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Wray Castle is not really a castle at all. It is actually a large private house built in the Victorian Gothic Revival Style between 1840 and 1847. It is a grade II* listed building (English Heritage Building ID: 76756 Link British Listed Buildings).

The house was originally built as a retirement home for retired Liverpudlian surgeon James Dawson, who built it along with the neighbouring Wray Church. The house and grounds have belonged to the National Trust since 1929 when it was donated to the Trust along with 64 acres of its estate. Since the National Trust acquired the castle it has been used for a variety of purposes, including a youth hostel, the offices of the Freshwater Biological Association, and a training college for Merchant Navy radio officers (RMS Wray Castle). The house has only been opened to the public on a regular basis since 2011.

The castle grounds, which include part of the shoreline of Windermere, are open all year round and are renowned for their selection of specimen trees.

Link National Trust Information for Visitors