See & Do

Oxford Castle and Prison

££

Attraction

Hightlight

City Centre
Family Friendly

Oxford Castle and Prison is one of the best attractions found in Oxford city centre. Fun for all the family, the tours are a wealth of historical knowledge. Learn about past occupants and the characters involved and dwelt in these historic thick walls. Experience how the convicted felt and how they lives through these times.

From Private Guided Tours to our Escape Room: Jailbreak, they have a great range of experiences that go beyond the daily guided tours. Please note, that all experiences listed are subject to availability.

Book the family into one of their tours or try the Evening Tours. During a private evening tour, you can feel the full historic atmosphere of the 1,000-year building all to yourself. Accompanied by a costumed guide, you will be able to enjoy an extended tour.

Your tour guide will lead you to the top of St. George’s Tower to view the dreaming spires, then head to the underground candle-lit crypt and visit the historic prison cells. The private evening tours are a perfect after work social, or a great experience for groups of friends looking for something different to do in the evenings.

Why not enjoy the history in style with a prosecco upgrade!

At just a short 10 minute walk away from Oxford Train Station, you and your family will be able to enjoy Oxford’s best attraction.

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Opening Hours

Monday: 10:00 - 17:00

Tuesday: 10:00 - 17:00

Wednesday: 10:00 - 17:00

Thursday: 10:00 - 17:00

Friday: 10:00 - 17:00

Saturday: 10:00 - 17:00

Closed

Sunday: 10:00 - 17:00

Google Reviews

Oxford Castle & Prison

4.47132 reviews

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Paul Vivas

a month ago

Historical & fun Castle & Prison This is a really nice place to visit. I recommend arriving early as it can get quite packed in the afternoon. We enjoyed the whole area including seeing this mount & the prisons! The castle was the highlight though for us, as it is very ancient and was a great first place to visit, before continuing onto other sites in Oxford.

Raquel Ferreira

2 weeks ago

Visiting Oxford's Castle and Prison was a memorable experience. The staff were very kind and accommodating, as they graciously changed our tour to an earlier time slot right at the reception, which made everything much more convenient. The tour itself, led by Raven, was fantastic—engaging, informative, and full of interesting stories that brought the history of the castle and prison to life. Overall, it was a wonderful visit with excellent service and a truly captivating guide.

Jeanette Masters

3 weeks ago

Our tour was very interesting & full of facts. Our tour guide Ella was great & really made the experience very special. The views of the city from the top of the tower were worth climbing up all the steps! We also enjoyed looking at the prison cells & hearing stories of famous inmates.

Paul Marsh

3 weeks ago

We didn’t plan to go into Oxford castle and Prison but so glad we did! Are Tour guide, Rory, was absolutely incredible at bringing the history of the building to life and made the experience what it is. It was very surreal to think that we were standing in the same rooms and walking the same corridors and staircases where all these events took place! Well worth a visit if you’re in the area.

Madieke Aarssen

2 weeks ago

Absolutely loved coming here. My 5 year old can sometimes get distracted but Rory, our tour guide, was very engaging and the stories were just the right lenght. We loved it. Highly recommend