| Summary : St Catherine's Castle was built by Henry VIII between 1538 and 1540 as part of his network of coastal defences constructed due to heightened threats of attack from France and Spain in the immediate aftermath of the Reformation. It is situated on the tip of a rocky headland, St Catherine's Point, at the entrance to the River Fowey estuary on the south coast of Cornwall.The two-storey blockhouse has a D-shaped plan and was built on a prepared platform levelled into the rock with slate rubble stone walls up to 1.35 metres thick. On the ground floor are three almost semi-circular gun ports, a fireplace in the south west wall and a small guard chamber within the entrance. The first floor has five narrow windows with semicircular heads and a winder stair, which originally ascended to a former parapet walk. In 1786 the blockhouse held six canons but in 1815, following the Napoleonic Wars, it had been abandoned. The curtilage of the blockhouse, as defined by its curtain wall, was refurbished in 1855 to form a gun battery during the Crimean War. A levelled platform, just below the blockhouse, accommodated a Crimean War battery. In 1887, this was armed with two 64-pounder rifled muzzle-loading guns manned by Artillery Volunteers and retained as a practice battery. By the end of the 19th century it was obsolete and subsequently abandoned. It was again modified and re-armed in 1940 as an emplacement in a more extensive Second World War gun battery occupying St Catherine's Point. This included a 4.7-inch naval gun, a large concrete protective shelter, an ammunition store and concrete pillbox. The site is in the care of English Heritage. |
More information : (SX 11875093) St Catherine's Castle (NR) (remains of) (NAT) (1)
The remains of a small harbour defence castle built as part of Henry VIII's South Coast fortifications in 1539. It was restored in 1885. HHR Grade 2*. (2)
The remains of the castle consist of a D-shaped block-house, containing an original doorway, and perimeter walling.
See photograph. (3)
Additional reference. (4)
St Catherine's Castle consists of the remains of a small harbour defence castle built as part of Henry VIII's South Coast fortifications between 1538 and 1540, including a blockhouse and bastioned curtain wall. It is situated on the tip of a rocky headland, St Catherine's Point, at the entrance to the River Fowey estuary on the south coast of Cornwall. The network of coastal defences were constructed due to heightened threats of attack from France and Spain in the immediate aftermath of the Reformation. The two-storey blockhouse has a D-shaped plan and was built on a prepared platform levelled into the rock with slate rubble stone walls up to 1.35 metres thick. On the ground floor are three almost semi-circular gun ports, a fireplace in the south west wall and a small guard chamber within the entrance. The first floor has five narrow windows with semicircular heads and a winder stair, which originally ascended to a former parapet walk. In 1786 the blockhouse held six canons but in 1815, following the Napoleonic Wars, it had been abandoned. The curtilage of the blockhouse, as defined by its curtain wall, was refurbished in 1855 to form a gun battery during the Crimean War. A levelled platform, just below the blockhouse, accommodated a Crimean War battery. In 1887, this was armed with two 64-pounder rifled muzzle-loading guns manned by Artillery Volunteers and retained as a practice battery. By the end of the 19th century it was obsolete and subsequently abandoned. It was again modified and re-armed in 1940 as an emplacement in a more extensive Second World War gun battery occupying St Catherine's Point. This included a 4.7-inch naval gun, a large concrete protective shelter, an ammunition store and concrete pillbox.
Please refer to this source for a very detailed description of the site. (5)
St Catherines Castle is an English Heritage property. (6)
The blockhouse has 6 gunports. (7)
A D-shaped two storey blockhouse was built between 1538 and 1540 by Henry VIII to strengthen the harbour defences. It replaced two earlier blockhouses on opposite sides of the estuary at Fowey and Polruan. It had splayed gun ports on the ground and first floors and a parapet walk flanked by high battlements. A curtain wall and rectangular bastion was added before 1734 and modified in 1855 during the Crimean War. A battery for two guns was added at this time with a magazine for storing ammunition. During World War II St Catherine's Point became a gun battery and observation post. (8)
A brief history and description. (9)
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