A tale of two castles
Louise Bliss looks at two very different Portland castles
Published in October ’18
Two very different castles: Pennsylvania Castle and Rufus Castle above Church Ope Cove. Credit: Steve Belasco
Two intriguing historic gems sit on the breathtakingly beautiful cove of Church Ope. One is a romantic 15th-century ruin, the other a magnificent 19th-century building currently used to host elegant bespoke events. Both have their own fascinating tales and are recorded in literary history as locations in Thomas Hardy’s novel The Well-Beloved. Rufus Castle is the ruin, the oldest castle in Portland and the cheapest, reported to have been sold for £1 in the 1990s. Pennsylvania Castle is the other, born from a vision of a man with a passion for Portland and a famous family history.
Rufus Castle is also referred to as Bow and Arrow castle due to the narrow slits in the stone walls, used for attacking the enemy with arrows. There are two references made to where the name Rufus came from. One is King William II, known as William ‘Rufus’, possibly due to his complexion, his hair or, some say, his fiery temper. A Norman fortress occupied the spectacular site overlooking the sheltered bay, so linking the castle with him. The other reference is to Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester, from the 13th century, who was also known as a fiery redhead.
Rufus Castle displaying an altogether more rugged approach to both its architecture and the surrounding plant life. Credit: David Buttle
Today we can see sections of walls from a 15th-century pentagonal tower. Gunpowder at this time was the latest in weapon technology, and Rufus Castle was believed to be the first castle to be designed with gun ports, whereas other castles of the time would have been adapted. The arch we see today was rebuilt when the 19th-century bridge was added. Church Ope Cove was raided by various countries over the ages, so a good defence system was vital; castles on this site would have been built to protect Portland and its people, not as castles to reside in.
Major landslides between 1694 and 1792 and general erosion have dramatically changed this part of Portland’s coastline and its buildings. Rufus is Grade 1 listed and recorded as a scheduled monument. 2010 saw it receive much-needed emergency repair work after being registered at risk by English Heritage. The restoration was carefully executed after a review by Russ Palmer, an historic building and church architect. The ruin, once part of the Pennsylvania Castle estate, today lies in the grounds of a private house. The current owner kindly allows small guided groups to enter her garden occasionally to gain a view of its structure from inside.
Both castles look out over one of Portland’s loveliest spots: Church Ope Cove
A short enchanting walk along the coastline and steep steps via the ruins of old St Andrew’s Church will bring you to the impressive Pennsylvania Castle. John Penn, a great scholar, writer and poet, loved Portland. The grandson of William Penn, the founder of the state of Pennsylvania, John had the vision for a castle overlooking the sea, and it was his friend, King George III, who gifted him the land on which to build his coastal mansion. In 1797, John commissioned James Wyatt, the popular and sometimes controversial architect of the romantic period, to build his dream. After three years and a cost of £20,000, the neo-gothic castle, built of local stone, was finished. It was fashionable to have romantic ruins in your gardens and for a short while in its history, Pennsylvania boasted two: Rufus Castle and the remains of old St Andrew’s Church.
Pennsylvania Castle was officially opened by Princess Elizabeth, the daughter of King George III, in 1800. King George, a regular visitor to the area, celebrated one of his wedding anniversaries at the castle. He promoted bathing and Penn had a bath house built, but the site of the baths was common land and this caused a problem: the Court Leet wanted a yearly rent which Penn refused to pay. The bath house was abandoned and, although in need of restoration, it is still there today.
John Penn died in 1834. He never married or had children, so upon his death his brother inherited the castle. Granville Penn and his family did not have the same passion about the castle or the area, and John Penn’s beloved home
was eventually sold to J Meyrick Head in the
late 1800s.
Throughout the building’s history it has been both a private residence and a hotel. Colonial UK now own the castle and Managing Director Chris Holleyoak explained during an interesting tour of the estate that there are not many intact 19th-century castles like this, by the sea, for event hire. Walking in the footsteps of John Penn and King George III, I was able to view the amazing architecture of this building as they would have seen it – there have been no structural changes to the original part of the castle. Welcome additions have seen extra bedrooms, taking the total to nine en-suite, all tastefully renovated. Each bedroom has its own name and style. A dual-purpose orangery is at the heart of entertainment during the summer and in winter it houses a heated swimming pool. A recent wedding held at the castle was a true fairytale: a local man married a lady from Pennsylvania USA!
The Dorset Gardens Trust (DGT) takes a keen interest in the garden and no wonder, with its landscaped terraces, formal and wonderful kitchen gardens. A magnificent waterfall can be found in the lower part of the castle grounds towards the sea. John Penn was instrumental in the development of the grounds and The Dorset County Chronicle and Somerset Gazette in July 1863 makes reference to artist and landscape architect William Nesfield (1794-1881) being involved at some point in the garden’s history. Nesfield had many notable garden commissions during his career, including Kew Gardens. Dennis Hewitson of the DGT says that the site is important to the Trust because of its marine location together with its historical associations. This site is one of the few examples of picturesque theory surviving in the county.
Unfortunately, during my tour there was no mention of secret passages or hidden rooms, although an extremely well-used stone staircase, previously part of the servants’ quarters, is a clue to the fact that the stairs may pre-date the castle. There are suggestions that the castle was built around a house already on the site from Tudor times. Churchill, Eisenhower and De Gaulle are said to have sat round the table in the drawing room, planning the D-Day landings. The base of the table in question, with its ornate carvings, dates back to 1645 and the top is dated 1850.
During John Penn’s life at the castle he commissioned John Hoppner, a talented colourist and artist, to paint a portrait of him. (Hoppner had a story of his own: King George III took a particular interest in him, which sparked rumours that Hoppner could have been his illegitimate son.) A later owner sold off the portrait and, having travelled through many US collections, it returned to the UK in 2013 and now hangs exactly where John Penn intended.
What does the future hold for this 19th-century castle estate? Pennsylvania Castle will continue to offer its tailored event service and would like to expand the number of rooms to provide additional luxurious accommodation. One idea is to build unusual stone lodges into the cliff edge. So Pennsylvania Castle is set to create more tales for another generation and for the foreseeable future, Rufus Castle will remain a romantic ruin for all
to enjoy.
For future Rufus Castle tours contact Portland Museum. The museum houses splendid displays on both castles and the Penn family. www.portlandmuseuem.co.uk
For exclusive luxury hire of Pennsylvania Castle contact www.thepenn.co.uk
