visit was well worth it. Give it a go!
D7679KMlorraineb,
Nov 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A lovely visit to the Castle. The staff were so welcoming and accommodating and we had an excellent tour of the castle and prison . It was easy to book and well organised. There were a lot of stairs to the top of St George’s tower but the view was worth it and for anyone unable to manage the stairs you can watch a film instead.
Great tour
karenpY2791SS,
Nov 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Matt was our tour guide and was great, very interesting tour and very informative, would recommend if you are visiting Oxford
Must do in Oxford!
NWills 1982,
Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Zoe was fab and very knowledgeable about the history of Oxford and the prison and castle! It was great to have a full tour and then to be left to have time to explore at your own leisure!
Oxford tower and prison tour
852edwardh,
Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Zoe gave us a great tour and we enjoyed what there was to see. There is not as much of a castle to see as we'd hoped for, but overall it was an informative way to spend a couple of hours in Oxford.
Rich insights into Oxford's varied past
davidpJ5385TD,
Nov 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Hosts Joe and Liliane made the tour informative and exciting for the whole family. Liliane's telling of the story of poor pampered Mary Blandy was a special highlight.