Hurst Castle stands magnificently at the end of a long, narrow spit that extends 1.5 miles from Milford on Sea. The castle was built by Henry VIII as one of a chain of coastal fortresses and was completed in 1544. The Tudor fort at its heart still looks much as it did in the 16th century. It is one of the best preserved of Henry VIII’s castles and one of very few of them to have been successively updated and strengthened, allowing it to retain an active military role in the 20th century.
The castle remained little changed from 1544 until the outbreak of war with Revolutionary France in 1793. During the Civil War (1642-51) the castle was held for Parliament. It was never attacked but achieved fame shortly afterwards when Charles I was imprisoned here in 1648 after his arrest by Cromwell’s roundheads. He was at first taken to Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight but he kept trying to escape so they needed somewhere more secure and Hurst provided the answer. He spent 19 days here before he was taken to London for his execution.
Admission price
Adult:
£5.50
Concession:
£5.00
Child (5-15 yrs):
£3.50
Family (2 adults & 3 children):
£17.00
English Heritage members & Child under 5:
FREE
