Dartmouth Castle
About
The castle sits on a rock at the narrow mouth of the Dart, about 1.3km downriver from the Boat Float in a straight line, with the little church of St Petrox tucked in beside it. English Heritage, which runs it, tells the story in layers: in 1388 Richard II ordered the mayor, the merchant and privateer John Hawley, to make the townsmen pay for a small fort, and a round corner tower and a length of its wall survive; the gun tower beside it was begun around 1481 and finished around 1493, and English Heritage calls it the oldest known purpose-built coastal artillery fort in Britain. It held the winding gear for an iron chain that was stretched across the river to a tower at Godmerock on the Kingswear side. Inside there are passages to explore, a sound and light display of a gun crew at work, and displays that run through the Second World War. The best way there is the Dartmouth Castle Ferry from the South Embankment, which runs from Easter to the end of October; on foot it is a walk out along Castle Road, and drivers should note that English Heritage was warning of a local road closure in October 2026.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓Gun tower finished around 1493
- ✓Where the river chain was wound
- ✓Views out to sea and across to Kingswear Castle
- ✓Sound and light display
Tips
- →Book online by midnight the day before for English Heritage's advance discount; members go free.
- →Take the Castle Ferry from the South Embankment (Easter to the end of October) rather than driving; the castle car park is small.
- →English Heritage notes a riverside tearoom next to the castle for lunch and snacks.
