Quick answer
Sewerby Hall and Gardens near Bridlington is a council-owned estate with free winter gardens, a playground, a zoo and an Edwardian-style house. The gardens are free from 2 November 2026 to 19 March 2027. The zoo costs £4.75 for adults and £3.75 for children aged 3 to 15, and under 3s go free. The house opens on set dates: weekends and East Riding school holidays in the normal winter pattern, and Fairytales at Christmas dates from 21 November 2026. Pushchairs must be left outside the house.
Is it right for my child?
- Animals: the zoo has Humboldt penguins, capuchin monkeys, raccoon dogs, pygmy goats, llamas, donkeys and coatis.
- Feeding times: the zoo lists daily keeper feeds for lemurs at 2pm, coatis at 2.15pm and penguins at 3pm. Hoof stock are fed at 3.15pm in winter.
- Play: on 13 November 2026, the House Pass booking page described a children’s adventure playground with a nautical theme. The Fairytales page lists the playground as free.
- Inside the house: the house page mentions a nursery with Edwardian toys, a servants’ wing kitchen and dressing up.
- Sensory notes: the access page says many rooms have low lighting and waist-high barriers that can be hard to see.
- Supervision: the Fairytales page says children under 8 must be supervised by a responsible adult at all times.
Plan your visit: a parent’s checklist
- Check the house dates. On 13 November 2026, the booking pages offered ordinary house tickets for 14 and 15 November, then none until weekends from 9 January 2027. Between those dates, the house tickets on offer were for Fairytales at Christmas.
- Book Fairytales ahead. The event page recommends advance booking because capacity is limited.
- Plan for the pushchair. Prams and pushchairs cannot go into the house, so bring a baby carrier or borrow one.
- Arrive by 3pm for the zoo, when last admission closes.
- Ring before setting off in bad weather. The opening times page says any facility may close because of poor weather.
Prices and tickets
The gardens are free from 2 November 2026 to 19 March 2027. The Fairytales page also lists the playground and woodland walks as free. Winter charges on the prices page:
- Zoo only: adult £4.75, child (3 to 15) £3.75, family (2 adults and 2 children) £14.50, extra child £1.75.
- House only: the same £4.75, £3.75, £14.50 and £1.75. The prices page also says house pricing is to be confirmed, while the Fairytales page lists these figures.
- House and zoo: adult £8, child £6, family £25, extra child £2.
- Under 3s are free and need no booking.
- Carers go free with a fully paying cared-for person, who is asked to show evidence such as a PIP or DLA letter.
The prices page says online tickets bought in advance are discounted, without saying by how much. They are on sale until 9am on the day. Fairytales tickets are not refundable. They can be moved to another day or time, subject to availability, for a £5 fee per booking.
Pushchairs, babies and toilets
- No pushchairs in the house or Orangery. A storage area with locks is near the rear door of the house. Ring the bell and a staff member will come.
- Carriers to borrow: two HippyChick Hipseats, plus two baby carriers on a trial for use inside the hall only.
- Baby changing is in the courtyard and Orangery toilets. Breastfeeding is welcome anywhere on site.
- Woodland Walk: the gardens page says this 20-minute bark path is not accessible with prams or pushchairs, because of steps in the far corner.
- From the car park, the path to the house is about 200 metres with a slight incline.
Food and drink
The Clock Tower Café opens 10am to 4pm, with last hot food orders at 3.15pm. It has a selection of children’s food. The FAQ says picnic sites are dotted about the estate.
Getting there and parking
The address is Church Lane, Sewerby, Bridlington YO15 1EA. For sat navs, the getting here page says to use YO15 1ED.
- Parking is free for visitors. The car park opens 8.30am to 5pm, with Blue Badge bays in the main car park.
- Bus: the Sewerby Church Lane stop is on the road outside, south of the car park entrance. The FAQ says services run to Bridlington and Flamborough.
When to visit
The opening times page gives these hours from 28 September 2026 to 19 March 2027:
- Gardens: 9.30am to 3.30pm.
- Zoo: 10am to 3.30pm, last admission 3pm.
- House: 11.30am to 3.30pm, last admission 3pm, on weekends and East Riding school holidays. Fairytales days have a 2.30pm last admission.
- Closed: the whole site closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Fairytales at Christmas fills the house rooms with fairytale scenes and a trail. On 13 November 2026, its booking calendar listed 21, 22, 28 and 29 November and 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 December. It also listed 21, 22 and 23 December and 2 and 3 January 2027. There are two arrival sessions, 11.30am to 1pm and 1pm to 2.30pm, with last admission at 2.30pm. The page suggests allowing 60 minutes in the hall.
- Festive Market: Sunday 22 November 2026, 10am to 4pm. It is free with no booking, but house and zoo charges still apply.
- Under 5s Explore Fairytales at Christmas: Monday 7 December 2026, 10am to 11.30am, for under 5s and their grown-ups. The event page says under 3s and Annual Pass holders are free. Over 3s without a pass pay £2 including one adult, and extra adults pay £2. The page does not say which rate applies to a child aged exactly 3, so ask the venue if that matters. No booking is needed: collect an admission counter at the Welcome Centre.
Additional needs and disability support
Sewerby publishes a visual story and lends sensory items, and invites questions to its Welcome Centre.
- Visual story: a PDF written with autistic children and young people in mind, covering busy times, loud sounds and quiet places.
- Neurodiverse Borrow Box from the Welcome Centre: sunglasses, ear defenders, magnifying glasses, binoculars and fidget toys, subject to availability.
- House access: the accessible entrance is at the rear, through the courtyard, with a lift to all floors. Motorised wheelchairs and scooters are not allowed inside, but a few hand-pushed wheelchairs are lent, first come, first served.
- Changing Places unit in the courtyard, opened with a radar key. The access page says a key is available from the Welcome Centre.
- Hearing loops at the Welcome Centre, the house entrance, the Orangery, the café and the gift shop.
- Not suitable: the Woodland Walk is not accessible for wheelchairs, mobility scooters or visitors with limited mobility.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sewerby Hall free for children?
The gardens are free for everyone from 2 November 2026 to 19 March 2027. The zoo and house each charge £3.75 for children aged 3 to 15, and under 3s go free.
Is Sewerby Hall open on weekdays in winter?
The gardens and zoo open daily, except 25 and 26 December and 1 January. The house usually opens on weekends and East Riding school holidays. On 13 November 2026, house tickets for 16 November to 8 January were offered only on Fairytales dates. A separate Under 5s morning runs on 7 December.
Can you take a pushchair to Sewerby Hall?
Yes in the grounds, but not inside the house or Orangery. Leave it in the storage area near the rear door, or borrow a Hipseat or baby carrier.
Do I need to book Fairytales at Christmas?
Booking is recommended, because capacity is limited and popular dates are expected to sell out. Annual Pass holders must pre-book too.
Are dogs allowed at Sewerby Hall?
Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds. Only assistance dogs may enter the zoo, house, playground, gift shop, Orangery and café, apart from the café’s dog area.
Is Sewerby Hall good for autistic children?
It offers a visual story, a Neurodiverse Borrow Box with ear defenders, and a Changing Places toilet. Many house rooms are dimly lit, so the visual story helps you prepare.
Checked on 13 November 2026 against the official Sewerby Hall and Gardens opening times, prices, Fairytales at Christmas, accessibility, FAQ, getting here, zoo and booking pages. Prices and times can change, so check before you travel.
