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You are here: Things To Do > Lancaster Castle

Lancaster Castle

Type: castle / fort.

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

Tel: 01524 64998

Behind the imposing walls of Lancaster Castle lies a fascinating past. A place of defence, justice, persecution, and imprisonment. But more than a monument of the past, trials continue in the crown court to this very day.  

Guided tours offer a fantastic and truly original glimpse into the Castle's past. Explore the exquisitely decorated courtrooms, dark prison cells and sombre sites of execution. Brace yourself for the tragic history of the Pendle Witches who were imprisoned, tried and sentenced to death at Lancaster Castle in 1612. Shaped by our visitor's interests and questions, no single tour is the same. Ask about our teddy bear hunt or join our fun-filled kids activity tours which run during school holidays throughout the year. 

Described as one of the North of England's most magnificent and important historic monuments, the site was fortified by the Romans, rebuilt by the Normans, and extended in the Georgian era. Book your tour today. 

Lancaster Castle will re-open for pre-booked visits from Monday 17 May. It will open daily from 11am with the last guided tour at 3.30pm.

Book Tickets

To celebrate the reopening of the castle courtrooms to visitors, tours will be free for a limited time.

Opening Times

* * Tours run Monday to Friday 10am; 10.45am; 11.30am; 12.15pm; 1pm; 1.45pm; 2.30pm; 3.15pm and 4pm. Saturday and Sunday 10am; 10.30am; 11am; 11.30am; 12midday; 1pm; 2pm; 2.30pm; 3pm; 3.30pm and 4pm. Please note that tour times can be subject to change. Private group bookings and other events/circumstances mean that tours do not always operate at the times listed above. Visitors are welcome to call the Castle on 01524 64998 to check tour times for a specific date.

• VAQAS VB Attraction

Road Directions

Morecambe, Lancaster and the Lune Valley is located in Lancashire, in the Northwest of England. Exit the M6 Motorway at Junction 34 and follow signs for Lancaster. Join the one way system (Caton Road) and pass small retail park on left on approach to traffic lights. Turn left following signs for Lancaster City Centre. Once in the city centre follow signs for Lancaster Castle and Priory Church.

Public Transport Directions

The nearest train station is Lancaster which is only a 5 minute walk from Lancaster Visitor Information Centre, just outside the city centre. The station is on the West Coast Mainline with regular mainline Virgin services to London & South and Glasgow & North. Local services include a regular service to Morecambe. For more information call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950 or visit nationalrail.co.uk. The nearest bus station is Lancaster which is less than a 5 minute walk from the central pedestrianised shopping areas of St Nicholas' Arcade and Marketgate. Local, regional and national services are available. For further information contact traveline on 0871 200 2233 or visit traveline.org.uk.

• Concessionary Admission Charges
• Demonstrations Given
• Event Venue
• Guide Dogs Permitted
• Guided Tours Compulsory for Groups
• Guided Tours Compulsory for Individuals
• Indoor Attraction
• Marketed towards families
• Marketed towards senior citizens
• Open All Year
• Parking Areas for Disabled Visitors

Parking & Transport

• Car Parking
• Coaches Welcome

Provider Preferences

• Groups accepted
• In town/city centre

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating:

• Excellent 1807
• Very Good 608
• Average 165
• Terrible 45

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Lancaster Castle

Dominating the local skyline, Lancaster Castle is one of England's best-preserved castles. The castle is owned by His Majesty the King, who is the Duke of Lancaster. The castle offers a glimpse into England’s often dark past through tours and special events enjoyed by modern day visitors of all ages. Until 2011 it was a fully functioning HM Prison and was also Europe’s longest-serving prison. 

Its courtrooms have witnessed many famous and infamous trials over the centuries, including those of the Lancashire Witches who were convicted and sentenced to death in 1612. Between 1800 and 1865 only the judges at the Old Bailey in London sentenced more people to death than those who sat at Lancaster Castle.

Photo gallery

Plan your visit

Daily tours.

Access to most of the castle interiors is by guided tour only.

Tour start times are subject to change or cancellation and visitors are advised to call ahead for information about specific tour times on the day of their visit.

