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Summary

The site of 'Castle of Ennor', a C13/C14 castle said to have been built by one of the earls of Cornwall.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 15469: ENNOR CASTLE, OLD TOWN, ST MARY'S

Other References/Statuses

• Cornwall SURVEY NAME (temporary): RIC 150/17
• Heritage at Risk (National)
• National Monuments Record: SV 91 SW 46
• National Record of the Historic Environment to Historic Environment Records data transfer
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 304082
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SV91SW 46
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 7544
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SV91SW 17

Monument Type(s):

• CASTLE (Medieval to 16th Century - 1200 AD to 1593 AD)

Full description

The site of the Medieval Castle at Old Town, St. Mary's. Historically, the castle was also known as the Castle of Ennor, and was probably constructed in the 13th or early 14th century, probably by the Earls of Cornwall. It is known to have been occupied by 1306. By tradition, the castle was robbed of stone for the building of Star Castle (1, 2, 3, 4).

The castle was visited by John Leland in the mid-16th century, who describes it as a 'meately strong pile' (5), and there is an account of ordnance dating to 1554 recording that the building was used as an armoury and provided with five light cannon to defend the harbour and quay of Old Town (6). Borlase (7) mentions the Old-Town-Castle in 1756, by which time it was dismantled. The Castle appears on the 1889 first edition OS map (8).

In about 1908 remains consisted of a crescent shaped wall, about 12 yards long, built on the side of a granite rock (9). The walling was still visible when the site was visited in 1954 (10).

A C14 pot from the castle was presented to Truro Museum (RIC) in 1958. A copper pilgrim's medalion with rampant lion relief, with traces of gilt on the upper portion and blue enamel around the line, also in the collections of the RIC, is attributed to the castle site.

In 1978 the OS (11) confirm the name of 'Old Town Castle' and describe the feature as utilising a semi-circular west-facing and almost vertical rock 6.0m-9.0m high. The rock has a narrow, flattish top, apparently 20m by 10m in size and shelves on the east side for 20m before reaching ground level, though this side has a deep accumulation of earth and is heavily overgrown. The building remains consist of a single obtuse-angled wall of small well set stones, apparently unmortared but with packing pieces set into/against the rock. The west facing wall along the top edge extends 7.0m and is 0.1m high and 0.1m thick. The wall extends towards the north east for another 10m increasing to 2.0m high as the outcrop lessens, thereafter increasingly submerged in tumble. There are no particular features or cut stone (it was the cut stone that was probably removed to Star Castle, the rest hardly being worth cartage), though it has doubtless provided stone for local houses.

Revisited in 1988 (12) and observed as above.

Revisited in 2008-10 (13, 14). A small, steep-sided natural mound with scarce remains of walling (no sign of mortar) and fallen stonework, it is heavily overgrown. There are no obviously relevant earthworks in pasture to the north, the only side on which other remains might survive. Not surveyed.

An archaeological management plan was produced in 2014 (15).

The monument was included in the Schedule on 7/10/1976, amended on 1/4/1994 and the scheduling was revised on 29/5/1996.

UNKNOWN, Reconstruction of Old Town and Ennor Castle, St Mary's, viewed from South West (Graphic material). SCO29956.

Ordnance Survey, 1978, OS78/F19/20 (Photograph). SCO29957.

Ordnance Survey, 1978, OS78/F53/5 (Photograph). SCO29958.

Cathcart King, DJ, 1983, Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands, 552 (Bibliographic reference). SCO29959.

<1> O'Neil, BH St J, 1961, Isles of Scilly MOW Guide, 22-23 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4042.

<2> SAUNDERS, AD & MILES, TJ, 1970, KING CHARLES'S CASTLE, TRESCO, SCILLY, 1 (Unedited Source). SCO8072.

<3> Henderson, C, 1955-60, Ecclesiastical Antiquities of the 109 parishes of West Cornwall & Ecclesiastical History of the 4 Western Hundreds, VOL 3, 91, 42 (Article in Journal). SCO3499.

<4> Thomas, AC, 1985, Exploration of a Drowned Landscape, 219-220, 233, FIG 101, 102 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4611.

<5> Leland, J, 1535, The Itinerary of John Leland, 190 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3862.

<6> Saunders, AD, 1962, Harry's Walls, St Mary's, Scilly: a New Interpretation, 89 (Article in Journal). SCO4321.

<7> Borlase, W, 1756, Observations on the Ancient and Present State of the Islands of Scilly, 6 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2883.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, 1st Edition 6 Inch Map, Cornwall Sheet LXXXVII.SE (Cartographic materials). SCO4049.

<9> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Revisions Object Name Book, 1908, 20 (Unedited Source). SCO6950.

<10> DOE, Listed Building Description (original DOE), NOV 1954, 16 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5173.

<11> Field Investigator's Comments, OS/ Barton, JG 1978 (Survey). SCO29739.

<12> Field Investigator's Comments, CAU/Waters, A 1988 (Survey). SCO29739.

<13> Field Investigator's Comments, HE/Bowden, M and Brodie, A 2008 (Survey). SCO29739.

<14> Bowden, M, 2011, Isles of Scilly Military Defences, 1540-1951: Earthwork Sites and Minor Features, 27 (Cornwall Event Report). SCO25530.

<15> Historic Environment Projects, 2014, Ennor Castle, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly: Conservation Management Plan (Report). SCO27433.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO4593 - Ennor Castle, St Marys: Management Plan, 2014 (Ref: 2013R034)
• ECO3819 - Isles of Scilly Military Defences, 1540-1951 (Ref: RDRS 56-2011)
• ECO3784 - Isles of Scilly Historic Environment Research Framework

Related records: none recorded

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