21/08/2025
Pendennis Castle, Falmouth
🏰 Built by Henry VIII as part of his coastal defences against the threat of a French attack. It stands on a headland at the mouth of the River Fal, facing St Mawes Castle across the water.
The original fortress was expanded by Henry's daughter, Elizabeth I, who added an outer defensive wall. It was again strengthened at the outbreak of the Civil War, and in 1646 Charles II stayed here before he sailed for the Isles of Scilly. The castle withstood a siege of five months before finally succumbing to Parliamentary forces, the penultimate mainland fortress to fall. The castle once again saw action during WWII, and the secret defences erected for the conflict can be visited, including underground tunnels and magazines. The Guardhouse has been restored to the condition it would have enjoyed during WWI.
