Pendennis Castle

For a great value family day out in Cornwall, take a trip to Pendennis Castle, Falmouth, one of the finest of the mighty fortresses built by Henry VIII to defend the country against invasion. The castle has seen action in many conflicts and was one of the last royalist strongholds to fall during the English Civil War.

You can witness a Tudor gun deck in action here and see how the Guardhouse was equipped during the First World War. This award-winning visitor attraction in the south west also boasts an exciting interactive exhibition where you can experience the sights and sounds of battle and relive an enemy attack on a Second World War observation post.

Unforgettable February 2013 Half-Term Fun at Pendennis Castle

Pendennis Castle in Falmouth has everything parents need to keep the kids entertained this February Half-Term with its packed week of activities for all the family. 

Back by popular demand, English Heritage will open the doors to the castle for Family Sleepovers on Friday 15 and Friday 22 February, guaranteeing young guests a night’s sleep they will never forget. 

Truly the highlight events of the week, Pendennis Castle’s exclusive Family Sleepovers promise a night like no other as visitors get to bed down in the haunted castle Keep.  The impressive English Heritage property is steeped in over 450 years of history, making for a great evening for children and parents alike.

The night begins at 7pm when visitors will be treated to a twilight tour of the Castle grounds, taking in Half Moon Battery, the Tudor Kitchen, the Keep and the Guard House. After the tour, guests will head back to the Keep for a home cooked evening meal, followed by the chance to cosy-up by the fire with a warming hot chocolate and tales of spooky goings-on at the castle from the resident storyteller. On waking from their historic night's sleep in the atmospheric Lower Gun Room in the Castle Keep, guests will be served a traditional cooked breakfast, before departing.

Advanced booking is essential for the Family Sleepover events so make sure you book your place to ensure your family’s stay.

Charlie Evans, Events Manager for English Heritage in the South West, said: “We’re all really looking forward to this year’s first family event at Pendennis Castle and what better way to kick start 2013 than by inviting the whole family to come and sleepover in Henry VIII’s Castle!"

The History of Pendennis Castle
Originally constructed between 1540 and 1545, Pendennis and its sister, St Mawes Castle, (also an English Heritage property), form the Cornish end of the chain of coastal artillery fortresses built by Henry VIII to counter a threat from France and Spain. In 1598, during Elizabeth I's reign, a new and much larger type of defensive rampart was added around the original fort. The castle was strengthened again prior to the Civil War and played host to the future Charles II in 1646, before he sailed to the Isles of Scilly. It then withstood five months of siege, before becoming the penultimate Royalist garrison on the British mainland to surrender.

Pendennis continued to play a vital role in Cornwall's defences throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and saw significant action during the Second World War. Evidence of its fascinating history is on show throughout the site, for example in the Guardhouse which has been returned to its First World War appearance.

Pendennis Castle is now also the home of a collection of wartime cartoons by George Butterworth. The acclaimed cartoons, which appeared daily throughout the Second World War, lampooned both Hitler and Mussolini, enraging the Nazi leader so much that the cartoonist was put on his 'hit-list'. The cartoons were generously given to English Heritage by George Butterworth's widow, a neighbour of the castle.

Don't miss

• The recreated Tudor gun room
• Getting hands-on in our Discovery Centre
• Our exciting interactive exhibitions
• Seeing the Butterworth wartime cartoons on display
• A visit to the tearoom
• The views and the setting - water surrounding the castle on three sides

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