Hay Castle Trust is a registered charity that was formed in 2011 to preserve this historic site and provide a future of cultural enrichment, educational opportunities and community enjoyment. The vision was to renovate this beautiful building and make it safe and useable for current and future generations, creating a cultural space in the vibrant Book Town of Hay on Wye.
We are lucky to sit in the centre of this fantastic town with its busy, creative and entrepreneurial community which is also home to the Hay Festival. We aim to offer a welcoming and open space for people to enjoy the heritage and culture of this area and to support the community and visitors to continue bringing art, literature, heritage and culture to this amazing part of Wales.
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Maev Kennedy in The Art Newspaper writes...
"When the locally formed Hay Castle Trust bought the castle in 2011 for, the Grade I listed and scheduled ancient monument was judged by Cadw, the Welsh government’s heritage agency, to be in imminent danger of collapse, with large parts of the building considered to be at risk. Years of fundraising and a Heritage Lottery Fund grant in 2016 finally allowed repairs to begin. After much debate, it was agreed the exterior should be restored to its original appearance, but the interior has undergone an unabashedly modern refit. MICA architects have added handsome oak, steel and glass stairs and floors, including a museum-quality temporary exhibition gallery. The redesign has also opened public access to the roof of the keep and its stunning view of the town and the river Wye."
Did you know that Hay Castle is a charity?
And did you know that it costs us over £1,250 per day just to keep our doors open?
We depend on the generosity of our visitors to continue to stage exceptional exhibitions, provide excellent events and maintain our collection, our historic castle and our grounds. As a registered charity we do not receive any regular government funding so we rely on the income from our visitors to cover a large part of these costs.
If you are a UK taxpayer who agrees to Gift Aid the price of your admission ticket, Hay Castle can reclaim the tax you have already paid on the earnings used to buy your ticket. This means we gain an extra 25 pence for every £1 you spend (a total benefit to us of £1.25 on your admission ticket). This helps us to keep Hay Castle open, allowing us to share our passion for history and culture with future generations.
Thank you for your support!
(Please note: If purchasing more than one admission ticket in a single transaction, Hay Castle can claim Gift Aid on both the ticket for the purchaser and any tickets for other family members. Family members include another adult who shares the same address as the purchaser and any children who also share the same address.)
