Yarmouth Castle, an artillery castle, was built after the French raid on the Isle of Wight in 1545. It was one of the last of Henry VIII’s chain of coastal defences built to defend England from the threat of French and Spanish invasion. In 1597-8 an earth bulwark with bastions was added and in 1609 […]
Wolvesey Castle
Wolvesey has been an important residence of the wealthy and powerful Bishops of Winchester since Anglo-Saxon times. Standing next to Winchester Cathedral, the extensive surviving ruins of the palace date largely from the 12th-century work of Bishop Henry of Blois. The last great occasion her was on 25 July 1554, when Queen Mary and Philip […]
Winchester Castle
A motte and bailey castle was probably built in 1067 and survived until the late 13th century. It was a favourite Royal residence with a complex of halls, chambers and chapels, but all that survives is the early 13th century Great Hall built by Henry III, now part of the County Offices complex. The entrance […]
Southsea Castle
Built in 1544, the Castle was part of a series of fortifications constructed by Henry VIII around England’s coasts to protect the country from invaders. Over the centuries, Southsea Castle’s defences were strengthened so that it could continue to protect Portsmouth. In the 19th Century a tunnel was built to defend the Castle moat. Visitors […]
Porchester Castle
Portchester Castle’s commanding location has made it a major factor in the Solent’s defences for hundreds of years. The most impressive and best- preserved of the Roman ‘Saxon Shore’ forts, Portchester Castle was originally built in the late 3rd century. Covering an area of nearly ten acres, it is the only Roman stronghold in northern […]