Cromwells Castle |
| Hob Uid: 303385 | |
Location :
Isles of Scilly
Tresco
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| Grid Ref : SV8817201596 |
| Summary : Cromwell's Castle is an artillery tower, supposedly built between 1651 and 1652, comprising a circular gun tower 13.5 metres diameter and c15m high, built of coursed rubble. It is situated on a small low rocky shelf projecting from the western coast of Castle Down on Tresco. The tower replaced an earlier Tudor blockhouse built between 1548 and 1554. The artillery tower is said to have been built after Parliamentarian forces recaptured Tresco during the Civil War. It was strategically positioned to command the channel between Bryher and Tresco. It originally comprised a basement and two floors, above which lay the gun platform with 6 gun ports. The first and second floor rooms included timber floors and stone fire places and were linked by a wooden ladder or steps. Access to the first floor was via stone steps within the wall of the tower. The gun platform was reached from the second floor by a spiral stone staircase within the walls of the tower. There was originally a walkway along the gun platform protected by a parapet. In around 1740, partly in response to threats from Spain, the defences were altered and refurbished by Abraham Tovey, Master Gunner. A pentagonal gun platform was added against the seaward side of the blockhouse and a guardhouse built between the two structures. In 1752, the monument was recorded by the antiquarian William Borlase who noted that the 'principal battery' was armed with nine-pounder guns and the tower platform had small four-pounder cannon. He also recorded that the structure had no garrison and that the timber was 'already much decayed'. It is now in the care of English Heritage. |
More information : (SV 88181596) Cromwell's Castle (NR) (1)
A Civil War fortification on site of blockhouse existing in 1554. It was built in 1651-2 after the capture of Scilly (see plans) and has come to be called 'Cromwell's Castle'. It is built of massive rubble in typical 16th/17th century style.
The original entrance was through a doorway high up on the south side, the projecting corbels for a possibly movable platform being visible. There are no indications lower down for a staircase, but an old drawing shows one curving up the west side of the tower. The principal room is now covered by a fine ribbed stone vault. The mid 18th century platform to seaward of the tower replaced an earlier battery for six guns. HHR Grade II*.
"Cromwell's Castle" (name confirmed) is under DOE guardianship and in an excellent state of preservation. (2-3)
Correctly portrayed at 1:10 000 on PFD. (4)
Gun tower. 1651-2 with gun platform added c. 1740 by Abraham Tovey, Master Gunner. Randomly coursed granite rubble; granite platform roofs; stone stacks. (Listed Grade II*) [Full architectural description] (5)
Cromwell's Castle. Built in 1651 to replace King Charles Castle. It consists of a 60 ft circular tower and granite platform, placed to command the channel between Bryher and Tresco. (6)
Cromwell's Castle is a blockhouse that was built between 1651 and 1652, comprising a circular gun tower 13.5 metres diameter and built of coursed rubble. It is situated on a small low rocky shelf projecting from the western coast of Castle Down on Tresco. The tower replaced an earlier blockhouse built between 1548 and 1554. The new blockhouse was built after Parliamentarian forces recaptured Tresco during the Civil War and sought to defend it from the potential threat of the Dutch fleet, which had arrived off the Scillies in March 1651. It is about 15 metres high and originally comprised of a basement and two floors above which lay the gun platform with 6 gun ports. The first and second floor rooms included timber floors and stone fire places and were linked by a wooden ladder or steps. Access to the first floor was via stone steps within the wall of the tower. The gun platform was reached from the second floor by a spiral stone staircase within the walls of the tower. There was originally a walkway along the gun platform protected by a parapet. In around 1740, partly in response to threats from Spain, the defences were altered and refurbished by Abraham Tovey. A pentagonal gun platform was added against the seaward side of the blockhouse and a guardhouse built between the two structures. In 1752, the monument was recorded by the antiquarian Borlase who noted that the 'principal battery' was armed with nine-pounder guns and the tower platform had small four-pounder cannon. He also recorded that the structure had no garrison and that the timber was 'already much decayed'. (7)
An English Heritage property. (8)
A brief history and description. (9)
An in depth discussion on the defensive role of the castle. (10)
Cromwell's Castle is enigmatic because though the documentary evidence suggests a date of 1651-2 the architectural style of the tower suggests a date one century earlier (see Authority 10, 29); this issue remains to be rsolved. (11)
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