Wyke Castle

Wyke Castle is a folly castle at the top of Pirates Lane, near Westhill Road in Wyke Regis near Weymouth, Dorset, England. It dates from the early 1800s and has been a Grade 2 listed building since 1974.

Wyke Castle
Wyke Castle
Location within Dorset
General information
Town or cityWyke Regis
CountryEngland
Coordinates50.5946°N 2.4813°W / 50.5946; -2.4813
Completed1855
ClientAndrew Chadwick Fenoulhet

History

Wyke Castle was built around 1855 in Portland stone by French exile Andrew Chadwick Fenoulhet (1820–1862).[1] The design of the castle was influenced by the standard Martello Tower.[2]

In the early 1920s it was occupied by Edmund Selous and his wife Fanny Margaret Maxwell.[3] Selous was a naturalist, author and traveler. The glass roofed round tower of the Castle was once decorated with his collection of butterflies. During their time at the castle, Fanny Margaret Maxwell founded the local branch of the Women's Institute in 1923, and became its first president.[4]

A Japanese built 28 tonne tug - used for coastal towing and harbour towage within Portland Port harbour limits - was named after the castle in 2004.[5][6]

Castle design

Built from squared Portland stone, with slate and lead rooves, the castle looks out across the Fleet, Chesil Beach, Portland Harbour and Weymouth. It consists of a castellated central squat tower with a square tower, short wings and a domed cellar, which contains a fresh water well, and is known as the dungeon.[7]

The castle is ‘V’ shaped complex comprising three buildings connected by lower, pitched roof structures. The squat, round tower at the apex has a relief panelled parapet atop with domed modillions below. Within the parapet, to the north-east, is a small chimney. There are two original lancet windows, and two, three light casements which were added sometime in the late 1900s.[8] The square tower, to the south, has a plain parapet wall and contains a small, arched window. These two structures are linked by a low, pitched roof block with a single, small, casement window. To the south-west of the round tower lies a larger, rectangular, two-storey building. The windows are small single lights and the door is set back into the wall. The hipped roof is surrounded by a parapet. The unit that connects this building is another low, pitched roof structure with a square porch. The windows are a mixture of single and three light casements.[8]

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References
  1. "Wyke Regis Parish Burial Registers 1851-1865". Opcdorset.org. Retrieved 2013-01-11.
  2. "Wyke Castle History". Wykecastle.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-17. Retrieved 2013-01-11.
  3. Selous, Edmund (1929). "Sexual Behaviour in Birds". Nature. 124 (3133): 761. Bibcode:1929Natur.124..761S. doi:10.1038/124761a0.
  4. "Fanny Margaret Maxwell". Sensationpress.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2019-10-30.
  5. "Portland Port & Harbour Authority | Harbour Towage | 01305824044". Portland-port.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-01-11.
  6. "WYKE CASTLE - 7929229 - TUG". Maritime-Connector.com. Retrieved 2013-01-11.
  7. "4 bedroom castle for sale in Pirates Lane, Weymouth, DT4". Rightmove.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-01-11.
  8. "Wyke Castle listing". Heritage Gateway. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
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