Carn Godolphin

In the historic county of Cornwall (Modern Authority of Cornwall, 1974 county of Cornwall).

Leland writes "the main seat of the Godolphins, with a ditch and a tower, used to be at Carne Godolphin on top of a hill. The ditch is still to be seen there, and much masonry has recently been taken from the site. It is three miles ENE of St Michael's Mount."

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.
? remains.

This site is a listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number )

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SW5931

Sources of information, references and further reading

Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
- Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p67

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant

The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations.

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