One of Britain's most majestic ruins, the castle controlled the gateway to the Isle of Purbeck and had been an important stronghold since the time of William the Conqueror. Defended during the Civil War by the redoubtable Lady Bankes, the castle fell to treachery from within, and was heavily slighted afterwards by the Parliamentarians. Many fine Norman and early English features remain.
The Castle was built on the site previously occupied by High Cliff, a Georgian mansion designed for the 3rd Earl of Bute (a founder of Kew Gardens), with grounds laid out by Capability Brown. The Earl's fourth son, General Sir Charles Stuart who sold the estate apart from Bure Homage, a small house on its outskirts, inherited High Cliff. All that remains of High Cliff today are the two entrance lodges, presently being used as a restaurant and some of the garden walls and features on the present estate.
Pendennis Castle was built by King Henry VIII to defend against possible attack by Spain and France. Throughout its 450-year history, Pendennis Castle has faced new enemies, right up to the Second World War. See a Tudor gun deck in action, and experience the sights and sounds of battle in the interactive exhibition at the Royal Artillery Barracks. Explore the cells of the WWI guard house, and relive the drama of an enemy attack on the WWII observation post.
Powderham Castle lies in a beautiful deer park setting on the banks of the River Exe, just a stone's throw from the historic cathedral city of Exeter. The Courtenay family have been welcoming visitors to the Castle since 1959, and over the years in excess of a million people have been through the doors. Very little of the Castle itself has changed since those early days, but there are now many more attractions in the grounds for visitors of all ages to enjoy.
Sir Walter Raleigh erected his new house in 1594, which he called "Sherborne Lodge" to distinguish it from the Old Castle. A stained glass window bearing his initials and coat of arms and the date 1594 survived in the Tudor building until the last century. The rectangular, four storey house with its hexagonal corner turrets, forms the core of the current castle. Sir Walter Raleigh died on the block accused of treason and his estates were forfeited to the crown.
