Lulworth Castle and St Andrews Church in June 2018, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset. England. ( 7 )

On the 22nd of June 2018 I again visited this castle in Dorset. Having since joined English Heritage and the National Trust we get in for no charge now. You still pay £3.00 for all day parking, however. Lulworth Castle, in East Lulworth, Dorset, England, situated south of Wool, it is an early 17th-century mock castle. The stone building has now been rebuilt as a museum. The castle is surrounded by Lulworth Park and the Lulworth Estate. The Castle is open daily Sunday – Friday ( closed Saturdays and occasionally on other days when weddings are held here ) between 10.30 am and 5 pm. Last entry one hour before closing. Built in the 17th Century, this magnificent building is steeped in history. Originally built as a hunting lodge to entertain aristocracy and royalty, it was for centuries the family seat of the Weld family, the current owners of the Lulworth Estate. Climb the tower for spectacular panoramic views of the Purbeck countryside and towards the Jurassic Coast. I did climb even though I hate heights it was worth the effort.
Visit the 18th Century Roman Catholic Chapel and the 15th Century Church of St Andrew. With extensive parkland, woodland walks, a children’s playground, the spacious grounds are there to enjoy, walk the dog ( please keep dogs on leads because of the animals grazing ) or enjoy a picnic. The recently opened Castle Tearooms is a great spot to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, cream teas and to buy a souvenir of your visit.
The foundations for Lulworth Castle were laid in 1588, and it was completed in 1609, supposedly designed by Inigo Jones. The castle was built as a hunting lodge by Thomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Howard of Bindon, a grandson of the 3rd Duke of Norfolk. In 1641, Humphrey Weld, a grandson of Humphrey Weld, purchased it from Howard's heir, Lord Howard de Walden. The castle was seized by the Roundheads during the English Civil War, who used it as a garrison. Weld regained the property after the war finished. A Roman Catholic Chapel was built in the grounds in 1786. Following the French Revolution, the surviving members of the French Royal Family were allowed to use Lulworth as one of their residences-in-exile. Charles X of France also stayed there briefly following the Revolution of July 1830.
The castle was gutted by fire on 29 August 1929 and was left as a roofless ruin, the family building a new residence for themselves nearby. In the 1970’s, restoration work began with the help of English Heritage. The restoration, finished in 1998, included a new roof and restored surviving walls in the interior, but no new internal walls or replacements for the destroyed upper floors were constructed. The castle is still owned by the Weld Family and is a tourist attraction, holding medieval-themed events. Part of the Lulworth Estate is in use as a MoD firing range as well as a wildlife conservation area.