A great accessible place for a wedding as well as a visitor
5
5
Date of visit: May 2025
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment, accessing toilets and moving around.
I use or have experience of: disabled toilet, hidden impairment, powerchair, wheelchair
Overall Rating
Excellent
As you can see, there is a detailed accessibility guide already for the castle and I can confirm that this place was every bit as accessible for me as it seems. Apart from holding my wedding and reception here last May, I recently visited the castle with friends in June 2026. I was blown away by how every little thing has been thought of. I've taken a few pictures to give examples of the accessibility of this venue; not just for the mobility impaired but for hearing impaired, visually impaired and people with sensory issues. I had my wedding here in May last year (both ceremony and reception) Ours was in the chapel. There is a secret room for smaller ceremonies but that is up some winding stairs and as such is not accessible for wheelchair users. We were invited for several meetings prior to our wedding to get a feel for the venue and to ensure everything would be ok for access. I was able to try out both lifts and the toilets and to check that I could access the little room where you meet the registrar before the ceremony. That involves a small step down which I was able to do with assistance but they would accommodate you if that were not possible. Nothing was too much trouble for both Sheldon who was our organiser and the staff at the Castle. The Chapel was closed off from the public for our wedding at 4pm and we were able to have the whole place to ourselves from 5pm where our guests were free to enjoy the whole museum and its exhibits. There were a few areas, obviously that I could not enter (dungeons) which was disappointing, but short of going back in time ... a LONG time, there's not much I could do there. The exhibits are widely spaced apart to allow for wheelchair access, so you never feel that you are in the way or closed in, and everything is wheelchair/children height. There are about 5 disabled parking spaces directly outside the Castle, accessible via the high street but if you cannot park there, you can park in the dedicated disabled areas on the High Street itself which is only 5 mins wheel away.
Disabled Access In and Around
Excellent
Entry via automatic doors where you will approach the welcome desk and be asked immediately if you need any assistance. There are benches along the wall near the desk if you cannot stand for long periods. The entrance is a slight incline. Not too much for a powerchair but it is worth noting. The larger of the 2 lifts is located near the toilets and dimensions are as follows: The floor space of our lift is 136 cm x 101cm. There is a metal bar 88cms up from the floor of the lift, which reduces the space to 127 x 101cm The glass lift located in the central area is smaller and requires someone to hold the button continuously. All exhibits are audio looped and have braille descriptions and have the added touch of BSL instructions for the relevant word.
Accessible facilities: Lift to some areas, Step-free entrance, Seating at regular intervals, Step-free access to most areas
Parking & Transport
Excellent
I travelled to this place by personal vehicle
Staff were on hand to allow you to drive through the Castle gates should the need arise. There were no EV charging ports nearby Being so close to the High Street, the Castle is very accessible via bus and train (use Colchester Town station, not North, although you could get a bus from Colchester North into town)
Accessible facilities: Public or on street parking
Accessible Toilets
Good
The sliding door is a little fidgety but I still prefer it to having to juggle with a front opening door while having to use my wheelchair as a doorstop just to get in! THe toilet is fairly old fashioned but perfectly functional. The red cord was in place, correctly.
Facilities: Accessible toilet
Staff
Excellent
The staff here are extremely friendly and helpful and make you feel very welcome. Always going the extra mile to assist in any way possible.
Comments
cims
15 Jun 2026
Thank you so much for your review (our very first!) and a huge congratulations on your wedding! It's always great to know someone's enjoyed their visit and it's extra special to have been part of such an important day.
