County guide · The Castle Rolls
Best castles in Cornwall
11 castles in Cornwall, most of them coastal - Tintagel's Arthurian cliff ruin is the famous one, but it isn't the only one worth the trip. Inland at Lostwithiel, Restormel keeps one of the most complete circular shell keeps in England, on a low hill above the River Fowey.
Map
Every castle on this list - 11 in total, 3 free to enter, 4 you can stay overnight in
Tintagel Castle
Cornwall
Clifftop ruin linked to Arthurian legend
Pendennis Castle
Cornwall
Henrician artillery fort; two EH holiday cottages
St Michael's Mount
Cornwall
Managed jointly with St Aubyn Estates; tidal island
St Mawes Castle
Cornwall
Henrician artillery fort; Fort House holiday cottage nearby
Restormel Castle
Cornwall
Circular shell keep
Launceston Castle
Cornwall
Shell keep on high motte
St Catherine's Castle
Cornwall Free entry
Small Henrician fort above Fowey
Caerhays Castle
Cornwall
Spring gardens; castle tours Mar-Jun weekdays
Star Castle
Cornwall
16thC star fort hotel, Isles of Scilly
Cromwell's Castle
Cornwall Free entry
17th-century gun tower on Tresco, Isles of Scilly
King Charles's Castle
Cornwall Free entry
Tudor artillery fort on Tresco, Isles of Scilly
Common questions
How many castles are there in Cornwall?
This roll lists 11 visitable castles, fortresses and tower houses in Cornwall. Of those, 3 are free to enter and 6 charge admission.
Which castles in Cornwall are free to visit?
3 of the 11 castles in Cornwall are open-access sites with no admission charge, namely St Catherine's Castle, Cromwell's Castle and King Charles's Castle.
What is the best-rated castle in Cornwall?
Cromwell's Castle carries the strongest public rating of any castle in Cornwall on this roll - 4.7/5 from 68 Google reviews.
Can you stay overnight in a castle in Cornwall?
Yes - 4 of the castles listed here offer overnight stays, namely Pendennis Castle, St Mawes Castle, Caerhays Castle and Star Castle.
Can you reach any castle in Cornwall by train?
3 of the 11 sit within 1.5 miles of a railway station, namely Pendennis Castle (Falmouth Docks, 0.5 miles), Restormel Castle (Lostwithiel, 1.0 miles) and St Mawes Castle (Falmouth Docks, 1.5 miles). Those are straight-line distances from the station to the castle, so the walk on the ground is longer than the figure.
Can you go inside every castle in Cornwall?
Not all of them on the same terms. 2 of the 11 restrict what a visitor can see. Star Castle is a hotel, so there is no way in without booking a room or a table. At Caerhays Castle you get the grounds or a booked tour rather than free run of the building.