Photos of the Beautiful Henry VII Pendennis Castle Falmouth

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Photos of the Beautiful Historic Pendennis Castle a Renaissance Henry VIII Henrician or Device Castle, Falmouth, England. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. (TIP – use the icons below the slideshow for thumbnail photos and info)

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Photos of the Pendennis Castle a Henry VIII Device Castle,

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Photos of Historic Pendennis Castle, Falmouth, Cornwall, England.

Henry VIII Builds Pendennis Castle

Pendennis Castle was built for Henry VIII between 1539 – 1545 as part of a defensive line of Henrician or Divice castles along the south coast of England. By divorcing Catherine Aragon as well as breaking with the Cathoilic Church, Henry VIII angered Europe and in particular Spain and France. The Pope encouraged The Holy Roman Empire and its allies to invade England.

In fear of invasion Henry VIII fortified the coast from Hull to Milford Haven. The Henrician or Device Forts were state of the art military insulations purpose built as batteries for cannons.

Pendennis Castle Design

As a true Renaissance king, Henry VIII was involved with the design of Pendennis Castle. It has a round tower at its centre surrounded by a curtain wall. From the round tower cannons covered the whole entrance of the Fal Estuary which leads to the huge natural harbour at Falmouth.

Another Device Fort on the other side of the river Fal at St Mawes meant that any invaders would be caught in a deadly cross fire of cannons. The simplicity of the design of Pendennis is typical of Renaissance thinking as is its military design.

The possiblity of French invasion in the 1730s resulted in Pendennis Castle defences being modernised and upgraded. During the Napoleonic Wars, the castle held up to 48 guns. 

Pendennis Castle remained active as a military installation through World War II  when it saw action against the German Luftwaffe aircraft.

In 1956 it was finally outdated and was closed as a military installation.