History and heritageWalksOutdoors

Runnymede and Ankerwycke

Egham, Runnymede

Photo: Irid Escent, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Thames-side meadows where King John sealed Magna Carta in 1215, now cared for by the National Trust as open countryside with memorials and modern artworks. Across the river, Ankerwycke has priory ruins and a yew thought to be around 2,500 years old.

Highlights

Magna Carta, John F Kennedy and Commonwealth Air Forces memorials nearby
Writ in Water by Mark Wallinger and The Jurors by Hew Locke
Ankerwycke Yew, the oldest tree in the National Trust's care
Riverside walks on the Thames Path and an audio guide on the information boards

Good to know

Cattle graze the meadows, so keep dogs on a lead in those fields and on a short lead near the memorials
Well-behaved dogs on short leads are welcome in the tea-room
No fires, barbecues, camping or overnight stays
Ankerwycke is on the north bank in Berkshire, reached from Magna Carta Lane near Wraysbury (sat nav TW19 5AD)

Getting there

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Runnymede and Ankerwycke, Windsor Road (A308), between Egham and Old Windsor, SL4 2JLParking: Memorials car park (tea-room side) is open all year with limited spaces; the Riverside car park opens April to September, weather permitting. Pay by machine or JustPark.

Get directions

Checked on 19 October 2026 against nationaltrust.org.uk, nationaltrust.org.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check

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Where: Windsor Road (A308), between Egham and Old Windsor, SL4 2JL
Price: Free. Free to visit. Car parking is free for National Trust members and Blue Badge holders; non-members pay £5 for up to one hour or £10 for longer.
Opening: The countryside is open dawn to dusk all year. On 19 October 2026 the Memorials car park was open 9am to 5pm and the Magna Carta tea-room 9am to 4pm. The large Riverside car park is closed from October to March. Exit from the car parks is allowed up to one hour after closing.
Time needed: 1 to 3 hours
Dogs: Dog friendly
Parking: Memorials car park (tea-room side) is open all year with limited spaces; the Riverside car park opens April to September, weather permitting. Pay by machine or JustPark.
Access: Blue Badge parking and an accessible toilet in the tea-room. Two accessible paths run from the Memorials car park to Writ in Water and along the Thames to Runnymede Pleasure Grounds, though the meadow path can flood in winter.

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Nearby

History and heritageEnglefield Green · 1 km

Runnymede Air Forces Memorial

A Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorial on the crest of Cooper's Hill, naming more than 20,000 airmen and women of the Commonwealth air forces lost in the Second World War who have no known grave. Unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, it looks down over the Runnymede meadows.

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The open lawns at Runnymede Pleasure Grounds

Photo: Alan Hunt, CC BY-SA 2.0

Family days outEgham · 2 km

Runnymede Pleasure Grounds

A council-run riverside park on the Thames between Egham and Old Windsor, with play equipment, a chlorinated paddling pool in summer and long river frontage. It sits next to the National Trust meadows at Runnymede, so it works well as the start of a longer walk.

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Photo of Egham: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0

MuseumsEgham · 2 km

Egham Museum

A small volunteer-run community museum on Egham High Street, founded in 1968, covering Egham, Englefield Green, Thorpe and Virginia Water from the earliest settlers to today. Displays explain why King John came to Runnymede and how Thomas Holloway founded his college.

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