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Location
Weymouth, Dorset, England
Description
Sandfoot Castle is situated just to the West of Weymouth, on the edge of the cliff overlooking Portland Harbour. The main castle was rectangular with two storeys and dungeons. It provided a heavy gun emplacement, quarters for its garrison and underground magazines. The castle was surrounded by a ditch and a series of ramparts.
Coastal erosion undermined the cliff the castle stands on, and Sandfoot began to crumble. The castle has been unstable for many years, with most of it having fallen into the sea. It is a dangerous structure and public access is prohibited for safety reasons. There used to be a wooden bridge from the gardens to the castle, but that was removed in 2003.
History
The castle was built by Henry VIII as coastal defence against attacked by Roman Catholic enemies from the continent. He built several castles along the south coast of England and Portland Castle and Sandsfoot Castle were the first to be completed in the late 1530s. The two castles were sited to protect Portland Harbour. Sandsfoot Castle was vulnerable to attack from land and changed hands more than once during the English Civil War. The castle dungeons were used as a mint during the Civil War.
Other Castles in the Area
Lulworth Castle, Dorset
Portland Castle, Dorset
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