Tours run at regular intervals every day. Tours generally start 30 to 45 minutes apart.

All tour start times are subject to change or cancellation. 

The Police Museum (Thursday to Friday only), Witches' Exhibition and castle courtyards can be accessed without a guided tour. These parts of the castle are not administered by Lancashire County Council. 

Admission charges

• Children up to the age of 18 - £7
• Family Ticket £ 25 – two full price and 2 children; 1 full price and 3 children; 4 children (one of whom must be over 16 years).
• For large-group bookings or private tours please contact us to discuss your needs

Opening times

Please note that tour times can be subject to change. Private group bookings and other events/circumstances mean that tours do not always operate at the times listed below and the tour coverage may be altered (with the charge being reduced, as appropriate). Visitors are welcome to call the Castle on 01524 64998 to check tour times for a specific date.

From Monday 25 March 2024 to Sunday 24 November 2024

How to find us.

The Shire Hall Lancaster Castle Castle Parade Lancaster LA1 1YJ

The castle is located near to Lancaster city centre and is sign-posted from junctions 33 and 34 of the M6 motorway.  The site is a five-minute walk from the railway station; the bus station is a ten to fifteen-minute walk.  Plan your journey and view  bus timetables for your area  and train times (external site). Why not take advantage of our cheap bus offers to visit our museums? Find out more about cheap days out by bus .

Facilities, access and contact details

• Free p ublic access to the courtyard area
• Car parking available for blue badge holders by prior arrangement, please contact the castle before your visit
• Assistance dogs welcome
• Part disabled access
• Baby changing facilities
• Cafe in the courtyard  (external link). 

Lancaster Castle is located on top of a hill and that approaches from all directions are steep. The visitor entrance is the main gateway to the castle at the front of the building (the John O’Gaunt gate). The tour route is not suitable for pushchairs or buggies. If your infant is able to walk, or you are able to carry your infant for the duration of the tour, there is a place part-way round the route where buggies can be left, on request, at your own risk. The tour route is also not suitable for wheelchairs. Visitors with limited mobility are asked to please call ahead to speak directly to our tour guides.

See the access statement (PDF 5.24 MB) for more detail or please ring us if you have any questions.

Contact us 

Tel:   01524 64998  

Email:   [email protected]

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If you've visited us recently, don't forget to leave us a TripAdvisor review.

Discover more of Lancashire's diverse history and visit one of our other Lancashire Museums . Which of our museums will you visit next?

Things to see and do

Hear the castle stories of those who have passed through its gates, from royal visitors, to witches and martyrs imprisoned here. Experience the chilling old cells and the Drop Room where the condemned were led to the gallows.

The Shire Hall houses a magnificent display of more than 650 heraldic shields. The Crown Court dock still has the branding iron which was used on 'malefactors' until 1811. Our usual guided tours also include some areas of the former prison.

Entry to the castle interiors which are open to the public is by guided tour only. 

Extensive conservation and restoration works have opened up the historic kitchen courtyard and access to the King’s Evidence and Male Felons Towers beyond the world-famous Well Tower in which the Lancashire Witches were incarcerated while awaiting trial. Part of the curtain wall has been lowered to restore the original sightlines to the Priory and a new covered cloister walk uncovered. A new teaching suite and gallery space have also been created together with a sweeping new piazza in the lower courtyard.

Here's what some of our visitors had to say:

"Excellent tour, great guide."

"Fantastic, very informative and thoroughly enjoyable."

"Fabulous tour."

"Best castle ever."

This highly decorative ten-sided room is Joseph Gandy’s masterpiece. Completed in 1802, its semi-circle of Gothic pillars carry not only the arches which support the timber ceiling over the main part of the court room but also the arches of the plaster vault over the surrounding aisle. Still used as a working courtroom on rare occasions, today the Shire Hall is also the centrepiece for one the UK’s finest displays of heraldic shields. 

Please note that most of Lancaster Castle's history has been associated with law and order and crime and punishment. These topics form a significant part of the guided tour and include information about the death penalty and hangings which took place at the castle.

