St Mawes Castle

St Mawes Castle is among the best-preserved of Henry VIII's coastal artillery fortresses, and the most elaborately decorated of them all.One of the chain of forts built between 1539 and 1545 to counter an invasion threat from Catholic France and Spain, it guarded the important anchorage of Carrick Roads, sharing the task with Pendennis Castle on the other side of the Fal estuary.

A charming clover-leaf shape originally surrounded by octagonal outer defences, St Mawes was designed to mount heavy 'ship-sinking' guns. But particular care was also taken with its embellishment, and it is still bedecked with carved Latin inscriptions in praise of Henry VIII and his son Edward VI. It owes its fine preservation for modern visitors to the fact that, unlike Pendennis Castle, it was little developed after its completion. Easily falling to landward attack by Civil War Parliamentarian forces in 1646, it remained neglected until partial re-arming during the 19th and early 20th centuries.Other coastal forts built by Henry VIII include Portland, Deal and Walmer Castles.

'History rewritten?'

According to history the castle surrendered to the Civil War Parliamentarians "without a shot being fired". Well, there was at least one, and we now have it on display. The cannon ball was fired away from the castle as a warning shot to intimidate the Royalists.

We are therefore thankful to the Royalist commander who surrendered so easily!  When you visit, make sure you see this facinating piece of history.