Newman’s Castle in Bellville Tx, a medieval gem not to miss

Newman’s Castle in Bellville Tx is a privately owned property nestled in the middle of Texas countryside, a tribute to the medieval castles from Europe.

Mr. Mike Newman owns the fortress.

Additionally, he owns a bakery in Bellville, which is a small town near the castle.

Mike worked in Europe when he was young and visited many medieval castles all over the continent.

He loved the fortresses he saw in Europe and wanted to show them to people in America.

Mike designed and created everything you see in Bellville Castle and the European medieval castles inspired him.

The castle’s construction lasted a few years and ended in 2006 when it was opened to the public.

The property has training grounds, a gator-filled moat, towers, courtyards, and a huge hall.

In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about this amazing castle and what you can see here.

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Things to know before you go

If you want to visit the construction, you must make a reservation.

The construction is a private residence.

To make a reservation at Bellville Texas castle, you have to call Newman’s Bakery, and the tour starts from here.

You pay the entrance fee at the bakery (about 20 USD each person).

They will give you the address of Newman’s castle near Bellville, TX.

The castle is perfect for families with kids.

Little guests can borrow swords and become knights, which is an extremely fun activity for them.

In the tour price, you have lunch included, cookies and donuts baked at Mike’s Bakery, the owner of this castle in Bellville, Texas.

Location of Newman’s Castle in Bellville Tx

The exact location of the fortress is a secret.

But you will receive all the instructions you need after you go to Newman’s Bakery and pay the fee.

The bakery is located on Main Street in Bellville, Texas downtown, about 60 miles northwest of Houston.

The attraction is open six days a week and can host special events like weddings, wine tastings and parties.

Distance from main cities

• 1 hour from Houston
• 1 hour and 50 min from Austin
• 2 hours and 30 min from San Antonio

What makes this castle so special

This construction was designed and created by Mike himself without any specialized help.

Mike not just only designed it, but he also built it with the help of just one person who really believed in Mike’s dream.

The fortress construction lasted 8 years, between 1998 and 2006, and the result is simply breathtaking.

How everything started

The idea for this started with Mike many years ago.

He was working in Europe and he visited a lot of medieval castles.

When he returned to the United States, he needed a place to live.

So he bought 20 acres of land near Bellville.

At first, he wanted to build a regular house to live in.

But then he talked with a friend and decided that he wanted to build something that would make him and other people happy.

The idea to build a medieval castle in Bellville came from his own imagination.

He was also influenced by what he saw in Europe.

For many years, Mike spent his mornings at the bakery, creating delicious pastries for the community.

During afternoons, he worked at the castle.

The whole property is made of cinder blocks and built using pulleys, rope, and scaffolding.

The tour of Bellville Tx castle

As I said before, the fortress tour starts at Newman’s bakery.

That is where you buy the tickets and get the castle’s address.

Once you get to the fortress, Mr. Newman will be there to greet you and your family.

He is really friendly and knows a lot about this castle and others like it from medieval times.

Be prepared to listen to some fascinating stories while you’re here!

The tour starts with Mr. Newman telling the castle story, followed shortly by a ceremony for the kids.

Each child will receive a wooden sword, and a knighting ceremony is conducted, so every child becomes a knight.

Beware! If you don’t grab a sword, you are deemed to be a peasant, so yes, every parent is a simple peasant of the castle.

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After the knighting ceremony, Mr. Newman will show you the trebuchet, a medieval catapult that can throw large stones over 100 yards away.

Now that the castle has been attacked, it’s time for the knights to get ready for the final battle. They need to conquer the medieval fortress.

All the kids are invited to play and run around like they’re in a real battle. They will have a lot of fun here.

After the mighty knights conquer the castle, the parents are also invited to enter and admire the beautiful fortress.

To enter the castle, you need to pass the working drawbridge, an impressive construction activated by a large hamster-style wheel.

Two men walk on the hamster wheel and activate the mechanism to pull the bridge up or down.

There are two large wooden doors behind the bridge.

They are called portcullises. They are heavy gates that slide vertically across the entrance.

Once you are inside the castle, you will be safe from harm. You can explore and relax knowing that you are in a safe place.

You are able to explore every corner of the castle, touch everything, and climb everywhere.

If the little guests feel like they are in danger, they can use their swords.

Inside Newman’s castle in Bellville Tx

If you think the castle’s exterior is amazing, wait to see the interior because I am sure you will be fascinated.

The Great Hall 

This is a very large room with two long tables and balconies on either side, perfect for a wedding, an anniversary, or a party.

The Great Hall is the place where the knights meet, discuss the future of the country and eat all kind of delicacies.

The Dungeon 

A castle is not a castle if it does not have a dungeon, a place where bad people are thrown or where enemies are tortured and imprisoned for life.

You can see here jail bars, wooden stocks, a bed of nails, chains and an authentic ball, as well as a hanging cage.

The Chapel at Newman’s Castle in Bellville Tx

Every king should have his chapel, so don’t be surprised to find one at Bellville castle.

The chapel has a 2-floor ceiling, so it has a perfect acoustic; try to sing something inside the chapel to hear the perfect sound of the room.

Inside the chapel you will find an old Bible, a small altar, a cross ad even a prominent display of the 10 Commandments.

The house where Newman’s live

On one part of the castle is the private home of Mike Newman, the owner of the place and your guide through the palace.

But Mr. Newman is a very kind man, and he invited us into his private home, showing us his medieval corner of heaven.

We even took lunch in his medieval kitchen, where we were served all kinds of delicacies prepared at his bakery.

His private house consists of a huge master bedroom with a private bath, three cozy living areas with a fireplace, two spacious bedrooms with private bathrooms each, and another bedroom with swinging beds hung from the ceiling.

The Tower

One of the most remarkable constructions of the whole castle is the bell tower, with a total height of 62 feet.

The tower is open to the public, and you can climb it and admire the surroundings from above.

The space between the bells and the walls is quite small, but the view is worth the effort of climbing and squeezing to the top.

When there is nobody in the tower, Mr. Newman allows kids to ring the bells, a unique and fun experience that your kids will love it.

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The Courtyard

The inner courtyard with generous space is characteristic of all European medieval castles.

As European castles inspired Newman’s castle, the inner courtyard cannot miss.

Guests are invited to practice with swords against a swinging wood trunk when exploring the castle.

The Moat at Newman’s castle

The waters surrounding this medieval castle come from a natural spring dredged to become the moat surrounding the construction.

There is also a walking path around the entire lake that offers a beautiful view of the castle and the lake that surrounds the castle.

Sleeping next to Newman’s castle in Bellville TX

Mr. Newman has thought about everything, and because many people showed their interest in sleeping in a medieval castle, the owner has started the construction of some beautiful houses around the castle.

But until the houses are finished, we recommend spending your night at Holiday Inn Express Sealy, located in Sealy, about 23 km away from the castle.

This beautiful hotel, with fantastic reviews, features spacious rooms with coffee and tea-making facilities, a refrigerator, and a microwave.

You will have complimentary breakfast each morning at the property, while picnic tables and chairs are available around the poolside for a delicious outdoor meal.

Conclusion

Nestled in the rural side of Texas, Newman’s castle is a beautiful replica of the European medieval castles.

The owner, Mr. Newman, thought about everything and managed to build one of the most beautiful medieval castles in the area.

The tour starts from Newman’s bakery, located on Main Street, just a short distance from Bellville’s historic center.

Once you reach the bakery, you will get your admission tickets, and you’ll be given directions to the Castle, which is just 5 miles from the town.

It is definitely the perfect day trip destination or attraction that should be included in your Texas tour.