Bearscove Castle

Bearscove Castle is a small artillery castle built to protect the town quay, likely constructed between 1509 and 1510, and certainly in existence by 1537. It is made of local limestone rubble.

The castle features a platform cut into the rock, enclosed by a thick, curving wall that projects into the estuary. The exterior includes a thick rubble wall with a regular series of putlog holes. There is a plain doorway on the northern side leading onto the quay, although historical records suggest the quay did not extend this far until 1839. The doorway has an irregular two-centred arch head beneath a hoodmould. There are eleven splayed gunports designed for guns mounted on flat beds, which are externally rebated for shutters. Although the parapet has mostly collapsed, the lower courses remain, supported by a row of small corbels.

Inside, the castle is unroofed and features the remains of stone steps leading to the wallwalk. There are sockets for timbers in the cliff at the rear, indicating that the castle was used for storage during peacetime.

Bearscove Castle is located at the end of a picturesque row of listed buildings on the old town quay.