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St Mawes Castle is a coastal artillery fortress built in the mid-sixteenth century on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall, constructed between 1540 and 1543 under the direction of Henry VIII's military engineers. The castle exemplifies the trace italienne style of fortification, featuring a distinctive trefoil ground plan with three rounded bastions arranged around a central keep, designed specifically to mount cannon and defend against seaborne attack. Built as part of Henry VIII's programme of coastal defence following the break with Rome, it faces across the Carrick Roads estuary towards Pendennis Castle and represents a significant surviving example of early modern military architecture in England. The castle remains substantially intact, retaining its gun emplacements, garrison buildings, and defensive walls, and has functioned as a military installation and monument since its construction.
St Mawes Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1013807. View the official record →
St Mawes Castle is a coastal artillery fortress built in the mid-sixteenth century on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall, constructed between 1540 and 1543 under the direction of Henry VIII's military engineers. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1013807.
St Mawes Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1013807.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Early 20th century gun battery 150m north of St Mawes Castle (0.2 km), Holy well of St Mawes, 80m east of St Mawes Methodist Church (0.7 km), Pendennis peninsula fortifications (2.1 km).
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Research the area around St Mawes Castle