Compton Castle

Important notice -

We're working hard to reopen many of our places where it is safe to do so. However, Compton Castle is closed.

Dramatic fortified manor house and small formal garden

More about this place

Adults and two children taking an autumn walk amongst the trees

Which places are open and what you need to know before you visit 

More than 100 gardens and parks and hundreds of coast and countryside places are open in England and Northern Ireland. Many historic houses are open in England. To avoid disappointment please book in advance, especially at weekends and school holidays. In line with Welsh Government legislation, all places in Wales will close from 24 October to 9 November. Please check the property webpage of the place you wish to visit before you travel. Read this article to find out how to book and what to expect from your visit.

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Compton Castle

History

A distant view of the north front of Compton Castle, Devon

A brief history of Compton Castle 

Find out about the history of Compton, which stretches back to the 1400s, and includes famous connections in Sir Humphrey Gilbert and his half brother Sir Walter Raleigh. There's a video of Sir Humphrey's life and times you can watch as well.

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Compton Castle

Shopping

Bring some character to your garden with our range of garden decor, available on the online shop

Treat yourself 

Looking for the perfect gift or perhaps you're in need of some retail therapy? You can browse our full range via our online shop. Your purchases and support enable us to continue to care for the nature, beauty and history we all miss.

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Compton Castle

Places to stay

The garden at Compton Castle, with holiday cottage the Watch Tower in the background

The Watch Tower 

The three-storey building of the Watch Tower is built into the curtain wall of Compton Castle. It has been carefully restored, features a narrow winding staircase and small peeping windows, and sleeps two people.

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Compton Castle

Our work

Details of three portraits

Addressing our histories of colonialism and historic slavery 

Compton Castle, along with a number of other places and collections in our care, deals with contentious political histories. Learn more about what we are doing to be inclusive in our work and acknowledge the impact and legacies of colonialism.

View from the top of Compton Castle, Devon

Protecting the castle  

Compton Castle had a blanket of scaffolding last year, as we undertook some extensive restoration and installed a brand new lightning protection system.

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Compton Castle

Join or give

Visitors in the garden at a National Trust place

Experience more with National Trust membership 

As we gradually and safely open more of the places we care for, there’ll be more opportunities to explore gardens and parklands near you. If you’re a member, you can access all these places free, together with most National Trust car parks. It’s so important for everyone to have fresh air, birdsong, big skies and open spaces to enjoy. Your membership will go towards looking after all of this for generations to come.

The rose garden in flower at Compton Castle

We need your support 

For 125 years, people like you have helped us protect some of the UK's best-loved places. Everyone needs nature, beauty and green spaces now more than ever. But our income has dropped sharply due to the coronavirus crisis, and our essential conservation work is at risk. Please give what you can to help us look after these places, so people and nature can thrive.

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Compton Castle

Art and collections

Our collections

Explore the objects and works of art we care for at Compton Castle on the National Trust Collections website

Search the collections
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© National Trust Registered Charity 205846 Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2NA

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