Dartmouth Castle

• 1388: The Carew family lived on the land of Stoke Fleming, and provided part of the land to the government due to increased tensions with France. After the castle’s construction, the Carew family built their family home inside the walls of the fortalice.
• 1540s: Sir Peter Carew lived at the family home. He would seize the castle twice (after property disputes) before agreeing to let the town own the castle while he remained in the Carew family home.
• 1642: The castle was garrisoned by five men (in support of Parliament) during the early parts of the English Civil War.
• 1643: Prince Maurice, in support of the Royalists, took over the castle.
• 1646: Sir Thomas Fairfax, a Parliamentarian officer, forced the castle’s surrender.
• 1650s: Sir John Fowell served as the castle governor.
• 1662: Dartmouth was garrisoned by 23 men and Sir John, the captain and governor.
• 1859: Three soldiers and 55 reservists manned the castle.
• World War II: Members of the British Army occupied and manned the site. Non-commissioned officers lived in the castle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dartmouth_Castle#/media/File:Dartmouth_Castle_-_geograph.org.uk_-_725989.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dartmouth_Castle#/media/File:Paul_Sandby_-_Dartmouth_Castle_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg 

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General Layout

When King Richard II ordered the building of an artillery fortress, John Hawley, Mayor of Dartmouth, got started on the defensive structure. Dartmouth Castle was erected atop a rocky promontory, giving it a perfect vantage point for protecting the Dartmouth harbour. It served as an important means of defence during the 100 Years War when French threats of invasion were commonplace.

The site was designed exclusively for defence, and included a Gun Tower, several gun platforms, and a massive gun battery. There were some basic accommodations for the garrison.

Original Layout

Before the construction of the Gun Tower by John Hawley, Dartmouth Castle stood as a small fortress. It boasted a stone curtain wall, two towers, and a gatehouse. Around the 1400s, the primary weaponry consisted of catapults, cannons, and the iron chain which could be raised to block the harbour entrance. Visitors can still see the remnants of the original fortalice, moat, and curtain wall at the southwest corner of Dartmouth Castle.

Gun Tower

Situated on the north side of the artillery complex is the Dartmouth Castle Gun Tower. It faces outward, overlooking the River Dart, to protect the harbour from invaders. This tower was constructed alongside the original fortalice using limestone.

The Gun Tower sits between two massive gun platforms used for mounting heavy artillery. These platforms would undergo alterations throughout the centuries to keep up with the ever-changing weapons technology.

There are three-storeys in the gun tower, and each level includes two separate rooms. In the basement of the Gun Tower, there were artillery guns and gun ports protected by shutters to prevent damage from the sea. On the ground level, the rooms served as private accommodations for the garrison, with additional accommodations and an oven on the first floor.

The ground level of the Gun Tower also housed the chain room. This space served to operate the iron chain that stretched across the harbour.

Old Battery

At the southeast corner of Dartmouth Castle, visitors can see the Old Battery. The battery has gone by various names over the centuries, including Lamberd’s Bulwarke, the Grand Battery, and the Dartmouth Point Battery.

Above the entrance to the Old Battery sat a guard room. This room was designed to protect the facility from invaders, should they infiltrate the space. It included murder holes in the ceiling where the garrison could drop missiles (i.e., spears, boiling water, etc.) onto enemy heads.

The Old Battery also boasts a spiral staircase that leads to the battery itself, where massive guns were once mounted and ready for battle.

Defensive Design

Dartmouth Castle is an artillery fort, so its entire design was created with defence in mind. The first castle on the site utilised catapults and cannons. As military technology progressed, the site was expanded to include the Gun Tower and an iron chain was added to protect the harbour. Additional gun batteries were installed during the 1540s.

In the basement, ground level, and the first floor of the Gun Tower are gun loops. Lighter artillery was mounted atop the tower. A 5.5 metre (18 ft) turret juts upward into the sky, sitting higher than the roof. To reduce the threat of gunfire from earthen mounds near the castle, parts of the castle were raised. 

During the 1480s, Dartmouth Castle’s Gun Tower was equipped with two “murderer” guns, which brought the total of murderer guns to four. It also included 12 serpentine guns around this time.

The Old Battery boasted additional defensive measures, including a ditch, gun-loops, and murder holes. At the centre of the battery were several platforms used to hold large guns that could face the sea, including a 24-pounder that could destroy a warship. A smaller gun pointed at the entrance of the harbour.