To be really horrified at an unguarded well in National Trust Bodiam Castle?

[booface]

I was at this castle yesterday and not actually with kids. But really shocked at this. There was a moat to walk over to get to the castle, and of course if you had little kids you would see that they could conceivably fall in so you would take care.

But inside the actual castle off the "kitchen" ruin there was a turret with a well. Not even a well that you would have to climb up to get into, a well in the floor at ground level that was god knows how deep. There was a set of railings around it, but not a mesh railing, just two parallel bars that a toddler could so easily slip under. What got me was it was so unexpected, a child could easily run in there and you would not be expecting deep water.

The weird thing was that areas like the bread oven off the old fireplace were safely guarded off.

I mentioned it to the attendant at the door to the castle but he just said it was the parents responsibility to watch kids in the castle.

Am I over reacting or should I e-mail the head of national trust?

I think railings round it is safe enough. There are many places in a castle that are dangerous where there might be just light security or a sign like 'caution, steep steps' on incredibly steep steps in turrets.

Who lets toddlers run into a room without an adult looking first?

Particularly in an old castle where there might be old furniture/ornaments for example with a guide rope round it that you can't touch.

If you think it is bad now, you should have seen bodiam 25 years ago! Ah, happy memories of clambering all over walls, in and out of things. Can't wait to take my DC.

Anyway, have a biscuit and a cup of cava since it is NYE.

I agree Lauries.

If you take young children to places like that you HAVE to watch them the whole time. The place has made the effort to guard it, parents have to make the effort to keep their child away.

It's places like that little life backpacks are ideal for!

YABU

Maybe I am over reacting! It just is wells are so deep. Maybe your're right. Glad in a way I don't have toddlers any more. Happy new year!

It does sound dangerous, I think because as you say it's unexpected - so if I took my kids up the turrerts of a castle, I would expect danger - much less so on the ground floor! Any wells I've seen have had a grid of bars over them, can't be that unusual.

I'm torn - I was a jittery bag of nerves there with my DC (they were 3, 5 and 6 at the time) and we had a friend along too so an adult per child. The raillings arouind it are pretty rubbish and v far apart. Maybe a net or wire mesh of some kind would be better?
However, considering the narrow steps etc you have to go down to get there I wouldn't have let my DC in without supervision so at least there would have been an adult in with them whatever.
I don't think you would very unreasonable to e-mail (maybe ever so slightly)
but think you would possibly risk that room being blocked off completely.

I'm pretty sure there's one in Pevensey Castle too!

We went to Bodium last year when the NT had their free day, it's beautiful, and as a PP said, I too have fond memories of climbing all over the place as a kid (too fat now!!). The weather was so bad though we had more chance of DS drowning in the car park than the well

Only by reporting risks can you alert them to it.

Cant remember the well in question and yyy parents responsibility, castles are dangerous places etc etc, but no harm at all in a pite email expressing concern.

Polite, not pite.

stick to soft play.

Ludlow castle is great because the NT don't have it, so it still feels like a real castle, and H&S lot haven't ruined it.

I love Bodiam Castle. Children could probably fall down the steep staircases or off the top of the towers if they were determined. That's what parents are for.

I know the well you mean and I agree with you.

Why don't they have a better fence? Seems a bit odd. Of all the hazards at Bodiam this seems the easiest, quietest and quickest way for an accident to happen. At other castles, empty, shallow and filled in old wells even have bars over them.

I had my heart in my throat when DS and DH went down the steps. I was saying over and over "hold his hand, hold his hand"

Are you sure it's actually deep?

Don't ever go to Tintagil, will you?! The whole place is on a cliff, no railings at all.

No harm to get in touch with them and say it worried you - even if it's not deep, if it's deep enough you can't see the bottom it's deep enough for a nasty fall.

the town we live in is on one of the major rivers in the uk. There's an area just a little way from town centre where there are splash fountains for the kids. The railings there are as you describe-2 metal bars which a small child could easily slip under with a 10 foot sheer wall and drop into the river water below where the currents are quite strong. It terrifies me every time I have to go near there.

FFS - It's a mediaeval castle. Take on some responsibilty. What do you think they did in C14th?

Or just stay at home with your kids.

I love bodiam castle! Also went and nearly drowned in the car park....

There are worse risks than the well such as the turrets you can climb up and fling yourself off if you so desire, or, if you're me, get barged down a staircase by a fat American twat going the wrong way.

YABU

Bodium is beautiful. Really lovely. We've been going for years. The boys have clambered all over the place. If my autistic DS2 can manage not to get himself into strife there, I'm fairly sure most people could manage it. Please don't spoil it for him by getting all pearl clutchy about it. Don't like it, don't go again.

"What do you think they did in the 14th century?" - well the kids then probably expected there to be a well to avoid in the kitchen, in the same way ours know to not run into the french windows or pull the tv over.

You shouldn't spoil the castle but I still think grilles over wells are standard practice and don't spoil anything.

www.flickr.com/photos/oatneil1973/4469889385/

Yes, ruin the tranquility and the translucence and the atmosphere of this ancient well, put a grid on it and bars. Or supervise your children appropriately rather than turning the world into a playground.
FWIW, my children have been here hundreds of times, and despite my Aspie's kamikaze-like attraction to all possible hazards I still prefer appropriate supervision.
We survived Tintagel as well.

YABU. It is the responsibility of the parent/adult to ensure children are safe when on a trip.

Perhaps they should restrict entry to the castle to children under 11?
To make sure that they don't fall off, under, down or into anything?

Oh it is rather nice. Well then just a sign at the top of stairs warning that there's a well in this room!

Though for those who think elfnsafety is all a bit daft, shouldn't they remove the railings as well, after all people should just be more careful?

I love going to castles with my children, we have been to loads. I would not bat an eyelid at that well, it seems pretty safely fenced off to me. It also looks beautiful- making a mental note to definitely get over to Bodiam Castle as soon as possible. YAB a little bit U.