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Hillsborough Castle

School Visit Booking Request Form

Form guidelines

Complete this form to request a booking for a school visit to Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. If you have been awarded a Travel Bursary, please do not fill in this form, but complete the separate booking request form sent to you with your bursary confirmation letter. Before filling in this form:

  • Check that the date you wish to book falls within our term dates.
  • If you are visiting over multiple days, please ensure you complete separate booking forms.

If you have questions and would like to enquire about a visit before submitting this request form, please contact the team at hillsboroughlearning@hrp.org.uk.

Contact details


Do you have a purchase order number you would like us to add to your invoice? *


Group details


Do you have any pupils/students who require 1:1 SEND support? *

Request date of visit

Availability for visits with a facilitated session: Primary Sessions: Mondays*, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Secondary Sessions: Thursdays. SEND Sessions: Mondays*, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.(*Monday visits are only available up until December 2024.)

Please note that Garden self-led visits, using our provided trail activities are only available Wednesdays - Fridays

Visits only available during term time. Please provide 3 possible dates within term time for a visit. A member of the schools booking team will be in touch to let you know if the dates you select are unavailable. All dates requested must be at least 6 weeks away.

Request a session

Please note that each session has a maximum capacity and you might need to book more than one session if you are visiting with a large group. Consult the website to find out the maximum capacity for each session. For information on the sessions available at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens visit our Hillsborough Castle and Gardens sessions page.

The "Pilot Session" option below should only be selected if you have been invited to attend a pilot session by our schools team).

Request a Garden Self-led visit

Please note that the Garden Self-led visits only available Wednesdays - Fridays.

Garden Self-led visits DO NOT include access to the interior of Hillsborough Castle but do include use of our NEW garden trails. Please visit our Self-led Garden Visit Page. for more information on what is included in a visit.

Please select below the garden trails you would like to use during your visit.

Terms and Conditions

Please ensure you have read our terms and conditions. For information on how we collect and manage your data see our customer promise and privacy policy.

By submitting this booking form, you are making a request for a booking to be made for your group. The visit should only be considered confirmed when a booking confirmation email and invoice is sent to you. This can take up to 10 days so please allow this time before contacting the team to check on progress. We work through requests in the date order they are received, and our response time will vary depending on how busy we are.

We may combine (non-personal) data about your school with information from the government's school census to understand more about the demographic profile of the schools visiting us. This helps us to develop our schools service to reach a wide range of schools.

Explore what's on

SOLD OUT

  • Christmas
  • Events

A Choral Christmas at Hillsborough Castle

Join the extraordinary Cappella Caeciliana for a memorable Christmas concert evening filled with festive performances.

  • 15 December 2024 (sold out)
  • 19:45 - 21:45 (doors open at 19:15) 30 minute interval at 20:30.
  • Hillsborough Castle
  • Separate ticket
Learn more
  • Families
  • Events
  • Christmas

Christmas at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens

Explore the gardens this Christmas transformed with beautiful decorations inspired by the 12 Days of Christmas.

  • Until 05 January 2025
  • In line with gardens opening hours.
  • Hillsborough Castle
  • Included in all admission tickets (Members go free)
Learn more

BOOKING SOON

  • Exhibition
  • Things to see

Royal Style in the Making

Discover the intimate bond between royal clients and fashion designers in a captivating new exhibition at Hillsborough Castle.

  • 15 March 2025 - 04 January 2026
  • Hillsborough Castle
  • Included in combined castle tour and gardens tickets (Members go free)
Learn more

Browse more history and stories

The story of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens

‘The Grandest House in County Down’

Art at Hillsborough Castle

Hillsborough Castle has become a place in which to see amazing art