Castles of England/Isles of Scilly

There are three castles on the Isles of Scilly.

Cromwell's Castle
Cromwell's Castle is a coastal gun tower built by Oliver Cromwell on the island of Tresco. It was constructed in 1651 - 1652 as a replacement for King Charles's Castle. The guns were mounted on the roof above the garrison's living quarters and magazines. The tower was originally entered at first floor level by an external stair on the south side. The present entrance dates from the construction of the lower gun platform added in the 1740s by Abraham Tovey, Master Gunner.

King Charles's Castle
King Charles's Castle is a coastal artillery fort near the northern extremity of the island of Tresco. It is now in ruins. It was a semi-hexagonal gun tower designed to provide a wide field of fire and two-storeyed to give at least two tiers of guns. The domestic quarters for the garrison were at the rear.

Despite its name, the castle was built 1550-1554 during the reign of Edward VI. During the English Civil War low earthwork defences were thrown up beyond the castle to protect it from landward attack. After the war it was replaced by Cromwell's Castle.

Star Castle
Star Castle is a fortress on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, built in 1593 by Francis Godolphin in the shape of an eight-pointed star. Little altered it is an almost complete example of an Elizabethan fort.