If you've visited us, what was your favourite thing you learnt about the castle? Let us know by sharing your experiences on Twitter using #LancasterCastle  and don't forget to tag in  @LancsMuseums on Twitter  and  @LancsMuseums on Facebook .

What's on: events and exhibitions

Search for the latest events at Lancaster Castle. If there are no current events listed check back for new events soon. We look forward to seeing you.

Find events at Lancaster Castle

Previous events include theatrical and musical events and our annual 'Christmas at the castle' markets. 

Lancashire Museums on X

We are happy to receive enquiries from schools throughout the year. Our guided tours offer students the opportunity the see one of the last working castles in the country, learn about the administration of the law through the last 1000 years, and experience for themselves what it meant to be imprisoned here. 

Find more information about our group visits .

Learn about the administration of the law through the last 1000 years and experience what it meant to be imprisoned here.

Museum loan boxes

Our museum loan boxes contain a wide range of historical artefacts, replica objects and useful resources loan boxes are a great way of bringing a little bit of the museum into your classroom.

Learn more about loan boxes .

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Lancashire Police Museum

Lancashire Police Museum is housed within the stunning surroundings of Lancaster Castle  and the old Prison, and is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 10.30am to 4pm. Closed from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. Entry is free . Book online in advance or just turn up.

There is also a mock custody suite with interactive exhibits, an area for children to try on uniforms and an area dedicated to modern day policing with information about opportunities to join the police either as a cadet, volunteer, police staff member or police officer.

The museum is a partnership between Lancashire Constabulary, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Duchy of Lancaster.

Learn more about our museum, as well as the historic Lancaster Castle.

EXHIBIT INFORMATION

Walk past the Castle gates into the atmospheric former prison to look round our sixteen galleries, each contained within their own prison cell. Browse through the police uniforms, radios, handcuffs, saddles and other evocative objects. We also commemorate those that lost their lives in the line of duty through a Memorial Wall and Remembrance Room.

…and much more.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM

Lancashire Constabulary, in partnership with the Duchy of Lancaster and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire, have launched this fantastic Police Museum within the historic Lancaster Castle.

The new museum features 16 different galleries and film shows, all housed within Lancaster Castle’s prison cells. The galleries cover the history of Lancashire Constabulary, Police training, forensic development – including how some infamous local cases were solved – and an overview of some of the different police departments including the mounted branch, dog unit, underwater search unit and firearms. This attraction provides visitors with an exciting opportunity to learn about policing past and present in our county and to hear first-hand from the people behind the badge.

Included in the exhibits is a mock custody suite with interactive exhibits and an area dedicated to modern day policing with information about opportunities to join the police either as a cadet, volunteer, police staff member or police officer.

Trip to Lancaster Castle

Lancaster Castle is an imposing medieval building, on the site of a Roman fort near the river Lune. It has been used as a court and prison for hundreds of years.

Lancaster Castle is open daily (except over the Christmas/ New Year period) from 09.30 am to 5.00 pm. Visitors can enjoy the courtyard spaces, external views of the historic building and the cafe run by local baristas and coffee roasters, Atkinsons, without charge. Public access to the interiors of the castle buildings is by guided tour only.

Tours of the external courtyards and courtrooms take place between 10.00am and 4.00pm. To book your tour, visit the Lancaster Castle ticket office, located under the clocktower in the lower courtyard. They can be contacted by email: [email protected] or phone: 01524 64998 .

Join our mailing list!

Admission is free.

Lancaster Castle

Castle Park

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Castle/Ex-Prison Tour - Lancaster Castle

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Castle/Ex-Prison Tour

This tour lasted approximately an hour and was very interesting. Our guide was highly knowledgeable and we learned a great deal. I would highly recommend it although some of the stories were a little too frightening for very young ones. Be prepared to be on your feet for the full tour and across uneven ground in places. The cafe supplies a good range of food and drink if you wanted to combine with a lunch out. You could complete the day by going to Williamson Park afterwards too. I called to find out if we needed to book in advance and we didnt, could just pay on arrival for next tour. Only time this is different is it they have a coach party booked so would be worth ringing first just to be sure.

£8 for a good tour of parts of the castle, live courtrooms and former prison area. Very interesting and James was an excellent guide. The prison closed in 2011 and there is great potential to develop it into something to make the tour even more interesting.

