St Mawes Castle

Website http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConProperty.307

Classification Historic Building

DescriptionSt Mawes Castle was built between 1539 and 1545, half way down the hillside on the eastern shore of the River Fal estuary to provide protection to the large inland expanse of water known as the Carrick Roads, near Falmouth (which is the third largest natural harbour in the world). St Mawes was constructed with a central tower overlooking three huge circular bastions attached on the sides in a clover leaf pattern, providing a wide area for gun placements, with gun ports covering every angle of approach to the estuary.

The best preserved and most elaborately decorated of Henry VIII's coastal fortresses, St Mawes was built to counter invasion threats from France and Spain: its counterpart was Pendennis, on the other side of the Fal Estuary.

The clover-leaf shaped fort fell easily to landward attack by Parliamentarian forces in 1646, and was not properly refort-ified until the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Other coastal forts built by Henry VIII include Portland, Deal and Walmer Castles.

Position

Photographs

The following copyright notice for IMAGE 1 is on record:
Photograph used under GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2

The Address, , St Mawes, TR2 3AA

Phone01326 270526

DateAug 12, 2006

Contact NameEnglish Heritage

CategoryEngland > Cornwall
England > Cornwall > Attractions in Falmouth

Local Information

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