We were visiting friends in Exeter, England and one of the things we were interested in doing was visiting a castle. Our friends suggested Dunster. After the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century, William de Mohun built a castle on the site. The castle survived a siege during the early years of The Anarchy, which was a was a civil war in England and Normandy between 1135 and 1153. The castle was later bought by the Luttrell family. After Alexander Luttrell died in 1944, the family was unable to afford the death duties on his estate. The castle and surrounding lands were sold off to a property firm, but the family continued to live in the castle as tenants. The Luttrells bought back the castle in 1954, but in 1976 Colonel Walter Luttrell gave Dunster Castle and most of its contents to the National Trust, which operates it as a tourist attraction. The castle is beautifully furnished and when you walk to the top you will get a beautiful view of the countryside. Well worth your time to stop by and explore! read more

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Interesting castle with lovely gardens where are buried all the family dogs, & stunning views over Minehead & the sea to Wales read more

National Trust: Dunster Castle - from inside the castle looking out over the sea to Wales - Castles Near Me - Minehead, SOM

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I have been here twice, - and I will go again in October this year. When I went last time there was a food fair in the castle. You could buy different good cheeses, chocolates, jams, marmelades - all home-made. The gift shop is excellent, I remember. It is well worth seeing the gardens, too. I know they sometimes do tours at night-time. read more

Dunster castle is situated in a nice place in minehead and it is near to a small town which has ice-cream and gift shops. The castle is very educational for young children and interesting for older people. There are lots of room inside the castle that are fascinating no matter how old you are. Inisde these rooms are old fashioned kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms preserved exactly from their original state. It is definitely worth visiting when you are in and around Somerset and have a couple hours to spare. I would certainly recommend it here even if you have children. read more

Lovely staff, very helpful and friendly. Amazing venue with some stunning views. You will need your hiking boots though - there are some steep hills. For those who can't they do offer a free bus service to the front door from the car park. Didn't manage to see all of it but would love to come back for a more leisurely look around. read more