Compton Castle

Compton Castle

Compton Castle is a bewitching mixture of romance and history. It has been home to the Gilbert family for nearly 600 years, including Sir Humphrey Gilbert, the half-brother to Sir Walter Raleigh. In the hall there is a model of Squirrel, the ship in which Sir Humphrey Gilbert sailed to Newfoundland.

To the west of the great hall is the solar, which served as a private retiring room away from the bustle of the great hall. It is approached by a 15th-century staircase.

Another restored room is the kitchen, which is housed in a separate building because of the risk of fire it posed. To the right of the hearth, a stone stair led up inside a tower to what was probably a guard room.

External defences in the castle included two portcullises which could be lowered when the castle came under attack. Arrows could be shot through loopholes overlooking the gateway. The curtain walls had slits through which stones and boiling oil could be dropped on any attackers trying to scale the walls.

Please note: we are only open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from the start of April until the end of October.

Compton Castle

Compton Castle is a bewitching mixture of romance and history. It has been home to the Gilbert family for nearly 600 years, including Sir Humphrey Gilbert, the half-brother to Sir Walter Raleigh. In the hall there is a model of Squirrel, the ship in which Sir Humphrey Gilbert sailed to Newfoundland.

To the west of the great hall is the solar, which served as a private retiring room away from the bustle of the great hall. It is approached by a 15th-century staircase.

Another restored room is the kitchen, which is housed in a separate building because of the risk of fire it posed. To the right of the hearth, a stone stair led up inside a tower to what was probably a guard room.

External defences in the castle included two portcullises which could be lowered when the castle came under attack. Arrows could be shot through loopholes overlooking the gateway. The curtain walls had slits through which stones and boiling oil could be dropped on any attackers trying to scale the walls.

Please note: we are only open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from the start of April until the end of October.

Contact Information

Farmyard Corner, Marldon, Paignton, TQ3 1TA

Opening hours 

Monday
Closed
Tuesday - Thursday
11:00 am-5:00 pm
Friday - Sunday
Closed

Forthcoming events

There are no future events scheduled at Compton Castle