Yarmouth Castle, Quay Street, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight

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 rampart with bastions was added and in 1609 additions were made including corner buttresses. Further alterations were made in 1632, and in 1669 the castle was reduced in size with the demolition of the earthworks and the filling in of the moat. The fort was garrisoned until 1885. It is also one of the earliest examples of an Italianate style "arrowhead" or "diamond" bastion. This site is now in the care of English Heritgate (2010).

Location

Isle of Wight Yarmouth

Period

Tudor (1485 - 1602)

Tags

castle attack defence fort henry viii invasion french tudor (1485 - 1602) english heritage