Cromwell's Castle
Local highlightA round gun tower on the shore of Tresco, thrown up after Parliament took the Isles of Scilly in the Civil War
Open accessfree to visit at any reasonable time
Substantial ruinsruined, but plenty survives above ground
Down on the rocks at the north end of Tresco stands a tall round tower, set to watch the narrow channel between Tresco and neighbouring Bryher. It went up around 1651, just after a Parliamentary fleet under Admiral Robert Blake captured the Isles of Scilly, which had held out for the King as one of the last Royalist footholds. The tower took the name of Oliver Cromwell, whose regime built it to control the anchorage and keep enemy ships out. It is a gun platform more than a home: thick round walls, a battery at the base, and a stair to the roof. Just up the hill sits the older, ruined King Charles’ Castle, a Tudor fort that the new tower effectively replaced. English Heritage cares for both, out on the wild edge of Tresco.
More at the National Heritage List entry
