History of Salcombe Castle in Devon
By Charles Oman

S A L C O M B E
C A S T L E
Tudor Fortification

A much decayed castle of South Devon is Salcombe, also known as 'Fort Charles'. One of the coastal fortresses of King Henry VIII, set to guard the entry of the fjord which runs up to Kingsbridge. It was held, in the English Civil War, as the 'Old Bulwark,' by Sir Edward Fortescue who made a good defence, for four months in 1646, against a detachment of Fairfax's Parlia-mentary host. He only surrendered on honourable terms when the Royalist army of the West capitulated and all its strongholds, save Pendennis, followed suit. It was then "slighted" and never utilized again as were St. Mawes, Portland, Pendennis and others of the series whose condition is so much more perfect.