Had a fantastic tour of Lancaster Castle yesterday. Was surprised at how much we enjoyed it. James was an excellent guide with lots of local knowledge. Thanks for a lovely day

Excellent little trip to this still used court room amidst a medieval keep. Tour guide was excellent showing us around and was very enthusiastic. I wanted to see more.

This castle has most impressive buildings and a fascinating history. It should be visited in the near future before it is fitted up for new uses.

We had a tour of Lancaster Castle with our Guide Peter who was excellent - he was very knowledgable and more than happy to answer any questions - we went on a Saturday which meant we could also go into the court rooms but unfortunately they did not cover were the Lancashire Witches were held, these are specialist tours which are up and coming, and we will be back for those - the only down side were some very young and not very well behaved children running riot

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DELAYED OPENING ON MAY 13 | All operations of LancasterHistory will have a delayed opening on Monday, May 13 . The organization will be closed to the public from 9am – 1pm . We will reopen to the public at 1pm. There will be a 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm tour of Wheatland. Thank you!

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Wheatland tours: 10 AM - 3 PM | Campus Hours: 9:30 AM - 5 PM

• Origins of the Underground Railroad in Lancaster County

Home / Visit / Campus of History

Visit historic sites in Lancaster County to learn about some of the earliest episodes of anti-slavery resistance in America. These spontaneous uprisings against slavery evolved into organized efforts, daring escapes, and legal challenges, culminating into a movement known as “The Underground Railroad.” Today, the Underground Railroad is noted by historians as the first mass movement of civil disobedience since the Revolutionary War, and America’s first racially-integrated and religiously-inspired civil rights movement.

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Private Tour Options

LancasterHistory is proud to offer private tours of Underground Railroad sites, called Origins of the Underground Railroad in Lan caster County (OUGRR) guided tours. Our private group tours give you and your group exclusive, one-on-one time with your tour guide. Private tours are individually scheduled on a mutually agreed upon date and time and are priced per person.

We currently offer two different private tour experiences. Please click the dropdowns below to read about each tour type.

Beginning at LancasterHistory, attendees will receive a brief orientation about the Underground Railroad, illustrated with maps and posters. After the orientation, the tour continues with a short, one-mile drive into downtown Lancaster City with cellphone communication between up to two vehicles. The guide and attendees will park their vehicles and walk throughout a three-square block area of the historic City of Lancaster's downtown area.

Sites include:

• Shreiner Concord Cemetery , the location of the grave and monument of US Congressman Thaddeus Stevens;
• The Fulton Theatre , built on the foundations of the old Lancaster County jail where two formerly enslaved women daringly escaped in 1835;
• Penn Square , to discuss physical transportation and transportation networks as pathways of the Underground Railroad movement;
• The Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Historic Site , a safe house of the Underground Railroad; and
• Site of the Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad , a pathway of the Underground Railroad.

Tour Length & Size

This tour lasts 90 minutes to 2 hours, and is a combination of a walking and driving tour. The tour is perfect for small groups of 5-10 people, but can be adjusted for larger groups such as buses. The minimum group size to reserve is 5 individuals.

During the driving part of the tour, your tour guide will create a call between up to two additional vehicles. (Vehicles and cellphones must be supplied by attendees, not LancasterHistory.)

For groups larger than 10 persons who may have access to a van, moderate size motor coach or large motor coaches and are interested in booking this tour option, please contact Randy Harris to discuss options for a variety of tour routes, pricing and other accommodations.

Health & Safety and Accessibility

Please view the section below on the webpage to read about these requirements or policies.

To inquire about pricing, please fill out our Group Tour Information Request form or contact [email protected] .

A minimum notice of two weeks is required to book a private tour. A deposit is required at time of booking to secure a tour's date and time. The remaining balance is due one week out from tour date. More details are supplied in our booking contract.

Reservations

This tour option is available to book on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays by advance reservations only. Reservations are required at least two weeks in advance. Less notice is subject to LancasterHistory's availability and discretion.

Those interested in booking this tour option should contact [email protected] or by calling (717) 392-4633, ext. 131.

