The Castles of Dorset
Portland Castle
Portland Castle was built in 1539 to protect an important anchorage known as the Portland Roads. It was one of a chain of artillery forts built for Henry VIII to protect the south coast from the threat of invasion by the French and Spanish and is considered one of the finest coastal forts. Perfectly preserved in a waterfront location overlooking Portland harbour, it is a marvellous place to visit for all the family whatever the weather. You can try on armour, explore the Tudor kitchen and gun platform and see ghostly sculpted figures from the past. An excellent audio tour, included in the admission price, brings the castle's history and characters to life.
The castle has a strange shape, like a segment of a circle, with a two storey circular tower at its centre and rectangular wings radiating from either side. The main gun batteries were on two levels in the curved front towards the sea, and a third tier of guns could be mounted on top of the central tower and its wings. The main gun room is now open to the sky having lost its roof that acted as the second gun platform.
Its later history includes Civil War sieges and use by Oliver Cromwell as a jail for his enemies. In Victorian times it became a private residence for one of the great citizens of Portland, Captain Charles Manning, builder of the great Portland breakwater, which turned the bay between Weymouth and the Isle of Portland into the largest man-made harbour in the world. During the First World War it was a seaplane station and during the Second World War was at the forefront of the massive preparations to recapture northern Europe culminating in D-Day.
^ Back to topRufus Castle
A striking Norman Castle built on a rocky promintory overlooking Church Ope Cove on the Isle of Portland. We think Rufus Castle was built for William II (called "Rufus" for his red hair). It is likely that what we see today was the keep of a larger castle. Little remains of that first castle, with the possible exception of the arch that spans the path from Church Ope Road. The castle was rebuilt in the 15th century, and much of what remains dates from this time.
The castle is constructed in the form of a pentagon, and the 7-foot-thick walls are pierced by numerous loop-holes meant to allow archers to fire upon attackers. This gives rise to the castle's alternative name; "Bow and Arrow" Castle.
^ Back to topSandsfoot Castle
Lying within the ancient parish of Wyke Regis, on the edge of the cliff overlooking Portland Harbour, are the ruins of Sandsfoot Castle. This is another castle ordered up by Henry VIII at a time when there were threats of attacks by Roman Catholic enemies due to the change in the established religion in England.
Colonel Ashburnham, governor for the King, surrendered the castle during the civil war in 1644 to the parliamentary forces. It was used as a mint during the civil war and manned by the Militia of Wyke Regis. The castle remained in the hands of the government for many years under its governor, Humphrey Weld. The Welds were a strong Roman Catholic family whose seat was at East Lulworth.
The coastal erosion at this point became so great that it undermined the cliff. Humphrey Weld left the castle whereupon it slowly began to crumble into the sea. From the beach below, the castle's foundations are part of the cliff face and many remnant rocks lie scattered on the beach. The building of the breakwater in 1849, the boundary of Portland Harbour, offered some protection from the tides.
^ Back to topNothe Fort
Nothe Fort was built in between 1860 and 1872 by 26 Company of the Royal Engineers to protect England and its Portland Harbour. The fort is situated on the Weymouth shore in Dorset, overlooking Weymouth Bay. The Nothe Fort is a National Monument and Registered Museum owned by the town of Weymouth and operated by volunteers of the Weymouth Civic Society, a registered charity.
During World War II Nothe Fort was used as a base by the British and American navies. Today, Nothe Fort features many models, World War II memorabillia, original cannons and guns and British and American vehicles. The Nothe Fort is open to the Public daily from May to September, for two weeks at Easter, one week over the Dorset schools autumn half term, out of season Sundays and Bank Holidays (except Christmas day and Good Friday).
^ Back to topLulworth Castle
Lulworth Castle, in East Lulworth, Dorset, situated south of Wool, is an early 17th century mock castle. The stone building has now been re-built as a museum. In 1610 Lulworth Castle was built as a hunting lodge by Thomas Howard, 3rd Lord Bindon, who was the son of the 2nd Duke of Norfolk. In 1641 Humphrey Weld purchased it from Howard. In 1786 a chapel was built.
Lulworth Castle was gutted by a fire in 1929 and was left as a roofless ruin, the family building a new residence for themselves nearby. In the 1970s restoration work begun with the help of the English Heritage. The restoration, finished in 1998, includes a new roof and restored surviving walls in the interior but no new internal walls or replacements for the destroyed upper floors have been constructed.
