Star Castle Hotel

STAR CASTLE HOTEL, THE GARRISON

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1291756
Date first listed:
12-Feb-1975
List Entry Name:
Star Castle Hotel
Statutory Address:
STAR CASTLE HOTEL, THE GARRISON
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Date:
2002-06-03
Reference:
IOE01/06832/24
Rights:
© Mr GW Tanner. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1291756
Date first listed:
12-Feb-1975
Date of most recent amendment:
14-Dec-1992
List Entry Name:
Star Castle Hotel
Statutory Address 1:
STAR CASTLE HOTEL, THE GARRISON

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
STAR CASTLE HOTEL, THE GARRISON

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:
Isles of Scilly (Unitary Authority)
Parish:
St. Mary's
National Grid Reference:
SV 89918 10641

Details

ST. MARY'S

SV81SE THE GARRISON, Hugh Town 1358-0/3/85 Star Castle Hotel 12/02/75 (Formerly Listed as: THE GARRISON, Hugh Town Star Castle)

GV I

House within Star Castle Fort. 1593 with late C17 alterations. Architect/Engineer Robert Adams. Rendered granite rubble with granite and brick dressings; slurried M-shaped hipped slate roof with lateral,central valley and ridge stacks. Star-shaped eight-sided plan reflecting that of surrounding bastions (q.v.). 2 storeys with attics; 3 bays to each facade with central two-sided salient projections. Each front has two ground-floor 8/8-pane sashes, two 2/2-pane sashes and salient projections; two first-floor 2/2-pane and 8/8-pane sashes. Original granite moulded door architrave with drip-moulded head. Flat-roofed dormers with late C19 horned 2/2-pane sashes. Interior: built with two accommodation floors above basement for storage. Plan recorded in 1757 by Abraham Tovey, Master Gunner, had 2 heated ground-floor chambers with back-to-back stacks and stairs all extant. Includes some 2-panelled doors. Late C17 wooden dog-leg staircase through both upper floors, with rectangular moulded handrail and continuous newel to first floor only. Ground-floor main chamber has late C17 moulded granite fireplace with polished wooden half columns. First-floor room above has white marble baseless Greek Doric order fireplace and centrepiece with oak leaves and laurels. Some blocked first-floor angle fireplaces. The main fort in a defensive system built under Francis Godolphin to counter the threat posed by the Spanish after the 1588 Armada. With its outer bastions-and walls (qv), Star Castle comprises an important and complete example of an Elizabethan fort built to a common Renaissance plan. It was also used as a prison, notable inmates including Dr.Bastwick (1637) and Sir John Ireton (1662). Star Castle was the last Royalist stronghold, Prince Charles and his suite taking refuge here in 1646 after their retreat from the Battle of Bodmin. It was converted into an hotel in 1933. (B.H. St.J.O'Neil: Isles of Scilly: London (HMSO): 1950-: 20; Saunders A: Fortress Britain: Liphook: 1989-: 79-80; Buildings of England: Pevsner, N and Ratcliffe, E: Cornwall: London: 1951-1970: 210).

Listing NGR: SV8991810641

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
62524
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds, (1970), 210
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Cornwall, (1951), 210
O'Neil, BH St J, Isles of Scilly, (1950), 20
Saunders, A D, Fortress Britain, (1989), 79-80

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Star Castle Hotel

Map

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End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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