How to Prepare For The Tour

We recommend tour attendees:

• Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing and footwear;
• Bring a properly fitting face mask or covering (required, regardless of vaccination status, for those 2+ years or older);
• Bring at least one cellphone;
• Be prepared to pay for on-street parking; and
• A camera or notebook for note taken (at your leisure).

Beginning at the Mifflin House in Wrightsville, PA (York County), attendees will receive a brief orientation about the Underground Railroad, illustrated with maps and posters. After the orientation, the tour continues with excursions to other sites associated with the Underground Railroad with a cellphone or PA system narration between vehicles. Upon reaching the City of Lancaster, the guide and attendees will park their vehicles and walk throughout a three-square block area of the historic City of Lancaster's downtown area.

• The Mifflin House , one of the oldest safehouses in the United States;
• Zion Hill Cemetery , the burial site of many African American Underground Railroad agents and members of the US Colored Troops;
• Shreiner Concord Cemetery , the location of the grave and monument of US Congressman Thaddeus Stevens; and
• The Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith  Historic Site , a safe house of the Underground Railroad.

Other custom routes or starting points available. Please call to discuss.

This tour lasts 3 - 4 hours, and is a combination of a walking and driving tour. The tour is perfect for groups of 5 - 10 individuals, but can be adjusted for larger groups such as buses. The minimum size to reserve a tour is 5 individuals.

During the driving part of the tour, your tour guide will create a call between up to two additional vehicles. (Vehicles and cellphones must be supplied by attendees, not LancasterHistory.) For bus or motor coach vehicles, the guide will ride on the bus and use the on-board PA system to speak.

Want more information or ready to book your private tour? 

Submit a Group Tour Inquiry

You can also contact LancasterHistory at (717) 392-4633, ext. 131 or email [email protected] .

About Your Tour Guide

A native of western Pennsylvania’s Monongahela Valley, Randy Harris has worked for more than 25 years on projects and initiatives focused on community revitalization through the preservation and the reuse of historic buildings, creation of heritage tourism sites and programs, and other sustainable land use practices.

Trained as a journalist and communications specialist, Randy served as a newspaper reporter, editor, and photographer before working for the Pittsburgh Area Office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. After moving to Lancaster in the mid-90s, Randy served as the Executive Director of the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County before becoming an independent consulting historian in 2002. Since 2003, Randy has helped 20 heritage sites become official sites in the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program, the nation’s official listing of authentic resources associated with the Underground Railroad.

Randy is still very active in the historic preservation community as well as numerous historical organizations in the Lancaster area. He continues to give tours about the Underground Railroad and work on projects focused on African American heritage in the southcentral Pennsylvania region.

Health & Safety, Accessibility, and Technology

LancasterHistory strives to maintain as safe an environment as possible so that tour attendees can enjoy and get the most out of their experience. Please note the following:

The risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in every public space where people are present. COVID-19 is a serious, contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and even death. Senior citizens and those with underlying medical conditions are particular vulnerable. By attending a tour or program facilitated by LancasterHistory, you voluntarily assume all risks of exposure to COVID-19.

Tour attendees and their guide are required to follow LancasterHistory’s Health & Safety Policies for Visitors regarding COVID-19. We recommend consulting this document prior to your tour for the most up-to-date information.

Accessibility

To see or access some historic sites, participants may need to stand or walk for a period of time. Those who do not wish to venture out of their vehicle will receive similar interpretation of the site from the vehicles or bus. Service animals are welcome. If you have any accessibility concerns or requests, please contact LancasterHistory at [email protected] .

For tours with personal vehicles, cellphones are used to facilitate the narration of the tour between vehicles. Up to two personal vehicles will follow the guide in his own vehicle, and all vehicles will be connected via cellphone. (Four to five passengers per vehicle is preferable.) Tour attendees are responsible for their own vehicles and cellphones. For motor coaches, the tour guide will need to utilize an on-board PA system.

Did You Know?

Milton Hershey’s first successful candy company got its start in Lancaster and was aptly named the Lancaster Caramel Company.

