Christchurch Castle and Norman House

A free-to-enter English Heritage site in the centre of Christchurch, where the remains of a Norman castle keep stand on a grassy mound beside the river. Nearby is the Norman House, a 12th-century riverside chamber block that is one of the few surviving examples of domestic Norman architecture in England, with a rare tall circular chimney still standing. Families can wander the open grounds, climb the mound, and look at the stonework while learning about the town's Saxon origins and its role in the medieval and Civil War periods. The site suits children who enjoy castles and ruins and have room to run about outdoors. Dogs on leads are welcome. Some paths are steep and uneven, so younger children and buggies will need care on the climb to the keep, and there is no on-site car park.