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Summary

Carn Brea castle, first mentioned in 1478, may have contained a chapel, was used as a hunting lodge and later as a beacon for shipping.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument CO79: Carn Brea Castle
• Conservation Area: CARN BREA

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SW 64 SE 6
• National Record of the Historic Environment to Historic Environment Records data transfer
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 426089
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW64SE 6
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 18163.71
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW64SE 113.11

Monument Type(s):

• CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHAPEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BEACON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• LODGE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• FOLLY (18th Century - 1701 AD to 1800 AD)

Full description

Carn Brea Castle is an C18 folly with later additions, built on the site of and probably incorporating substantial elements from an earlier medieval castle. The site was used as a hunting lodge in the post-medieval period, and is believed to have contained a chapel.

The castle is first mentioned by William Worcestre in 1487 (1), and was described in the early C18 by Hals as: ‘built four square of lime and stone about 40 feet high and 20 feet square’ (2). In the early 1750s Borlase (3) visited the castle, recording the presence of outworks to the north west which were already by his time gone, as well as describing the fabric and publishing a sketch of the north west view. He notes that the castle was constructed on an irregular outcrop of stone, with arches spanning the spaces between to hold the wight of the walls, and noting the presence of multiple windows, arrow-slits and possible musket holes.

Wynne noted in 1755 that "Mrs Basset has lately erected a small pleasure house on this hill in ye appearance of a fort, where an ancient British (fort) formerly stood". Swete (4) visiting the castle in 1780, found it fully "modernised" by "the last Mr Basset". Lysons (5) described the castle as a ‘small irregular building about 60 ft long and 10 ft wide. Only part of the building is ancient the masonry of which is very crude and the modern part has probably been built on ancient foundations’ in the early 19th century.

In the later C19 the castle was further altered, with a new south wing. Its use as a beacon for shipping was recorded in 1898 when this was stated to have been stipulated in the lease for a long time previously, the tenant agreeing to show a light in the north facing window. The castle continued to be let to various tenants, with periods of disuse and disrepair in the 1950s and 1970s, until renovation and extension in 1975-1980 as a restaurant. Post-medieval features revealed in the course of the latter restoration include blocked apertures and recesses (6-7).

When visited by the OS in 1970, the field investigator noted: The NW side incorporates heavy boulder masonry for about 3.0m above ground level but there is no distinct building line between this and the obvious later work. The plain pointed arched doorways have no dateable features (8).

The location of the Medieval chapel remains uncertain but is probably represented by the upper two rooms in the east wing. In both the north and south walls are two arched windows with interior stone sills which appear to be of Medieval date (7).

<1> Harvey, J (Ed), 1969, Itineraries of William of Worcestre, 21 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3466.

<2> Hals, W, 1740, The Compleat History of Cornwall (Bibliographic reference). SCO3429.

<3> Borlase, W, 1754, Observations on the Antiquities Historical and Monumental of the County of Cornwall, 319, Plt. V (Bibliographic reference). SCO2878.

<4> SWETE, J, 1971, A TOUR IN CORNWALL IN 1780, VOL 6, 3 (Unedited Source). SCO8119.

<5> Lysons, D & S, 1814, Magna Britannia, VOL 3, CORNWALL (Bibliographic reference). SCO3885.

<6> Mercer, R, 1970, The Neolithic Settlement on Carn Brea: Preliminary Report, 1970, 54 (Article in Journal). SCO3933.

<7> Tangye, M, 1976, Untitled Source (Article in Serial). SCO31151.

<8> Field Investigator's Comments, OS/Quinnell, NV. 1970. (Survey). SCO29739.

<9> WILLS, SJ, 1890, CARN BREA HILL, VOL 1, NO 6, 63 (Unedited Source). SCO6510.

<10> Henderson, C, 1935, Essays in Cornish History, 162 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3501.

<11> THOMAS, AC, 1973, CARN BREA, REDRUTH (Unedited Source). SCO8208.

<12> WILLS, SJ, 1890, CARN BREA HILL, VOL 1, NO 5, 51-52 (Unedited Source). SCO6510.

<13> Hencken, H O'N, 1932, The Archaeology of Cornwall and Scilly, 128 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3489.

<14> WILLS, SJ, 1890, CARN BREA HILL, VOL 1, NO 7, 78-79 (Unedited Source). SCO6510.

<15> Ordnance Survey, 1970s, 1:10,000 OS Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4045.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO269 - Carn Brea, Illogan: Survey, 1985

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