Lancaster Your Local News for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Lancaster Prison Inmate Deborah F. McClucas Dies

A Lancaster County Prison inmate who was rushed to the hospital and released for end-of-life care has died; officials announced her passing on Monday, April 22, 2024. 

The Lancaster County Prison where Deborah F. McClucas was and inmate until the day before she died. 

Deborah F. McClucas, 60 of Willow Street, was found unresponsive in her prison cell at approximately 8:24 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, according to a release by Lancaster County Officials. 

After the prison staff called 911, city firefighters and EMS took her to Lancaster General Health Penn Medicine. 

"The inmate’s family was notified of admittance to the hospital," officials told Daily Voice. She "was then released from custody by the Lancaster County Prison at the hospital. Inmates who are receiving end of life care are often released from custody, when appropriate, to remove restrictions of family having access to the individual."

On Monday, the Lancaster County Prison checked in with LGH and was informed that she had passed away on April 17, 2024.

Debbie had a criminal record for drug-related offenses which included an incident where she drove under the influence and gave a police officer a false ID, court records show. When she was found unresponsive she was being held "for a Technical Parole Violation bench warrant," as stated in the release. 

She had been admitted to the prison on March 19, 2024. 

Her cause of death was a "Cerebral Aneurysm" and the manner was ruled "Natural," by the Lancaster County Coroner.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Lancaster and receive free news updates.

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Live Stream Campus Tour - 14th May 2024

Tuesday 14 May 2024, 12:00pm to 1:00pm

Registration

Registration info.

Please book using the link below.

Event Details

A tour of Lancaster University campus hosted by our student ambassadors, delivered to you via a live stream. The tour is designed to be accessed remotely, meaning you can explore our campus without travelling.

The campus tour will last approximately 1 hour. You'll be shown to some of the key locations across campus to give you a flavour of what's on offer and you'll have the chance to ask any questions you may have.

Once registered you will receive an email that confirms your registration along with details on how to access the online event. It may be worth adding digital-events @lancaster.ac.uk to your list of safe senders to ensure your confirmation is sent to your inbox.

If for some reason you haven’t received an email or are encountering problems joining in online, please contact digital-events @lancaster.ac.uk or visit our Webinar Help Page .

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15 people injured when tram collides with guardrail at Universal Studios theme park near Los Angeles

FILE - The Universal Studios Hollywood officially reopens to the public at 25% capacity with COVID-19 protocols in place in Los Angeles, on April 16, 2021. A tram accident at Universal Studios in Los Angeles injured multiple people Saturday night, April 20, 2024, authorities and the company said. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

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UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (AP) — More than a dozen people suffered mostly minor injuries when a tram used for tours crashed into a railing at Universal Studios Hollywood near Los Angeles, authorities and the company said.

Los Angeles County Fire Department units responded shortly after 9 p.m. Saturday to the theme park in Universal City, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) northwest of downtown LA, the agency said in a social media post.

The California Highway Patrol said that while the tram was negotiating a turn, its last car collided with a metal guardrail, “causing it to tilt and eject multiple passengers.”

The fire department said 15 people were taken to hospitals with minor injuries. The highway patrol’s statement on Sunday said some of the injuries were moderate, but didn’t specify a number.

Universal Studios Hollywood said in a statement Sunday afternoon that tours have resumed with a modified route.

“Our thoughts continue to be with the guests who were involved, and we are thankful that based on agency reports, the injuries sustained were minor. We are working closely with public agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, as we continue our review of the incident and safety remains a top priority,” the statement said.

The highway patrol, which is leading the investigation, said alcohol and drugs were not considered a factor.

The tram circuit, called the World-Famous Studio Tour, offers a glimpse behind the scenes of Universal movies including “Jaws” and Jordan Peele’s “Nope.” The theme park will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the tour starting Friday.

Lord Cameron woos Central Asian leaders on historic tour on Russia’s doorstep

Foreign Secretary seeks closer links in resource-rich region where the Kremlin and Beijing see dominance as vital

The Foreign Secretary has completed a historic tour of all five former Soviet central Asian states and Mongolia to drum up support for the West along Russia’s southern border.

During his five-day mission, Lord Cameron became the first British foreign minister to visit Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan,  and the first to visit Uzbekistan since 1997.

