A luxurious suite of 'rooms with a view' built for William the Conqueror's son but partially destroyed in the English Civil War is accessible to visitors for the first time in almost 400 years thanks to a new observation deck I can now do it. One of England's most dramatic castles.
The King's Tower was built in 1107 for William's son Henry I. Corfe Castleon a steep hill on the Purbeck Peninsula near Wareham, Dorset. Inside the imposing fortress, the 23-metre tower of gleaming white limestone is Henry's personal penthouse, built to the highest standards of luxury and visible to his subjects far below. It was equipped with an “external door”.
After remaining as a royal fortress for centuries, Parliamentary forces partially destroyed the castle in 1646. The walls of the King's Tower, although still standing, were badly damaged and its magnificent upper rooms have been inaccessible ever since.
Today, for the first time in 378 years, things have changed, thanks to a new temporary viewing platform installed by the castle's current owners, the National Trust. Visitors can now climb a staircase built into the castle tower to get a close-up view of the remains of the king's luxurious chambers and its stunning views.
The project was born as part of a larger three-year project. conservation project Castle manager James Gould said the move was to strengthen the castle against the effects of the climate emergency, which is accelerating deterioration due to vegetation and weathering.
“During the very dry summer of 2020, we noticed that some of the stones were a bit loose and we carried out a further extensive investigation into the overall condition of the castle. “We need to think more about preserving it for the future,'' he said.
Construction of the new observation deck required a freestanding structure built within the south annex of the castle tower. Grade 1 listed This site is scheduled to be designated a national monument.
Mr Gould said the King's Tower Tour, a ticketed surcharge of between £5 and £15, offered a “window into the world of kings”. Not only can visitors take in views of Henley in southern Dorset, but they can also see the King's 'External Doors'. Here he stood to be seen and seen by his guests in the outer bay and his subjects outside the walls.
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“This is similar to the balcony at Buckingham Palace, where the royal family stands and waves to everyone,” Gould said. “This was the point from which the king could overlook the castle, village, and his domain.”
Later, the southern annex of the castle tower was added, and the door was hidden for many centuries. Its rediscovery during conservation work in 2006 underlined Corfe's status as one of England's most important castles, experts said at the time.
The trust said it plans to keep the platform in place for a year, or until conservation and restoration is complete.
