Access Guide
Summary
- View information about opening hours.
- Amenities in this building include: exhibition rooms and historic interiors.
- The most accessible entrance has steps, a stair climber, manual doors and doors permanently held open.
- This entrance is at the front of the castle.
- There are 2 floors once inside.
- Other floors can be accessed via: stairs.
- There is stepped access once inside.
- The majority of the ground floor is step-free, however, there are some areas accessed by steps.
- There is a member of staff available for help and assistance.
- Staff/volunteers can describe the layout and access around the site.
- The following are also available: seating, large print information, Braille information, audio description, maps and an accessible route map.
- Guides are available in multiple languages.
- This site is not part of the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme.
- Toilet and changing facilities available include: a toilet with some adaptations and a toilet designated as gender neutral.
- The toilet with adaptations for disabled people surveyed can be found to the right of the castle entrance..
- This toilet with adaptations for disabled people is approximately 20m from the castle entrance.
- The standard toilet surveyed can be found to the right of the castle entrance.
- There is a separate exit.
- The exit has steps and a manual door.
Equipment and Resources to Borrow
- You can borrow or hire the following equipment: manual wheelchairs. It is highly recommended that these are booked in advance, where this is possible. Please check the National Trust website for details.
- You can borrow these from visitor reception. View more information about booking and collection of equipment.
- You can borrow or hire the following mobility vehicles: trampers. It is highly recommended that these are booked in advance, where this is possible. Please check the National Trust website for details.
- You can borrow these from visitor reception. View more information about booking and collection of equipment.
- The trampers need to be booked prior to visiting.
Route to (the Castle)
- Go up the hill from the visitor reception.
Turn right and then left past the ticket office.
Take the narrower path on the left.
Take the left path at the fork and follow it around until you reach the castle. - The route to the area is step-free via a steep ramp/slope.
- Path surfaces along the route are tarmac.
- The majority of the paths are wide enough for wheelchair users.
- There is no accessible shuttle to this area.
Toilet with Adaptations (next to Castle - Ambulant - No Transfer Space)
- This toilet is located to the right of the castle entrance.
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- This toilet is approximately 20m from the castle entrance.
- There is pictorial signage on or near the door.
- The door is manual, opens outwards and has a low colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the toilet door opening is 83cm.
- The door has a locking handle.
- The dimensions of the cubicle are 136cm x 200cm and it does not have a 150cm x 150cm turning space.
- There is not a lateral transfer space next to the seat.
- There is a spatula flush on the left, but there is no transfer space.
- The following grab rails are available: a horizontal grab rail on the door, a horizontal grab rail on the right as you face the toilet, a vertical grab rail on the left as you face the toilet and vertical grab rails on both sides of the wash basin.
- There is a dropdown rail on the left as you face the seat.
- The following fixtures can be reached from the toilet seat: toilet roll holder, wash basin and soap dispenser.
- The following fixtures cannot be reached from the toilet seat: hand dryer.
- The height of the toilet seat above floor level is 49cm.
- The height of the toilet roll holder is 105cm.
- The wash basin tap type is lever mixer.
- The height of the wash basin is 74cm.
- The height of the soap dispenser is 100cm.
- The height of the hand dryer is 102cm.
- There is a pull cord emergency alarm at a recommended height (within 10cm from the floor).
- The cubicle has: a sanitary bin and a pedal bin.
- The cubicle does not have a full length mirror and coat hooks.
- The following have a high colour contrast with their surroundings: some grab rails and the toilet seat.
- The following have a less clear colour contrast with their surroundings: the dropdown rail, the internal door, some grab rails and the floor.
- Lighting levels are bright.
Entrance (Standard Toilet next to Castle)
- The entrance surveyed is located to the right of the castle entrance.
- There is stepped access at the entrance.
- There is 1 step, which is unmarked, with no handrails.
- The step is not at the recommended height (between 15cm - 18cm).
- There is a single manual door which is permanently open.
- The width of the opening is 83cm.
Standard Toilet (next to Castle)
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- The door is manual, opens inwards and has a medium colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the door opening is 63cm.
- Internally the door has a high colour contrast.
- The gender neutral toilet was surveyed.
- The wash basin tap type is twist turn mixer.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- There are hand dryers.
Entrance (Castle)
- The entrance surveyed is located at the front of the castle.
- There is stepped access at the entrance.
- There are 6 steps, which are unmarked, with handrails on both sides.
- The handrails do not cover all steps.
- Some of the steps are not at the recommended height (between 15cm - 18cm).
- There are double manual doors which are permanently open.
- The width of the opening is 170cm.
- There is a second set of manual doors (with one door locked) which open away from you.
- The width of the opening is 76cm.
- There is a small lip on the threshold of the entrance with a height of more than 1.5cm.
- There are 6 steps beyond the entrance, which are unmarked, with handrails on both sides.
- The handrails cover all steps.
- There is a stair climber to overcome the steps.
- These doors may also be used as an exit to accommodate accessibility needs.
Tour
- The tour is self-guided but volunteers/staff are available to provide additional information.
- The tour takes approximately 1 hour.
- There is stepped access along the tour route.
- The majority of walkway widths are between 120cm and 180cm.
- The tour can be adapted to avoid inaccessible areas.
- Areas with stepped access only can be experienced by visitors via an information booklet and a photo album.
- There is background noise along the tour route.
- The following may be experienced on the tour: sudden loud noises and tactile experiences.
- Tour information includes the following formats: information booklets, Braille, tactile, pictorial, information board and audio description.
- Floor plans/maps are available for the tour route.
- The tour does not have a hearing assistance system.
- There are bench seats and chairs with armrests at regular intervals along the tour.
- Some flooring along the tour route is smooth and even.
- Where the flooring is not smooth or even, this is due to carpet, carpet (deep pile) and uneven floorboards.
- Some of the flooring includes large repeating patterns in bold colours, which may look like steps or holes to some people.
- Lighting levels are varied throughout the tour route.
- There is stepped access to some areas of the ground floor.
Stairs (Up)
- The floors which are accessible by stairs are G, 1.
- There are more than 20 steps between floors.
- The steps are not clearly marked with a handrail on the left going up.
- The highest step is 18cm high.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
Stairs (Down)
- The floors which are accessible by stairs are 1, G.
- There are more than 20 steps between floors.
- The steps are not clearly marked with a handrail that switches sides.
- The highest step is 18cm high.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
Exit
- The exit is located within the conservatory.
- There is not step-free access at the exit.
- There is a single manual door which opens towards you.
- The width of the opening is 84cm.
- The exit opening does not have a minimum height of 200cm.
- The exit opening height is 194cm.
- There is a small lip on the threshold of the exit with a height of less than 1.5cm.
- There are 4 steps beyond the exit, which are unmarked, with a handrail on the left going down.
- The handrail covers all steps.
- Some of the steps are not at the recommended height (between 15cm - 18cm).
- This door may also be used as an entrance to accommodate accessibility needs.