“We’re here because we believe you should be able to make a choice, to partner with us in a way that is good for both our security and our prosperity,” he told Kazakh reporters after meeting Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the president of Kazahstan, in Astana, the country’s futuristic capital.

A parliamentary report last year criticised the government for a lack of interest in central Asia despite its strategic importance. 

The resource-rich region is wedged between China, Russia, Afghanistan, Iran and the Caspian Sea, and Beijing and Moscow consider dominance there a priority.

Since its invasion of Ukraine two years ago, the Kremlin has looked to central Asia to help it dodge sanctions and has expanded military and security ties. 

It has also used central Asia’s railway network to send fuel to Iran as payment for drones and missiles.

Rick Fawn, a professor at St Andrews University, said Lord Cameron’s visit was a prestige trip for Britain in which his status as a former prime minister impressed regional leaders.

“It is at least some British flag-waving, especially in central Asia where there is now fluidity, opportunity and danger because of shifting Russian capacities. This is space that will otherwise continue to be filled by China,” said Prof Fawn.

Lord Cameron posed for dozens of photo-ops during his trip, including inspecting a yurt in Turkmenistan and tasting plov, a local lamb pilaf, in Uzbekistan.

In Bishkek, he was photographed shaking hands with Sadyr Japarov, the Kyrgyz president, less than three weeks after he imposed a Kremlin-inspired law designed to undermine Western-backed NGOs and media groups.

Central Asia’s leaders initially publicly doubted Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine but have since given the Kremlin more support.

Erica Marat, a professor at the National Defense University in Washington DC, said that the West has fallen behind in the race to win influence in central Asia because it has not been consistent in its interest since the region’s nations won independence in 1991.

“I think the feeling in central Asia is that this increased attention from Western countries is temporary, it’s not going to last for too long,” she said.

As well as looking to sweet talk central Asia’s leaders, Lord Cameron also discussed strengthening labour routes to Britain.

Over the past couple of years, the government has encouraged migrant workers from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Britain to plug workforce gaps created by Brexit.

In June last year, Leo Docherty, then the Europe Minister, visited central Asia to agree deals for fruit pickers to travel to Britain. Nicholas Bowler, the British ambassador in Kyrgyzstan, has described Kyrgyz workers as “hard-working” and “reliable”.

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A Dark History

A glimpse into the history of Lancaster Castle and its use as a place of punishment offers a revealing insight into the nation’s changing attitudes towards crime and punishment, as well as religious and cultural beliefs through the centuries.

The castle has been the scene of notable trials, hundreds of executions and has housed prisoners of various categories until as recently as 2011.

Our guided tours unlock the fascinating, and often macabre, heritage of this imposing and historically significant monument.

Crime & Punishment

Lancaster Castle provides a unique snapshot of the history of the judiciary and prison reform in the UK. It has been a place of justice and incarceration for centuries and still houses one of the oldest working crown courts in the country.

Find out more…

HMP Lancaster Castle

Lancaster Castle has served as a prison since the 12th century. Its latest incarnation was as HMP Lancaster, a Category C prison which was operational on this site right up until March 2011.

Until 1800, condemned criminals at Lancaster were executed at a place called Gallows Hill, on the moors close to Williamson Park

Lancashire Witch Trials

One of the most famous and dramatic events to take place in Lancashire occurred over 400 years ago in 1612, and has since formed the basis of novels, and radio and television programmes.

Read our Castle Stories

Thomas Holden sentenced to 7 years Transportation to Australia for 'Administering An Illegal Oath' to Isaac Crompton.

1584 - 1646

The Lancaster Martyrs: During this period of history fifteen Catholics were executed in Lancaster for their faith.

Ten people convicted of witchcraft at the Summer Assize in Lancaster Castle went to the gallows on the moors above the town.

George and Elizabeth Youngson were Lancaster's youngest convict transportees to Australia, for the crime of theft.

Self-procalimed 'King of the Robbers' George Lyon was not quite the romantic figure that local legend would have us believe.

Lancaster Gaol housed one of the largest Debtor's prisons in England. This is the story of a tradesman incarcerated for insolvency.