King Charles' Castle, Tresco, Isles of Scilly
King Charles' Castle is an artillery castle built between 1550-54. It is on the highest point on the west side of Castle Down overlooking New Grimsby Harbour, Tresco. The castle was part of a series of fortifications built on the Isles of Scilly between 1548-54 in response to a threat from the French. It was built to command the northern entrance to the harbour. Despite early prominence, the castle was superseded as the islands' chief stronghold by the building of the Star Castle on St Marys in 1593-1594. However artillery defences were added to the castle by Royalists during the English Civil War, which on Scilly lasted from 1642-1651. They were designed to protect the castle from landward attack. The Royalists are believed to have blown up part of the castle when they abandoned it in 1651. Much of the stone was used to build a blockhouse, known as Cromwell's Castle, in 1651-2. The castle was partially excavated in 1954, which uncovered pottery, a 16th or 17th century bronze buckle and two coins of Henry VIII and Edward VI. This site is now in the care of English Herigage (2010). Find out more.