The castle is still owned by the Weld Family and is a tourist attraction with various medieval-themed events, a children's play area, an animal farm and since last year, they even have their own 3 day festiva for all ages.
^ Back to topCorfe Castle
Corfe castle dates to the 11th century, although evidence exists of some form of stronghold predating the Norman Conquest. Construction of a stone hall and inner bailey wall occurred in the 11th century and extensive construction of other towers, halls and walls occurred during the reigns of Henry I, John and Henry III. By the 13th century the castle was being used as a royal treasure storehouse and prison. The castle remained a royal fortress until sold by Elizabeth I in the 16th century to her Lord Chancellor, Sir Christopher Hatton.
The castle was bought by Sir John Bankes, Attorney General to Charles I, in 1635. During the English Civil War, the castle twice came under siege by Parliamentarian forces. Sir John Bankes was away from his estate attending to Charles I so defence of the castle was led by his wife Lady Mary Bankes — "Brave Dame Mary" as she became known.
The first siege, in 1643, lasted for six weeks before the Parliamentarians withdrew with the loss of 100 men. The second siege, in 1646, was resisted for two months before the castle was betrayed by a member of the garrison. After its capture, the castle was slighted (destroyed) with some explosives and mainly by undermining to ensure that it could never stand again as a Royalist stronghold.
The castle is open to the public and is a grade I listed building. In the summer 2006, the dangerous condition of the keep caused it to be closed to visitors, who could only visit the walls and inner bailey. The National Trust undertook an extensive conservation project on the castle, and the keep was re-opened to visitors in 2008, with the work due to complete in 2009. During this restoration work, an "appearance" door was found in the keep, designed for Henry I. The National Trust claims that this indicates that the castle would have been one of the most important in England at the time.
^ Back to topMaiden Castle
Maiden Castle is located near Dorchester and is the largest and most complex Iron Age hill fort in Britain. The castle was first laid out in 600BC over the remains of a Neolithic settlement that was occupied some 6000 years ago. During the following centuries the hill fort was extended and additional defences thrown up around it. This didn't seem to worry the Romans, who in in AD43 took it and its inhabitants moved to the new town of Durnovaria, modern day Dorchester.
Access to the site is by a short but steep trail to the right of the car park, which leads you through the original Iron Age entrance to the hill fort. Another trail takes you across the hill fort defences and involves some steps. The top of the hill fort is grass but surfaces can be irregular, with some low vegetation.
Sherborne Castle
Visit just to the southeast of Sherborne and get two castles for just the one visit! Sherborne Castle is a 16th-century Tudor mansion, whilst Sherborne Old Castle is the ruin of a 12th-century castle in the grounds of the mansion.
The old castle was built as the fortified palace of Roger de Caen, Bishop of Salisbury and Chancellor of England, and still belonged to the church in the late 16th century. After passing through Sherborne on the way to Plymouth, Sir Walter Raleigh fell in love with the castle, and Queen Elizabeth relinquished the estate, leasing it to Raleigh in 1592. Rather than refurbish the old castle, Raleigh decided to construct a new mansion in the grounds on the site of an existing hunting lodge. The new house, a four-story, rectangular building was completed in 1594 and named Sherborne Lodge.
In the Civil War Sherborne was strongly Royalist, and the old castle was left in ruins by General Fairfax of the Parliamentary forces in 1645. The name "Sherborne Castle" was then applied to the new house, though today the term Sherborne New Castle is generally used to refer to it, in the same manner as "Sherborne Old Castle" is used for the ruins.
Through the early and mid-18th century William, 5th Lord Digby, who laid out the grounds praised by Alexander Pope, and his heirs Edward, 6th Lord Digby, who inherited in 1752, and Henry, 7th Lord, laid out the present castle gardens, including the 1753 lake designed by Lancelot Brown, which separates the old and new castles. The ruins of the old castle are part of the gardens. King George III visited the house and gardens in 1789, shortly before awarding Henry Digby with a Peerage. When Edward, 2nd and last Earl Digby died in 1856 the house was passed to the Wingfield Digby family, who still own the house. The house was modernised by the architect Philip Charles Hardwick.
In World War I the house was used by the Red Cross as a hospital and in World War II as the headquarters for the commandos involved in the D-Day landings. It now plays host to many events throughout the year, including outdoor theatre and fireworks and music nights. Both the castle and the extensive gardens are open to the public from April to November.
^ Back to topTo bring your group to the Heights Hotel so that you can explore the castles of Dorset, please call Jenny or Kathy to discuss your personal requirements on 01305 821361.
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