Bishop’s Stortford is situated in East Herts, near to the Herts/Essex border. It’s 30 miles from London and less than 20 minutes by car from Junction 27 of the M25 via the M11 motorway.

You can find information on the locations and charges for car parks in Bishop’s Stortford on our car park pages. Some of our car parks have designated motorcycle bays.

There are regular rail services from London Liverpool Street to Bishop’s Stortford.
 

Paths run around the whole of the park, providing easy access for visitors of all abilities all year round. These include a riverside path along the River Stort and a path along the eastern edge of Sworder’s Field.

A 4m wide bridge with fully accessible ramps and connecting paths connects Sworders Field with the events space in Castle Gardens and the Terrace Park Café & Kitchen. 

There are detailed information boards to give insight into the history of Waytemore Castle and other features of the park. There is plenty of signage to help you access all the amenities the park has to offer.

The public toilets include an adult Changing Places facility. Equipment includes a height adjustable changing, a bench, a peninsular toilet and a ceiling hoist.

Climb to the top of Waytemore Castle

The remains of Waytemore Castle stand at the top of the castle mound. Originally built by the Normans in about 1080, it was designed as an administrative centre rather than a defensive stronghold, giving the Bishops of London a strategic base. 

Today, the castle motte is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The largest of its type in Hertfordshire, measuring 83m by 65m with a height of around 12m, it was raised entirely by hand and would have been visible for miles around. Look out for the display board which gives more insight into its role in the local area.

Tune in your senses along the banks of the River Stort

The River Stort is a chalk river. The clear water flows over a gravel bed which encourages an abundance of different pants to grow. Chalk rivers are globally rare and most of them are found in southern and eastern England.

The river is a haven for a wide range of wildlife including kingfishers, water voles and three types of bat.

Play tennis

There are three tennis courts in Castle Park, all of which are Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) standard. They are managed by Bishop’s Stortford Lawn Tennis Club on behalf of East Herts Council. Free hourly sessions are available on a first come first served basis at the following times:

• Monday 10-11am
• Tuesday 12-1pm
• Wednesday 9-10am
• Thursday 1-2pm
• Friday 4-5pm
• Saturday & Sunday 2-3pm

The remaining times are charged for. All sessions, including the free sessions, must be booked through the LTA ClubSpark account. Simply visit ClubSpark / Account / Sign up (lta.org.uk) and add your name/email to set up an account. Alternatively, you can download the ClubSpark Booker App from Google Play or the Apple App Store.

Let off steam in the splash park and children's play area

There is a splash park and a play area for younger children which includes swings, a helter skelter slide and climbing frames. These facilities are managed by Bishop’s Stortford Town Council. Visit their website for more information on amenities and opening times.  

Try out the skatepark

The skate park was designed with local skaters as a street skate facility with new skate paths and a skate ramp. It’s popular all year round with users of all ages and abilities, scooters to skateboards. Skaters are encouraged to respect all other users and to wear suitable protective clothing.

Walk the waterside Stortford trail

Waterside Stortford is a riverside and countryside trail passing through Bishop’s Stortford and Castle Park. The full trail is 3.5 miles (5.6km) long and there are information boards along the way to explain its history and ecology. 

Download a map of the trail

Visit the memorial gardens

The War Memorial, unveiled on 3 April 1921, sits at the heart of the memorial gardens and is an English Heritage Grade II building. It commemorates the 207 men of Bishop’s Stortford who lost their lives in the First World War. The names of the 107 local men and women who died in the Second World War were inscribed on the memorial in the early 1960s.

Look out for Castle Park's special features...

Look out for display boards which give more information about the following: 

• The Hockerill Fountain which was a gift to the town from husband and wife, Edwin and Eliza Eyre in 1872. It stood at the crossroads at Hockerill until the late 1920s when it was moved to a site by Waytemore castle mound.  
• Deposits of Hertfordshire puddingstone which can be seen around the park. Puddingstone is a conglomerate of rounded flint pebbles in a matrix of fine pale sand, all bound together by hard natural silica cement. It’s found mainly in Hertfordshire but also in Essex and other places in southern England and Northern France. There are myths and folklore about puddingstone because, in the olden days, it often seemed to appear from nowhere in fields and break the farmers’ ploughs.
• The monument dedicated to William Smith 1843-1927, a prominent local wine merchant who made a significant contribution to Bishop's Stortford. Viewed from above, it is styled on the ‘All Seeing Eye’ which is said to watch over the workers of mankind. This also appears on US Dollar bills. Smith was a member of the masonic Royal Arch Chapter 409 and the monument's symbolism is masonic.  

Archaeology in Castle Park

Exciting archaeological discoveries have been made at Castle Park. Most recently, a series of medieval burials were unearthed close to the remnants of Waytemore Castle. Initial assessments, led by Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), through a method known as carbon-14 dating, have found that two of the graves date back to the 10th century, firmly placing them in the Anglo-Saxon period. Four community digs have also taken place, the most recent in July 2024.  

The Terrace Park Café & Kitchen is open daily, selling refreshments and providing a space for residents to meet and enjoy Castle Park, whatever the weather. The wide-ranging menu includes hot food, pizzas, cakes and pastries as well as open sandwiches, quiches and salads at the deli counter. It’s licensed to serve alcohol, and dogs are welcome. Visit the website for the full menu and opening times.

Alternatively, take your pick from some delightful picnic spots. You can picnic anywhere in the park and there are plenty of waste bins for rubbish.

Situated on the edge of Castle Park, within easy access of the town centre, The Markwell Studio is available to hire by individuals and groups for classes, events and meetings. It can accommodate up to 48 people seated or 60 standing and there is a small kitchen.  

The Studio can be hired by the hour on a one-off or regular basis via Bishop's Stortford Town Council’s website.