Why You Should Visit Lulworth Castle
Lulworth Castle and its 12,000 acres of landscaped parkland is located in East Lulworth, in close proximity to West Lulworth, Dorset, a small and quiet village situated along the beautiful World Heritage Jurassic Coastline.
The village also gives close access to Lulworth Cove which was formed millions of years ago, and is one of the many outstanding places of natural beauty. The Fossil Forest is nearby, as is the famous landmark Durdle Door whose natural arch was carved by the sea. The Heritage Centre is also located here and this is also an area where numerous walking trails can be found as well as being able to find guided coastal walks and guided boat tours.
Lulworth Castle which is 400-years-old is now a museum that offers tours, family days and special events from early spring to late autumn. The castle is often referred to as a "mock" castle, as it was actually built as a hunting lodge. The estate was built in the early 17th Century by Thomas Howard, the 3rd Lord Bindon. The lodge was intended as an estate to be used to entertain royal hunting parties. In times past although the estate was renovated, the exterior changed little, while the interior evolved with the changing fashions.
In 1641 Humphrey Weld purchased the estate from the Howard family, with the Weld family retaining ownership to the present. Humphrey was an adherent to the Catholic faith, making Lulworth Castle a Royalist stronghold during the Civil War. The castle was sacked by Parliamentary troops in 1644, and had to be refurnished following the Restoration (1660). Humphrey's religious beliefs almost bankrupted him and it was not until 1725, when penal taxation of Catholics was abolished, that his grandson was able to begin the transformation of the castle into a magnificent country home.
Unfortunately, in 1929 a disastrous fire destroyed much of the castle and the family built a new residence nearby. During the 1970's restoration work was begun on the ruin by the Department of the Environment and was followed through to completion in 1998 by the English Heritage. The restoration included replacement of the fire damaged roof, and restoration to the surviving walls in the interior. The second floor was extensively damaged, and was not restored. Originally there were suites of rooms on the second floor and above that the guests could also view the panorama of the countryside from the roof or from rooms at the top of the corner towers. The building also included the main stairway; now, although there is an access to the tower as part of the tour, the upper suites are not accessible.
In 1786 Thomas Weld, determined to have a Catholic chapel, hired the architect John Tasker to build the Chapel of St Mary's on his estate, purportedly as a family mausoleum. Family legend relates that in 1789 King George III gave Weld permission to do this, making the chapel the first free standing Catholic church since the Reformation. Catholics were not legally able to worship in public until 1791; two years after Thomas Weld began to celebrate mass in his chapel. Architecturally, the Chapel of St Mary's built in the Georgian style is said to be one of the finest in Dorset.
It is interesting to note that Bishop John Carroll, the first bishop in the United States was consecrated in the Chapel of St. Mary's at Ludlow Castle in 1790.
Where is Lulworth Castle?Lulworth Castle is located in the south-west of England, at West Lulworth in the county of Dorset. Some nearby cities include Bournemouth and Poole to the east, and Bristol to the north-west.
Have you ever visited Lulworth Castle?Is Lulworth Castle your favourite place to stay during the holidays? Should Lulworth Castle be on everyone's list of must-see travel destinations? Tell us why, we're interested. Let us know what you think about Lulworth Castle — your comments may be published on this website.