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Summary

The curtain wall, ditch, bastions and portcullis gate tower, 1593 with C18 additions.

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 62524: STAR CASTLE HOTEL
• Scheduled Monument 15486: THE STAR CASTLE, ST MARY'S
• Listed Building (I) 62525: BASTIONS AND WALLS OF STAR CASTLE

Other References/Statuses

• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 7902.02

Monument Type(s):

• CURTAIN WALL (16th Century - 1501 AD to 1600 AD)

Full description

Part of the 1593 artillery fort known as Star Castle (7902.01, 7902.08, 7902.09). The curtain rising from the rock-cut ditch is of roughly coursed granite rubble, with dressed quoins, string-course divisions and coped parapet and sally port. A 2-storey portcullis gate tower with date 1593 and ER monogram is reached by a stepped bridge (h2, b12). This gives access to small chambers and bellcote on the curtains angles, chambers recessed into its base, and the keep (7902.01) across a passage or 'inner foss' (b6). A 1652 survey records five store rooms on, and four more beneath the curtain (b1). Lilly shows a section through the glacis, flat bottomed ditch, battered wall and parapet (b3). His plan indicates four 'lodging rooms' at the curtains salient angles, with two smaller structures and flagstaff at others. The north east angle bellcote appears on Tovey's 1750 plan (b5). The lodgings were occupied by captains (b6) and later by soldiers (b7). Woodley records 96 musketry loop-holes at the site (b8). More recently, Bowley gives the curtain's height as 5.5m (b14). The moat was partly excavated 1970-72 (h1, b16). The Listing description maintains the gate-tower's moulded square headed architrave and pyramidal roof; and the lodging's pyramidal roofs and modern fittings (h2, b12). In 1978 the OS found the ditch 2.4m deep (h3). The Adams note the secondary date of the portcullis; and a lost chamber under the curtain (b16). The site was visited in 1988 (h4). In 1993 the curtain was photographed (h6). Its original surface and two recessed rooms were recorded, and many small finds recovered from the moat, during SWEB trenching (h5, b17). A detailed survey was made in 1993 (h7, b18). The monument was included in the Schedule on 4/3/1997.
"Bastions and Walls of Star Castle GV I
Bastions and walls. 1593 with C18 additions. Architect/engineer Robert Adams. Roughly coursed granite rubble with dressed quoins; slate roofs; granite stacks. Eight-sided star-shaped plan. Single storey with some second storey additions. Battered walls to ditch has string-course divisions and coped parapet. Stairs, piers and walls across ditch to 2-storey entrance porch, slightly brought forward with moulded square-headed architrave, date 1593 and tablet with monogram ER above, and pyramidal roof to bracketed-out top storey above parapet level; C18 bellcote on parapet wall to left. Parapet with sally port openings. Ramparts above 3 pyramidal-roofed rectangular rooms, built as guardhouse, office, lock-up etc, with slit windows, stacks, and C19/20 plank doors and glazing-bar casements; that to the south-west angle is roofless. Raised platform at north-west angle. An important component of the late C16/17 fort centred around Star Castle (qv). (EH Listed Building description, 2002)

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Site history:
2: 1975. UNKNOWN/IAM
3: 1978. NJA/OS
4: 1988. WATERS, A/CAU
5: 1993. YOUNG, A/CAU
6: 1993. RATCLIFFE, J/CAU
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Young, A, Ratcliffe, J & Allan, J, 1993, Cable Laying Operations at Star Castle, Isles of Scilly. Results of the Archaeological Watching Brief (Cornwall Event Report). SCO1911.

<1> Pounds, NJG, 1984, The Parliamentary Survey of the Duchy of Cornwall, PT 2, 37 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4153.

<2> UNKNOWN, 1655, A MAP OF THE HEW HILL THE CHEIFFE FFORTIFICATIONS, DD GO 575 (Unedited Source). SCO5445.

<3> LILLY, C, 1715, A PLAN OF STAR CASTLE ON ST MARY'S ISLAND AT SCILLY (Unedited Source). SCO5500.

<4> UNKNOWN, 1742, A PLAN OF HUGH FORT ALIAS THE STAR CASTLE (Unedited Source). SCO5544.

<5> Tovey, A, 1750, A Plan of the Peninsula and Fortifications on St Mary's (Bibliographic reference). SCO4950.

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

<7> Troutbeck, J, 1796, Survey of the Ancient and Present State of the Scilly Islands, 50-51 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4965.

<8> Woodley, G, 1822, A View of the Present State of the Scilly Islands, 223 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5069.

<9> Birch, JF, 1974, Plan of the Garrison on the Island of Saint Mary, Scilly (Bibliographic reference). SCO2851.

<10> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, 1st Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4048.

<11> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4050.

<12> DOE, Listed Building Description (original DOE), FEB 1975, 3, 10-12 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5173.

<13> O'Neil, BH St J, 1961, Isles of Scilly MOW Guide, 28-29 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4042.

<14> Bowley, RL (Ed), 1980, The Fortunate Islands, 49 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5086.

<15> Laws, P, 1980, The Buildings of Scilly (Bibliographic reference). SCO3829.

<16> Adams, F & P, 1984, Star Castle and its Garrison, 8, 90-91 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2717.

<18> Cox, J & Thorp, J, 1994, Star Castle: an Architectural and Historical Analysis (Cornwall Event Report). SCO4742.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO3128 - Garrison Walls, Isles of Scilly, conservation plan

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