St Mawes Castle is a Tudor artillery fort built by Henry VIII between 1540 and 1545 on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall, managed by English Heritage. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport, parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.
This guide was last updated in March 2026 to reflect the 2026/27 admission prices, valid from 28 March 2026. St Mawes Castle closes entirely from November to March. The Super Saver rate applies on Fridays and Saturdays — not Mondays to Fridays as at most English Heritage sites. Coaches cannot access the site; minibuses only.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | Upper Castle Road, St Mawes, Cornwall TR2 5DE |
| Opening hours | Daily 10am–5pm (late March to late October only; closed November to March) |
| Adult ticket | £8.50–£10.79 depending on date and day |
| Nearest ferry | Falmouth passenger ferry to St Mawes (adjacent to castle) |
| Nearest bus | Services via A3078 to St Mawes village |
| Parking | On-site upper car park (15 spaces + 2 disabled); lower overflow car park; free for EH members |
| Time needed | 1–1.5 hours |
St Mawes Castle opening hours
St Mawes Castle is closed from early November to late March. There is no winter opening. The 2026/27 schedule is:
- 28 March – 24 October: daily, 10am–5pm
- 25 October – 1 November: daily, 10am–4pm
- 2 November – 27 March 2027: closed
Last admission 30 minutes before closing. Opening hours last updated in May 2026.
Five great things to do while you’re in Cornwall
- 👻 Feel the chills in the abandoned cells on a hugely atmospheric tour of Bodmin Jail.
- 🌱 Explore the world’s largest indoor rainforest at the Eden Project.
- 🎬 Discover the Beyond Paradise filming locations around Looe on a specialised tour.
- 🐬 Spot dolphins, seals and porpoises on a RIB sealife safari from Padstow.
- 🏄 Hit the surf in Newquay with a two hour surfing lesson.
St Mawes Castle ticket prices
At St Mawes the Super Saver rate applies on Fridays and Saturdays — the cheapest rate falls on Sundays to Thursdays outside peak summer, the reverse of most English Heritage sites. English Heritage members enter free. Concessions apply to visitors aged 65+, students, and jobseekers with relevant ID.
Super Saver — Fri–Sat, 28 Mar–22 May & 1 Sep–1 Nov
| Visitor | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | £8.50 |
| Concession | £7.65 |
| Child | £4.25 |
Saver — Sun–Thu, 28 Mar–22 May & 1 Sep–1 Nov; Fri–Sat, 23 May–31 Aug
| Visitor | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | £9.26 |
| Concession | £8.50 |
| Child | £4.59 |
Standard — Sun–Thu, 23 May–31 Aug
| Visitor | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | £10.79 |
| Concession | £10.03 |
| Child | £5.35 |
Groups of 15 or more receive a 10% discount. Ticket prices last updated in May 2026.
Is it worth paying for English Heritage membership?
Entry prices for English Heritage sites, including Dover Castle, Stonehenge and Tintagel Castle, can seem extremely expensive. This is clearly a deliberate ploy to push visitors towards taking out annual English Heritage membership.
Membership gives free access to more than 400 sites across the country, and costs £82. That is, unless you get a special deal – there was a 25%-off Black Friday deal in November 2025, for example.
Whether that £82 is worth it depends on how many sites are near you (there are lots in the south of the country, not so many near me in Yorkshire). And, critically, whether you’re going to visit them with children.
Each member can take up to six children with them free of charge. Given the steep one-time entry fees, an adult member with two children is likely to recoup the cost of their membership by visiting just two or three sites within the year.
For an individual without children, I’d say English Heritage membership is worth it only if you’re planning to blitz a few sites in one year. For an individual with children, membership is a smart investment that will likely pay itself back within one school holiday. To me, it’s a no-brainer.
The real question is whether it’s worth renewing English Heritage membership after a year. That’s debatable, as you’re unlikely to go to many of these sites twice. I eventually renewed after I was offered 20% off the price. I’ll probably recoup the membership price visiting two sites in summer next year, even if I’ve ticked off most of the best ones near me.
If you buy membership through this link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
How to get to St Mawes Castle
St Mawes Castle is on Upper Castle Road at the southern tip of the Roseland Peninsula, ~16 miles south of Truro.
By ferry (recommended): A passenger foot ferry runs daily from Falmouth Prince of Wales Pier to St Mawes village, a very short walk from the castle. Check falriver.co.uk for timetables. The King Harry Ferry (vehicles and foot passengers) crosses the Fal from Feock on the A39, ~4 miles north of St Mawes.
By car: Postcode TR2 5DE via the A3078 from Truro — narrow rural roads on the Roseland Peninsula; allow extra time. Coaches cannot access the site; minibuses only.
By bus: Local services run along the A3078 to St Mawes village. Check traveline.info.
