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Anstey motte and bailey castle

2 ha

Plan your visit

BirdsHeritageWildlife
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome2 ha

Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

  • 🐦46+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Blue Tit and Great Tit
  • Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
  • 🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Good to know

  • £Free to visit — no entry charge
  • 🐕Dogs welcome
Parking· Free

Best for

9 activities

Bird watching

Birds — Blue Tit, Great Tit, Marsh Tit +43 more · last seen 2025; Deciduous woodland — woodpeckers, warblers and woodland birds

Free

Heritage

Historic site with public access; Grade I listed building nearby: CHURCH OF ST GEORGE (CHURCH OF ENGLAND)

Free

Wildlife

Birds — Blue Tit, Great Tit, Marsh Tit +43 more · last seen 2025; Deciduous woodland priority habitat

Free

Foraging

Traditional orchard — seasonal fruit, fungi and wild plants

Varies

Seasonal nature

Plants — Bristly Oxtongue, Bramble, Common Nettle +56 more · last seen 2022

Free

Insect spotting

Traditional orchard — specialist orchard insects and lichens; Insects — Common Red Soldier Beetle, Southern Hawker, Volucella bombylans +4 more · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

3 signed routes nearby · 27 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Greenwich Meridian TrailWalking route440 km

A long-distance walk that follows the line of the Prime Meridian. Inaugurated in 2009, to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the Greenwich Meridian.

Named routeRef GMTLength 440 kmRegional walking route
Hertfordshire WayWalking route267 km

Long distance path

Named routeLength 267 kmRegional walking route
Harcamlow WayWalking route
Named routeRef HARRegional walking route
Roger's Lanepublic footpath · 125 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 125 mPath type: track
Roger's Lanepublic footpath · 37 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 37 mPath type: service

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Motte and bailey castle, Anstey, Hertfordshire 2020-09-02

Motte and bailey castle, Anstey, Hertfordshire 2020-09-02

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