Castle ruins with an upstairs?

[nonamemummy]

We’ve been to lots of castle ruins and walked around ground level but my son would like to go to one where they still have some of the other floors or stairs remaining that you can go up. Does anyone know of any? Ideally south west area

Caerphilly Castle and Castell Coch (which is a folly but still well worth a visit).

What about Caerphilly castle - we had a great day out here a few years ago

Also definitely carisbrooke castle on the Isle of Wight - brilliant day out, can walk around the battlements, climb up the keep and a couple of towers.

You should have a holiday in North Wales. Castles galore.

Another vote for Carisbrooke Castle, its great for children (especially if they like donkeys)

Caldicot Castle very close to you.

Caerphilly is definitely a good bet.

Castle Rising in Norfolk is a part-ruin but has an upstairs which overlooks the roofless halls below. It's very cool.

I seem to remember Tintagel has steps.

I don't know the South West so can't comment on most of these but if it's accessible what about Leeds - or Arundel - Castle?

Also not SW but Beaumaris castle on Anglesey was amazing and had lots of stairs, upstairs corridors and wall top walks.

For a modern non-ruined castle there is Castle Drogo, the last castle to be built in England

Another one for Old Wardour Castle, used in the film Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves as Locksley Castle (Robin Hood's family home). Also has a grotto.

Linlithgow Palace and Craigmillar Castle.

Probably too far but Brough Castle in Cumbria has a terrifying spiral staircase up through the ruins.

@Babdoc

If you are ever on holiday in Scotland, you can get the boat over to the island in the middle of Loch Leven, in Fife. The ruined castle where Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner has an upper floor banqueting hall which is still intact enough to go up and visit inside. The DDs and I had our picnic alone in there on a wild day with a black sky and a howling wind - it was v atmospheric! On sunny days you can picnic on the grass in the sheltered walled courtyard.

While you are there, check out St Andrews castle. They have a bottle dungeon and a mine ( or countermine, I can,'t remember) where attackers dug a tunnel to undermine the castle. There's also an outside toilet which is basically a stone shelf with a hole n it overhanging the battlements with a sheer drop to the rocks below. Wouldn't have fancied using that on a windy day 😀

Berkeley castle and sudeley castle think Catherine parr is buried there) both Gloucester. Really great places

Another vote for Old Wardour Castle.

Loads do! If by 'upstairs' you mean battlements you can walk along, then most standing castle ruins will have those.

but we recently went to Kenilworth Castle (Warwickshire??) and it was amazing. A full day. More than one large complex of buildings and both had 'upstairs' bits. One more ruined than the other but you could still climb up (modern steps) at least two floors. The building that was allegedly built to host Elizabeth I is great and goes up like a tower block! :-D There are also ramparts and gardens and a preserved building with a roof on from the Tudor period, plus cafe etc. Really nice day out.

The Tower of London is fantastic too. A great mixture of semi-ruins, preserved buildings, ramparts, museums....

Carreg Cennan in S Wales is largely ruins but there is a bit of upstairs and there's a terrifying slippery passageway underneath - if you want to brave that you'll need a good torch!

It's also not too far from Dryslwyn which is a proper ruin but overlooks the most meandering river I've ever seen.