Carn Brea Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Carnbrea; Carnbre

In the civil parish of Carn Brea.
In the historic county of Cornwall (Modern Authority of Cornwall, 1974 county of Cornwall).

Small medieval castle (or perhaps hunting lodge) stands on the eastern summit of hill used as Iron age fort. First recorded in 1478 it has seen various alterations in the C18, C19, C20 is now used as a private house. Built by the Basset family of Tehidy, mostly in C18 and C19, but incorporating some fabric believed to be medieval. Leland records it as associated with a park.

This site has been described as a Tower House. The term Towerhouse is much used and loosely defined, some authors use it for any type of tower house, including pele towers, and there is, indeed, a continuum in size and status between these buildings. However, I more closely define a Towerhouse as a form of Fortified Manor House where all the accommodation is in one tower, often has a parapet along the top of the tower, turrets and other defensive features. Although the residential buildings form one tower this would usually have had a court of ancillary buildings. This is a high status building and usually a manorial centre. Unsurprisingly for high status buildings these sites are often named castle.

The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Masonry ruins/remnants remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 66669)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SW68644086

Modern Map from

Good for landscape form and features

Modern Map from

Good for general location

Air Photo from

1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape
Web site links
- http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/203/carnbreacastle.htm
Books
- Higham, Robert A., 1999, 'Castles, Fortified Houses and Fortified Towns in the Middle Ages' in Kain, R. and Ravenhill, W., Historical Atlas of South-West England (University of Exeter Press) p136-43
  Salter, Mike, 1999, The Castles of Devon and Cornwall (Malvern) p19
  Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p17
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1
  O'Neill Hencken, H., 1932, The Archaeology of Cornwall and Scilly p128
  Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
  Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol1 (London) p505-6
  Lysons, D. and S., 1814, Magna Britannia Vol3 Cornwall [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.asp?pubid=403]
Journal Articles
- Tangye, M., 1976 Feb 20, Cornwall Archaeological Society: newsletter p5
  Mercer, R.J., 1970, Cornish Archaeology Cornwall Archaeological Society Vol9 p54,62
Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
- Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p69

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The comprehensive gazetteer of the medieval fortifications and castles of Cornwall

With thanks to Philip Davis

Carn Brea Castle

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SW68644086

Sources of information, references and further reading