The Castle RollsA survey of every visitable castle in the United Kingdom
4.4 / 5 · 549 reviews FREE ENTRY

St Catherine's Castle

Cornwall, England


St Catherine's Castle
St Catherine's Castle, further view St Catherine's Castle, further view

Key facts

Operator
English Heritage
Condition
Ruin
Access
Free, open access

Pinpoint

S W Coast Path, Fowey PL23 1JH

Telephone 0370 333 1181

Possible Opening hours

Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.

MondayOpen 24 hours
TuesdayOpen 24 hours
WednesdayOpen 24 hours
ThursdayOpen 24 hours
FridayOpen 24 hours
SaturdayOpen 24 hours
SundayOpen 24 hours

A small Henrician fort tucked into the cliffs above Fowey harbour, more a coastal viewpoint with ruins attached than a destination castle. It's free, unstaffed, and reached by a steep climb through the woods - reviewers say it rewards the effort with some of the best views over the harbour mouth.

Worth the trip

The view over the mouth of the Fowey estuary - reviewers consistently rate it as the best part of the visit.

Before you go

There's no parking at the site itself - you'll need to park in Fowey and walk, across a small beach and up a flight of stairs that reviewers warn gets muddy after rain.

WHAT VISITORS SAY · 4.4 / 5 across 549 Google reviews

Reviewers consistently enjoy the walk to St Catherine's Castle via the beach and coastal path, praising the free entry and clifftop views, though several mention the approach involves a steep, sometimes muddy climb. One visitor was disappointed that staff hadn't warned them the garden was closed and that crowding meant they couldn't get inside on a busy day.

Small Henrician fort above Fowey

“Nice remains of a castle / gun tower. Free to access after a steep climb through the woods. Not very big, more of a passing visit, or a nice stop if walking the coast or visiting the beach here. No car parking at the…”— BMO, visitor review

Further reading

The Castles of Scotland cover book
The Castles of Scotland

Martin Coventry

Find it on Amazon
Castles of Britain and Ireland cover book
Castles of Britain and Ireland

Plantagenet Somerset Fry

Find it on Amazon