English Heritage Castles

Tintagel Castle

3 miles from 5 Valency Row.
Pricing: Adults £14.50; Child £8.70.
Website: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/tintagel-castle/

As a child I have always knew this as King Arthur’s Castle. Nowadays English Heritage concentrates much more on the location’s equally interesting known history. Besides, even in the legend as told by Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain written around 1138, Tintagel was not King Arthur’s castle, it was Gorlois, the Duke of Cornwall’s. Following a major falling out after King Uther Pendragon outrageously flirted with Gorlois’s wife, Igraine (known as Ygerna in the History), Gorlois rode out of Tintagel to do battle against Uther leaving Igraine behind in the castle. While he was gone, Uther gets the magician Merlin to change his likeness to Gorlois and so was able to easily enter the castle and “satisfy his desire by making love to her”. So, Tintagel Castle is where King Arthur was conceived.

King Arthur is referenced by a life-size bronze statue on the island and on the beach below, Tintagel Haven, there is Merlin’s cave.

The medieval castle would have been a wondrous place to have seen with a drawbridge high up the cliffs on a narrow causeway between the mainland and the island linking the gatehouse and the great hall. Most of that has now disappeared following landslips although since August 2019, the grand entrance has returned with a stunning new footbridge; two cantilevers paved with Delabole slate linking but not quite touching across the gap.

Practical information: Parking is in one of the many car parks in Tintagel village although these do get busy in the high season. The entrance is then a walk of about 1/2 a mile downhill (that can feel like a long walk back at the end of the visit). The beautiful rugged landscape in which the castle is located can be challenging to some people with high drops and steep steps: good shoes are required. Sometimes in bad weather and high winds the castle will need to close.

I love this English Heritage video on YouTube about the bridge and the site:

Launceston Castle

15 miles from 5 Valency Row.
Pricing: Adult £5.90; Child £3.50
Website: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/launceston-castle/

Launceston was the ancient capital of Cornwall and just after the Norman conquest, the castle was begun by William the Conqueror’s half-brother to dominate the town strategically placed on the Cornish border between the moors of Bodmin and Dartmoor.

Today, climbing the stone tower inside an earlier stone keep on top of the earth mound that was the motte of the old motte and bailey castle gives a wonderful view of the town and surrounding countryside. There is also an exhibition of the castle’s 1,000 year history.

Okehampton Castle

30 miles from 5 Valency Row.
Pricing: Adult £5.90; Child £3.50.
Website: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/okehampton-castle/

Like Launceston Castle, Okehampton was built just after the Norman conquest as a motte and Bailey castle and was the largest castle in Devon. In the 14th Century it was made into a sumptuous private residence by Hugh Courtenay, Earl of Devon. But when the Courtenays fell out of favour with King Henry VIII, the castle fell into disrepair until they became the ruins that can be seen and explored today with the aid of a free audio guide.

St Mawes Castle

40 miles from 5 Valency Row.
Pricing: Adults £6.90; Children £4.10
Website: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/st-mawes-castle/

St Mawes and Pendennis Castles protect either side of the Carrick Roads, the stretch of water that Falmouth Harbour is in. Both castles are Henry VIII’s coastal artillery fortresses built between 1539 and 1545 and both are an interesting visit.

St Mawes is one of the best preserved Tudor fortresses and you can wander around the guardrooms, gun platforms and kitchen and storerooms. In addition the castle provides wonderful views across the estuary and the best way to approach the fortress is by sea either on the foot ferry from Falmouth or by car on the King Harry ferry next to the National Trust’s Trelissick gardens.

Pendennis Castle

40 miles from 5 Valency Row.
Pricing: Adults £11.30; Children £6.80
Website: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/pendennis-castle/

Pendennis and St Mawes Castles protect either side of the Carrick Roads, the stretch of water that Falmouth Harbour is in. Both castles are Henry VIII’s coastal artillery fortresses built between 1539 and 1545 and both are an interesting visit.

Pendennis Castle continued in use through both World Wars and visitors can still see the battery observation post where it provided long range defence against ships in the Channel using the latest ordinance under radar control.