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    Newman Castle

    3.1 (89 reviews)
    Closed 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Services - Newman Castle

    Venue rental

    Newman Castle Photos

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    Directions on how you lock the restroom door.
    Shari S.

    Make sure you use your GPS or you will miss your turns. My Mom is the one who read about this place. I never knew there was a castle in Texas. I've only seen castles in Europe. There are huge, beautiful castles in Europe. So when my Mom mentioned a castle in Texas and everything in Texas is bigger, I wanted to know more. We looked into it. The info she read stated that we needed to buy our tickets at Newmans Bakery in the town of Bellville. It also stated that it would be at least a four (4) hour walking tour. We needed to be there by 10:50am. We also got lunch with the price of our tickets. Well, we stopped at Newmans Bakery and they don't sell tickets. You have to buy your tickets at the castle. So we got back on the road. Thankfully we were using our GPS and our eyes, because the signs are non existent and/or small and confusing. It was like going to Ren Fest (Renaissance Festival). It was out in the woods on a small dirt road. There was a young lady at the gate that we paid for our tickets to. Then it was park wherever. We parked up close in some trees. The castle looks nothing like it does online. It's small. Very small. Nothing compared to the castles I've seen in Europe. The story behind the making of the castle is very interesting though. I won't tell you. You'll have to go see it to find out. It is worth seeing one time. You can rent rooms there and stay the night. We did get a free lunch. You have to get there before a certain time to get the free lunch. If you use the restrooms, make sure someone stands outside and guards the door so no one opens the door!! One bathroom has the directions on how to lock the door, the restroom on the right did not have directions. Guess which restroom I got!? My mom didn't stand outside the door either!! Guess what happened!!?? Yep!! Knock before you open a restroom door!! The tour guide (now owner) was very knowledgeable of the place. He is the nephew of Mr. Newman.

    Kevin D.

    A random castle in the middle of Texas, made by a missionary baker using cinderblocks, time, and a desire to have a castle. Randomly wandering around Texas, we find a landmark marker for a castle. Intrigued, we head down the random dirt path and try to find this supposed castle. We get stopped by a lady asking for us to pay a tithe to travel into their lands. So we paid their fee of $20 per person and headed in. Then, lo and behold, there it is. A random castle standing tall, with a moat, drawbridge, a bell tower and everything. We get stopped by another lady, who informs us that the tour will be starting shortly. Once again intrigued, we sat down and listened to her tale. As it turns out, the bakery we visited before was the builder of said castle. He decided, one day, to build a house. And he decided he wanted to go big, so he partnered up with builders and literally built a castle for himself to lord over. So after the story, the young ones were knighted by the new lady of the kingdom (the tour guide was the next in line and the former Newman passed a year prior). The young ones were tasked with rooting out dragons, and the rest were allowed to wander the grounds as they seeked fit. As a castle, there's a lot of neat things to see. Not much to do, but it's very cool to see what one man with a dream and the sole bakery in town can do. The wandering of the grounds takes about 15-20 minutes. So not a lot to look at all things considered. But the tour did include lunch. Which was a basic sandwich on their signature bread, Mexican wedding cookies, and sweet tea. It's not the fanciest lunch, but it does help offset the price of admission. It's interesting, and it's a lunch and a show. I wouldn't try to make a day of it, but it's a neat little attraction to see randomly. Or you can take the tour instead of getting lunch at the bakery. It's a little fun stop, it would be a great venue for a renaissance faire, and it's not much to do but it's cool to see.

    This was a walkway
    Cassandra T.

    From the beginning to the end of my self guided tour this place was breathtaking the lunch was delicious and the owners are friendly and very helpful I look forward to having my wedding there

    Rain W.

    3.5 I had seen this castle on some TikTok videos about Bellville, so I wanted to check it out. This was a man's home that he decided to let other people tour. So that in mind, it's not a long tour. You could probably see everything after the tour guide's speech in about 25 minutes if you're looking closely or taking photos. That said, I enjoyed it. You can't climb to the very top tower, but you can get close. When I was there, it started to pour down rain, but there were plenty of places to take shelter. There are a few off-limits places, but it's pretty open to explore. That said, it's hard to take photos when people are stacked on top of each other. Parking is in a space between trees. There's a sack lunch, which is nice if you can eat gluten, but I couldn't, so all I got was a bag of Ruffles and a cup of tea. Heh. I would rather have had a cheaper admission, as I couldn't eat the lunch, but it is what it is. Kids will like it, and those wanting cool photos in front of a moat filled with turtles and lily pads.

