History

Discover almost 1,000 years of history at Tamworth Castle from its early Anglo-Saxon roots to its life as a museum today. 

You can find out about life at the castle throughout the eras, including Medieval, Tudor and Victorian, as you explore its many rooms, chambers and corridors - just beware of the dungeon and the haunted bedroom!

The castle's walls hold a wealth of stories and legends, from expelled nuns to royal visits and you can discover them all as you step back through time.

We want everyone to be able to immerse themselves in history as much as possible, so many of our features are designed to bring that history to life through augmented reality, workshops and events, hands-on experiences and some good old fashioned dressing up.

Whether you fancy yourself as a soldier and want to try on the armour, feel the weight of a sword, sit on the throne in the mead hall, have a go at battle strategy or see what you'd look like as a servant girl - this and more, is all on offer. 

Our newest exhibition 'Battle and Tribute' focuses on Tamworth's Anglo-Saxon heritage as the capital of the ancient kingdom of Mercia, where you can get a close up look at exquisite pieces from the Staffordshire Hoard.

Whether you are beginning a research project, planning a visit or just want to find out more about our fascinating Castle, use the links below or in the navigation to guide you through the key periods in the castle’s life from its origins to the end of the Victorian era.

• Saxon
• Medieval
• Tudor
• Stuart
• Georgian
• Victorian

View items from our collections online

We also have a digital collections website where you can view items from our local history that may not be on display in the museum. We have a collection of some 40,000 objects, most of which are in storage. From artwork, furniture, coins, medals, weapons, documents, photographs and so much more and are working through photographing them to provide a vital visual record not only for staff and researchers but will enable these items to be seen by everyone.

Archaeology

We are keen to uncover more about the history of our site and are actively bidding for funding to allow us to investigate through archaeological projects in the castle grounds. You can find out more about our successful projects so far on our archaeology page.