Yesterday, Sue and I paid a visit to Severndroog Castle. It is a folly and is situated about a mile from our house on the southern side of Shooters Hill. (We actually went because there was a monthly Farmer’s Market taking place at the castle … and we bought some jewellery and homemade cakes … and Sue was able to sample some locally-distilled Greenwich Gin.)
The castle was built to commemorate Commodore Sir William James destruction of the island fortress of Suvarnadurg* (English: Severndroog) in April 1755. He died in 1783 and the folly was built by his widow. it was designed by Richard Jupp, and the foundation stone was laid on 2nd April 1784.
The castle is 63 feet tall, and is actually a triangular, Gothic-style tower with a hexagonal turret at each corner. As it is close to the top of one of the highest points around London, on a clear day it is possible to see seven different counties from the upper level (Kent, Surrey, Middlesex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, and Berkshire).
The castle remained in private hands unit 1922, when it was purchased by the London County Council (LCC). It became a visitor attraction, and a ground-floor tearoom was installed. When the LCC became the Greater London Council, they took over the castles, and when the GLC was abolished in 1986, ownership passed into the hands of Greenwich Council.
Greenwich Council closed public access to the castle in 1988 and boarded up it up. In 2002 the Severndroog Castle Building Preservation Trust was set up, and two years later it was featured in the BBC TV series ‘Restoration’. Thanks to a grant of £595,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund grant, work began on the restoration of the castle in July 2013, and it was reopened to the public on 20th July 2014.
* Suvarnadurg (Marathi: सुवर्णदुर्ग, which means Golden Fort in English) is located on a small island in the Arabian Sea off the west coast of India, between Mumbai and Goa and near to Harnai in Konkan. The island on which the fort was built is about a mile offshore and is thought that the fort was constructed around 1660 on the orders of the founder of the Maratha Empire, Shivaji Bhonsale I ... who was also known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Good to see the old place again Bob, as a child I used to play in the woods all the time with my mates, we made bows and arrows and played Robin Hood! Later in life we walked our dogs there and encouraged our children to climb the trees etc. I really must get back there with my Grandchildren. Thank you for posting, looked a very enjoyable day.
ReplyDelete‘Lee,
DeleteI’m pleased that I brought back some good memories for you.
I’m not sure when the very top of the castle is open, but if you do visit when it is, I strongly recommend that you make the climb. The view is incredible.
All the best,
Bob
Another nice trip out there for you and the wife Bob. Once my wife is off for the school hols, we hope to do the same, subject to the price of fuel of course!
ReplyDeleteSteve J.,
DeleteIt was a great way to spend a couple of hours … and it was within reasonable walking distance.
All the best,
Bob