    Chelsea L.

    This is by reservation only. It was difficult to make a reservation because the phone kept on hanging up but we finally got one! The castle looks great! We were able to self-tour inside and outside. The top of the castle is a bit sketchy because the ladders are narrow. Be careful when people are ringing the bells as you are going up.

    Furniture made by Mike Newman
    C B.

    Newman's Castle was the brainchild of Mike Newman a jack of all trades who always wanted to live in a castle. He broke ground in 1998 and single-handedly built the Castle with some help from electricians. There's a long unpaved road leading to the castle with a working drawbridge to welcome you over the water filled moat and working bells. Mr. Newman's nephew is the current owner, caretaker, and docent. Modern amenities- large kitchen, lighting fixtures, and wooden furniture were all constructed by Mr. Newman. He should have been a furniture builder. Future castle rooms for overnight guests are in the works. Wedding and events are held here with two dining halls and a large kitchen. A lunch of turkey/ham sandwich, chips, tea/water and a Newman's Bakery baked good (he became a baker while building the castle). You're able to tour his personal living quarters as well. Give yourself at least 90 minutes for the visit. It is worth the visit to see the construction. I was awed by his talent.

    Melissa L.

    Castle in Texas? Yes please! Call the bakery a few days ahead to make a reservation and be sure to call between 10:30AM to 1PM, otherwise the phone just keeps ringing and you won't get through. Once I arrived at the bakery, there was a decent line to purchase tickets, but it moved swiftly and seamlessly. When you purchase tickets, they give you a wristband and directions to get to the castle. At the castle, someone gave our group (very large group!) and overview, then you can wander where you'd like and stay as long as you'd like. It was fun walking around to all the rooms. I especially loved the torture chamber and TV room. Oh and ringing the bell! While there, there is a bag lunch prepared with either a turkey or ham and cheese sandwich, chips, tea or water, and some desserts from the bakery.

    Cindy D.

    I enjoyed my visit to Newman's Castle. It's a unique adventure that is sure to be a conversation piece for you when you discuss Texas travel. I mean, who knew there was a castle in Texas! There is a tour guide who spends about 10 minutes telling you the history of the castle and what you will see there. It's worth listening as it gives you a game plan and you can decide if you want to climb the many stairs to different parts of the castle. I had to try them all and nearly had a heat stroke. It was a hot day, so I will suggest you be cautious! I did love doing it and glad I did. We did not get to the top of the highest tower. It is blocked off, probably because there are no stairs. Only a straight up ladder. They probably don't want to chance someone falling. After the tour guide is done, you are free to roam as you please. There are many little rooms, nooks and crannies to explore. I spent about 45 minutes touring the castle. Afterwards there is a bag lunch with bread and cookies from the bakery. Be sure to check out the bathrooms - the spigots are very interesting. Be aware, the lock is tricky. You might have someone guard your door! I had an unexpected visitor because I couldn't figure out the lock! It was a fun day and an adventure you won't find anywhere else in Texas that I know of!

    Klemens T.

    Came here for the first time with the kids. You have to go to the Newmans Bakery about 7mins down the street to get your wrist bands for the castle. The bakery is pretty unorganized and they don't have info on the Newmans Castle conveniently visible for the customers especially when the line is long. Once you get helped, you'll have to ask the staff member about the castle otherwise, they'll think you're only there for their breakfast and baked goods. We ordered 3 admission tickets for $20 each which includes a free ham or turkey sandwich in a paper bag with a bag of Ruffles chips that you receive when you're in the dining hall in the castle itself. Once in this castle, you have an option to do the tour or self-led. I'm sure it would've been cool to hear about the history of this castle, but it was raining and my kids and I just wanted to wander on our own. The castle grounds is pretty cool to look at, but it's so small. Not much to see other than a few stairs that go up and outside or inside someone's bedroom or a chance to ring the bell. They have a small gift shop and lots of places to sit. They give out water or tea and your sack lunch that comes with the admissions. There are so many people crammed in this area especially because of the rain, it was just a sauna that reeked of body odor. The catapult is located outside the castle. Overall, decent priced admissions for mediocre food and a short attraction. We drove a little over an hour to check this place out and it wasn't worth it. Now that I've crossed this off my bucket list for things to do in Texas, we probably won't be coming back unless we're in the area again. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. They have restrooms that are pretty small, but cool to see how they've kept the castle-like theme decorations. The drive into the castle parking lot is horrendous. The roadway have potholes and the it's so narrow so if you have a smaller car, bring it because it can barely fit 2 cars passing each other. If you bring a truck, I'd say you'll get stuck playing "chicken" with an oncoming truck trying to leave or vice-versa. There are no parking stalls so you kind of just park in between the trees so again, bring a smaller vehicle if you got it. I think that staff have to do some traffic control because the parking can get jammed pretty quick. I had a guy pull out and informed me that the parking lot is full so back in the back so that saved me some time.

