The view from the top of King Henry’s Tower, the tallest part of the thousand year old Corfe Castle in Dorset, will be able to be seen by the public for the first time in 350 years, to help raise funds for its upkeep.
The royal residence of King Henry I has been a shell since Oliver Cromwell’s men destroyed the Royalist stronghold during the Civil War and has only been visited by nesting birds since then.
Visitors can now look out over Purbeck from a viewing platform at the top of King Henry’s Tower, Corfe Castle
Stunning views over Purbeck
But now a viewing platform has been built inside the 23 metre tall tower by the National Trust’s conservation team, giving visitors to Corfe Castle a chance to climb up inside to the top.
The stairs and platform have been built to stand alone so not to damage the fabric of the castle.
King Henry I, son of William the Conqueror, had the tower built for him in 1107 to provide him with luxurious personal quarters, including a garderobe – a bedchamber with ensuite toilet.
There was also an appearance door from which the king and his family could appear to his subjects, like the way the balcony at Buckingham Palace is used today.
The platform, right in the heart of the living space of English royalty, today offers stunning views over Purbeck from one of the highest vantage points.
From Monday 2nd December 2024, guided tours starting at £5 will be offered to the top of the tower with all fees going towards conservation work at Corfe Castle.
The original royal balcony dating back to 1107 still has some of the original ornate stonework
“He could appear on the balcony”
Fleur Castell from the National Trust in Purbeck, said:
“Although it was William the Conqueror who ordered Corfe Castle to be built around 1086, the keep was built for his son Henry in 1107 from Purbeck Stone, so it would have been gleaming white originally.
“Henry put in the garderobe annexe, his ensuite, with the royal living quarters behind, and at 23 metres tall, on top of a 55 metre hill, it could be seen for miles around.
“Behind that was an appearance door, where he could appear on his balcony and be seen by more people than could ever be admitted to the great hall, so his subjects could gather in the outer bailey, and he could also be seen by the villagers from outside the castle walls.
“These would have been living quarters for the king, with his ensuite and toilet with a chute for the waste, but there were also windows underneath the chute where it is thought that prisoners were kept so that the bad air would eventually kill them.”
Scaffolding, steps and a viewing platform have been constructed inside the tower
Incredibly ornate when built
Corfe Castle experience and visitor programming manager, Eoin McDowell said:
“The appearance window is a sign of the importance of the castle in medieval England – it’s not a feature that appears in any other castles around the country.
“It wasn’t in use as a balcony for a huge amount of time, the south annexe was built on to the castle relatively soon afterwards and it became a door between the south annexe and the main keep which led through to the chapel.
“It would have been incredibly ornate when it was built, and you can still see some of the architectural detail on it, but there has been no visitor access to it since the castle was destroyed by Cromwell’s troops over 350 years ago.
“We have had conservationists go up on ropes from time to time to inspect the area, but for the ordinary public this will be a first and we are really looking forward to sharing this piece of history, along with some amazing views!”
A view of St Edward, King and Martyr Church in Corfe Castle which hasn’t been seen for 350 years
A view unseen for hundreds of years
Eoin added:
“We had to get permission from Historic England to put in the steps and viewing platform. They were built in about a month, but the planning behind the project has been going on much longer.
“Because it is inside the tower, it doesn’t really have a visual impact on the castle, but once you are up at the top it opens up some quite breathtaking views.
“This is a view that hasn’t been seen for hundreds of years, and while the platform will be here for the rest of the conservation works, it may only be around until February 2026, so we hope people will come along and share it with us.
“All the money generated by our tours will go straight back into the conservation of the Corfe Castle – it’s as much about preserving our heritage as it is an experience.”
Fleur Castell, of Purbeck National Trust, takes in views from the top of the tower
Visits limited to 12 at a time
For safety reasons, the experience will be limited to a maximum of 12 people at a time, who must be accompanied by a member of staff.
A 90 minute full guided tour including the tower will be offered twice a day during weekdays, which will cost £15 on top of normal admission fees to Corfe Castle.
Shorter, 30 minute tours for £5 will take visitors up to the top of King Henry’s Tower, running every hour through weekends, and can be booked online or joined on the day if there are spaces available.
Eoin McDowell in front of newly cleaned tumbles which have given up secrets of where they used to be
Need to raise £100,000 to complete work
A major £2 million conservation project began in 2023 to protect Corfe Castle from the impact of climate change.
It will take three years, with specialist masons working from ropes and on scaffolding to conserve the stonework, using similar techniques and materials to those of their predecessors nearly 1,000 years ago.
The conservation project is already being supported with a generous grant of £150,000 from the Wolfson Foundation as well as a commitment from the National Trust’s own funds, but there is still a need to raise £100,000 to ensure the project can be completed.
Conservation work to remove ivy from tumbles at the bottom of King Henry’s Tower has just revealed a lot of extra detail about the stone, including holes which would have been used for floor joists.
It is hoped that once the other tumbles have been cleared as well, historians may be able to piece together a more accurate picture than ever of how the castle looked before it was partially destroyed.
Portrait of Henry I, who extended Corfe Castle as a royal residence in 1107
Winter solstice at the castle
Visitors to Corfe Castle in December 2024 will be able to join in with a range of festive events, including celebrating the winter solstice by watching the sun rise over East Hill from the top of the castle at 7 am on Thursday 21st December 2024, the shortest day of the year.
For two nights only, on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th December 2024, there is a chance to experience the magic of exploring Corfe Castle at night as it gets lit up by braziers and festoon lights before gathering around a fire pit to toast marshmallows.
And from Saturday 7th December to Sunday 12th January 2025, Monty Mouse is returning to Corfe Castle with his wife Matilda to host a Christmas party in the castle – and a family quest will follow them around the ruins to see how they get on.
Exceptional views over Purbeck
A view of King Henry’s Tower on the approach from the outer bailey at Corfe Castle
Further information
- More about the Corfe Castle conservation project
- Book a tour of King Henry’s Tower and other Corfe Castle events
