The Castle Bude is an impressive celebration of Bude as it puts the historic coastal town at the centre of Britain’s national story. Built on sand in 1830 by Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, the Castle now houses a fascinating heritage centre that is free to visit.
The museum follows the development of the town from prehistory to the modern day. Many exhibitions are interactive in some way – a few are visual or audible while others are tactile. We particularly enjoyed an interactive showing you how limelight is created. It’s fun for the family to take turns on the interactive elements and learn about history in new and interesting ways.
The exhibition spaces offer a fascinating insight into the social, maritime and industrial history of Bude. We were struck by the tragic human stories of local shipwrecks.
Sir Goldsworthy Gurney’s contributions to engineering in Britain inspire you with the innovative nature of his work. His astonishing career is thoughtfully documented in the galleries upstairs, where you can also find beautiful paintings of the local area.
When you have explored the museum and gallery, you can embrace the breathtaking views of the beach from Café Limelight while you have something to eat and drink. The gift shop sits within the café space where you can pick up a souvenir of your day.
Out the front of the Castle, there is a lovely lawn area for summer picnics and a quiet garden space for a moment of reflection.
Dogs are usually welcome in the exhibition spaces, although you may need to check for restricted days. Toilets are also available on the ground floor.
There is limited disabled parking available at the castle. Otherwise, you can use one of the paid-for car parks close by. There is a lift available inside the heritage centre; however, on our last visit the lift was unfortunately not working. We would recommend contacting the castle before your visit to ensure your requirements are met on the day.