    Josh T.

    We made it out here on a Saturday morning. You meet at the cafe to check in and then head to the castle. It was a little crowded, about 150 people. At the beginning, there is an introduction that was a little too looooong winded for me. The guy does a great job at being funny and friendly but tends to go on and on a little too long. The castle is pretty cool with some good picture opportunities. The surrounding trees were really nice and overall worth the trip. At the end of the little tour you get some sandwiches that really lack much substance and a bunch of donuts and cookies. It's worth the $20 for the experience.

    Erica G.

    JEFF! OH, JEFF. What a sweet and helpful guy who truly wants to make everyone's experience one of a kind. He really is what makes this place run. You must get your ticket at the bakery. ($20) Here's my take.. Is it smaller than anticipated? (Yes), and is it a shorter experience than anticipated.. (maybe, yes).. BUT I truly believe that the more people who are coming out to this lovely hidden gem, the bigger the experience will be. The tour comes with lunch. This includes a sandwich, chips, cookies, donuts, and cake. This place is beautiful and still has a lot of unfinished work. It definitely has the potential to be something greater than what it is. I see it! The woodwork inside is phenomenal, and there are a lot of great pictures that can be taken.. I think that this tour is worth $10-$15 due to some unfinished work needing to be done in several of the rooms.. however, it is $20. I urge the owner to make either a farm or a winery. Not only will this help the city of Bellville bring in more outsiders to tour the city, but it will also become a bigger highlight than it already is. (My opinion) Still a great site to stop in and see. THANKS JEFF!

    Moquita Q.

    This castle was such an amazing experience!! I went with my mom and we really felt like we were transported back in time! The castle had a bell at the top most tower which is very difficult to get up to. You have to do a bell scramble ....which is basically you avoiding swinging large fully metal bells that could swing and hit you in he head on your way to the top. Me and my mom did go towards the top but rang the bell only half way through because of how dangerous it was to avoid the swinging bells. There was a dinning room area which was made of wood and had several areas of the room that you could go upstairs! Love it!!! The castle spans a few acres. And it's almost like your in a time portal!

    Jasmine M.

    Given the reviews, I think it's important to note that this is the owner's private residence. He is allowing people to come into his home. Yes, you are paying a fee but nonetheless this property and owner should be treated with respect. Kids will be engaged and encouraged to imagine/play around IF your child behaves themselves and respects the property/owner. Same as any other visit to someone's home. Don't talk while he is talking. Don't damage anything. Don't treat this property like a public monument. Rules for children AND adults. If you don't want to be called out on it, don't go. Mike was engaging and funny. Dry humor is his style so if you can't handle it, don't make the drive. They gave us unlimited beverages, donuts, cookies, baked goods, and sandwiches. His staff and companion were incredibly sweet. This trip is what YOU make of it. If you're coming here expecting a grandiose tourist attraction, change your mindset. This is simply a man's dream and labor being open to people who care to go and witness it.

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    2 years ago

    Nice little castle and interesting story as well. I've visited castles in Europe, so this experience was a very small tease.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Newman Castle

    Hay que hacer reservación?

    Yes

    Are cards (AmEx in particular) accepted as payment?

    Visa or Mastercard only

    How much are the castle tour tickets?

    $15 per person. This includes a sandwich lunch in the castle with fresh bread from his bakery as well as cookies and donuts.

    View All 4 Questions

    Review Highlights - Newman Castle

    That climb isn't for everyone after the bells it's a vertical ladder.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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