Corfe Castle’s Historic King’s Tower Reopens After 378 Years

A new viewing platform allows visitors to explore Henry I’s luxurious quarters, restored as part of a £2 million conservation project.

The King’s Tower at Corfe Castle, built in 1107 for Henry I, is accessible to the public for the first time since its partial destruction in 1646 during the English Civil War.
The National Trust installed a temporary self-supporting viewing platform, offering visitors a close look at the tower’s remains and its expansive views of the Purbeck countryside.
The tower, originally constructed with white Purbeck limestone, featured cutting-edge medieval luxuries, including a garderobe and an 'appearance door' for royal displays to subjects below.
The reopening is part of a three-year, £2 million conservation effort to stabilize the castle’s structure against climate-related deterioration using traditional masonry techniques.
The platform, approved by Historic England, will remain in place for a year or until conservation work is complete, offering a rare glimpse into the living quarters of medieval royalty.