Berry Pomeroy Castle
BERRY POMEROY CASTLE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1108571
- Date first listed:
- 09-Feb-1961
- List Entry Name:
- Berry Pomeroy Castle
- Statutory Address:
- BERRY POMEROY CASTLE
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-06-30
- Reference:
- IOE01/06300/16
- Rights:
- © Mrs Jean M. King. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1108571
- Date first listed:
- 09-Feb-1961
- List Entry Name:
- Berry Pomeroy Castle
- Statutory Address 1:
- BERRY POMEROY CASTLE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- BERRY POMEROY CASTLE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Devon
- District:
- South Hams (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Berry Pomeroy
- National Grid Reference:
- SX 83903 62297
Details
SX 86 SW BERRY POMEROY
5/1 Berry Pomeroy Castle
9.2.61
- I
Ruins of medieval castle with ruins of large Elizabethan house within the walls. Situated on a wooded hill with a steep bluff to the north and a dried moat to the south. Circa 1300 gatehouse, remains of the curtain walls and St Margaret's Tower on the east corner. The Seymour house and offices within the walls to the east were built c.1575 to 1593. Coursed stone with freestone dressings. The gatehouse to the south has a round-arched gateway flanked by large semi-hexagonal towers connected by a flattened arch machicolation on corbels. Above the gateway in the guardroom is a C16 arcade with octagonal piers and chamfered arches. Curtain walls connected to the St Margaret's Tower to east which projects with a semicircular outer wall. Nothing survives of the Crenellation. The group of tall, now freestanding, piers on the north side are probably the remains of the north wing (perhaps the hall) of the Seymour house which is situated on the north east side of the enceinte. The Seymour house, built around a small court, has a symmetrical three-storey, five-bay front with a central doorway and stone mullion four-light windows with hoodmoulds. The principal windows on the first floor are taller with transoms. The outer, north- east, facing wall has mullioned windows and the east corner is crenellated. To the west of the enclosure are the remains of the kitchen, which is all that survives of the north range of the Seymour house.
Berry Pomeroy was acquired by Ralf de la Pomerai in 1066. There is no evidence of a castle here before c.1300, although a Crown survey of 1292 recorded a manor house. In c.1300 the de la Pomerais built the existing fortified castle and in 1548 Sir Thomas Pomeroy sold it to the Lord Protector Somerset whose son, Sir Edward Seymour, built a great mansion within the walls and lived there from 1575 to 1593. Sir Edward Seymour's son, Edward (died 1613) was also responsible for some of the building. Sir Edward Seymour (1633-1708) moved to Maiden Bradley in Wiltshire and Berry Pomeroy Castle was abandoned and in ruins by early C18. It is now Scheduled Ancient Monument.
References: Country Life, vol 90, page 1122. John Price "The Worthies of Devon", first published, 1701.
Listing NGR: SX8390562298
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 100537
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Price, J, The Worthies of Devon, (1701)
Country Life in 12 December, Vol. 90, (1941), 1122
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 24-May-2026 at 01:18:55.
Download a full scale map (PDF)© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100024900.© British Crown and SeaZone Solutions Limited 2026. All rights reserved. Licence number 102006.006.
End of official list entry