More information : (SV 91411034) Old Town Castle (NR) (Site of) (NAT) (1)
'Old Castle' the remains of a 13th/14th century castle, the 'Castle of Ennor' in Medeval times. ('Ennor' was probably the 14th century name for St Mary's Island). It is aid to have been built by one of the Earls of Cornwall and is known to have been occupied in 1306. Noted as a 'meately strong pile' by Leland, an account of ordnance shows that in 1554 the building was used as an armoury, and was fortified with five light cannon to defend the harbour and quay of Old Town. Traditionally robbed of stone for the building of Star Castle (SV 81 SE 30) in 1593. A 14th century pot from the castle was presented to Truro Museum in 1958. (2-6)
About 1908 (7) the remains consisted of a crescent shaped wall, about 12 yards long, built on the side of a granite rock. Walling visible circa 1954. (8)
'Old Town Castle' (name confirmed) utilises a semi-circular west-facing and almost vertical rock 6.0m to 9.0m high. The rock has a narrow flattish top apparently 20.0m x 10m in size and shelves on the east side for about 20., before reaching ground level though this side has a deep accumulation of earth and is heavily overgrown. The building remains consist of a single obtuse-angled well of small well-set stones, apparently unmortared but with packing pieces, set onto or against the rock. the west-facing wall along the top edge extends for 7.0m and is aobut 0.1m high and 0.1m thick. The wall extends towards the north east for another 10.0m increasing to about 2.0m in height as the outcrop lessens. thereafter it is increasingly submerged in tumble. There are no particular features or cut stone, (and it is the cut stone that was probably removed to Star Castle, the rest hardly being worth the cartage), though it has doubtless provided stone for local houses. Revised at 1:2500 on PFD. (9)
Scheduled listing. (10)
Listed by Cathcart King. (11)
A small, steep-sided natural mound with scarce remains of walling (no sign of mortar) and fallen stonework, it is heavily overgrown. There are no obviously relevant earthworks in pasture to the north, the only side on which other remains might survive. Not surveyed. (12)
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