Parking at St Mawes Castle
The upper car park has 15 spaces including two disabled bays, free for English Heritage members and charged for non-members. A lower overflow car park provides additional space. Note that concrete steps and a steep road separate the car parks from the castle entrance — take care, especially in wet weather. There is no access for coaches; minibuses may access the site. The nearest off-site car park is in St Mawes village.
How long to spend at St Mawes Castle
Most visitors spend 1 to 1.5 hours. The castle is compact but rewards a slow visit: the keep, forward bastion, side bastions, Tudor Blockhouse, grounds, and views across the Carrick Roads can all be seen within this time.
Accessibility at St Mawes Castle
Wheelchair access is extremely restricted. There are no ramps; it is only possible for wheelchair users to enter the shop and inner courtyard. The keep, bastions, and grounds involve steps, slopes, and uneven surfaces throughout. Pushchairs are not compatible — leave them in the inner courtyard. Disabled parking is ~30 metres from the entrance but still involves a path and steps.
Pathway surfaces are loose gravel and grass. Sheer drops to the shoreline are fenced off. Low light levels apply in the forward bastion and kitchen. Benches are inside the keep and around the grounds. Accessible toilets with baby-changing are on site. Dogs on leads are welcome; dog bowl at the main entrance. Ball games and kites are discouraged due to slopes and drops. A wheelchair is available to loan — contact the site in advance.
Inside St Mawes Castle: what to see
St Mawes is generally regarded as the best-preserved of Henry VIII’s coastal artillery forts and the most elaborately decorated. Unlike Pendennis Castle — which was significantly modified after the Tudor period — St Mawes remains largely as built: a near-complete snapshot of 1540s military architecture. The cloverleaf plan comprises a four-storey circular central tower flanked by three round bastions, each with upper and lower gun rooms, surrounded by a dry ditch.
Approach through the original guardhouse across a bridge — look for handgun loops in the walls and murder holes under the arch. Around the castle, stone carvings of the Tudor royal arms with Latin inscriptions flatter Henry VIII and his son Edward; a carved Latin phrase translates as ‘May the soul of King Henry VIII live forever’. Inside, on the second floor, a glass panel covers an oubliette — an underground punishment cell.
St Mawes fell to Parliamentary forces during the Civil War without a shot being fired — the garrison surrendered in 1646, recognising the castle was indefensible from the landward side. Replica guns and cannons are displayed in the gun rooms and grounds. A Grand Sea Battery and magazine from the 1850s and a Tudor Blockhouse on the shoreline are visible in the lower grounds.
There is no café. The shop sells English Heritage gifts, drinks, and ice creams. Picnics are welcome; three picnic tables are on site.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Arrive by ferry | The Falmouth–St Mawes passenger ferry is the most scenic approach and avoids the narrow Roseland roads entirely. |
| Closed November to March | No winter opening of any kind. Check dates before travelling. |
| Super Saver is Fri–Sat | The cheapest rate falls Sun–Thu outside peak summer — the reverse of most EH sites. |
| No coaches | Coaches cannot access the site. Minibuses only. |
| Steep road and steps between car parks and entrance | Take care, particularly in wet weather. The lower car park is further from the entrance than the upper. |
| Pushchairs not compatible | Leave pushchairs in the inner courtyard and carry young children in the rest of the site. |
Frequently asked questions about St Mawes Castle
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is St Mawes Castle open in winter? | No. It closes at the start of November and does not reopen until late March. |
| Is St Mawes Castle accessible for wheelchair users? | Only to enter the shop and inner courtyard. The rest of the site — keep, bastions, grounds — involves steps, slopes, and drops. Pushchairs are not compatible. |
| Are dogs allowed at St Mawes Castle? | Yes. Dogs on leads are welcome. A dog bowl is at the main entrance. |
| Is there a café at St Mawes Castle? | No. The shop sells drinks and ice creams. Bring a picnic — three picnic tables are on site. |
| Is St Mawes Castle free for English Heritage members? | Yes. Members enter free, park free, and can bring up to six children free. |
| How do I get to St Mawes without a car? | The Falmouth passenger ferry from Prince of Wales Pier is the most practical option; St Mawes village is a very short walk from the castle. |
Things to do near St Mawes Castle
Pendennis Castle (English Heritage, Falmouth) is St Mawes’s larger sister fort, reachable by ferry and combinable in a single day; members free. St Mawes village has independent shops and cafés within walking distance of the castle. Caerhays Castle (~10 miles south-west) is a private castle with nationally important gardens open seasonally; charges apply. Trewithen Gardens (~12 miles north) is an award-winning Cornish garden; charges apply.
More Cornwall travel
Other Cornwall travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Can you park at the harbour in Polperro?
- Where can I hire a bodyboard at Perranporth Beach?
- How to behave around seals at Lizard Point.
- Is it safe to swim at Lizard Point Beach?
- How much does the Fowey to Bodinnick ferry cost?
