Rufus Castle

En un regard

Le château en bref

Clinging to the top of the cliffs overlooking the small cove of Church Ope Cove, on the east coast of the Isle of Portland, Rufus Castle — also known as Bow and Arrow Castle — is the oldest fortification still standing on the island. All that remains is a ruined tower with an irregular pentagonal plan, whose north and west walls still rise to their full height. The site was fortified as early as the 12th century: in 1142, during the civil war between Stephen of Blois and the Empress Matilda, Robert of Gloucester seized Portland castle. In the mid-13th century, licences to crenellate concerning the island were granted by Henry III. The present tower, however, results from a 15th-century rebuilding, which the sources date between 1432 and 1460: its five embrasures pierced with round gunports bear witness to its adaptation to gunpowder artillery. The nickname "Rufus" is said by tradition to refer to William Rufus, without any basis as far as the visible remains are concerned; "Bow and Arrow" comes from the gunports, mistakenly taken for arrow slits. In the late 18th century, the ensemble was incorporated into the Pennsylvania Castle estate and received a bridge and a round-arched gateway. Privately owned, the ruin can be admired from the path descending to the cove, near the remains of St Andrew's Church.