Berry Pomeroy Castle
Near the town of Totnes in the South Hams region of Devon lies Berry Pomeroy Castle. Surrounded by thick woodland and sited above a dramatic ravine, it is surely one of the most romantic ruins in the south-west, claiming at the same time, to be one of the haunted castles in the country.
Berry Pomeroy was originally built in the medieval period by the Pomeroy family who had accompanied William the Conqueror in the Norman invasion of England. It was acquired during the 16th century by Edward Seymour, the 1st Duke of Somerset. He was created Protector of England on the death of Henry VIII and charged with the task of mentoring his only legitimate son, the boy-king Edward VI. When Edward died at the age of just 15, the Somerset family fell from royal grace and favour and retreated to Devon.
Somerset’s descendents rebuilt the Great Hall and remodelled the courtyard façade in grand renaissance style. However, by the end of the 17th century the structure lay abandoned. It remains part castle, part mansion, with many of its internal features spookily open to the elements. The site is still owned by the present Duke of Somerset and maintained by English Heritage.