We are in the final phase of a three-year, £2 million conservation project —the largest we've undertaken at the castle. An expert team are working throughout the seasons to ensure the castle is protected for future generations.
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Watch when ITV news recently came to the castle
ITV news recently came to the castle to learn more about our conservation works and experience the Kings' View - a platform high within the Keep that was once royal living quarters.
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Why do we need to conserve the castle?
Maintenance and conservation work is essential for all historic buildings, and the ruins of Corfe Castle are no exception. As a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade 1 Listed Building, the castle holds international historical significance and we have a legal responsibility to preserve it.
We take a conservation and preservation approach to the works, minimising disturbance to the historical fabric of the castle but doing enough to slow further deterioration.
Regular maintenance helps address ongoing deterioration from vegetation growth and weathering, however, we have seen an acceleration of deterioration in recent years due to climate change. Extreme weather has impacted the fabric of the castle. Periods of drought have dried and weakened the mortar holding the stone together, while heavy downpours and vegetation growth have caused further damage..
The castle’s history is taught as part of the national curriculum. and the works are crucial to ensure future generations are able to learn from and enjoy the castle.
Why are the works challenging?
One of the most significant challenges with undertaking work to Corfe Castle is access. Perched on a hill, 43m above the valley with steep gradients, Corfe Castle was designed to be impenetrable. Specialist contractors will abseil down the castle walls and, while suspended at height, carry out the works. There will also be some need for scaffolding in many areas.
The site's sheer size is another challenge. Most of the masonry throughout the castle needs work, from the gatehouse at the entrance to the top of the Keep.
The project will progress in three phases, over three years and will cost £2 million. Most of the project is being funded by The National Trust and a generous grant from the Wolfson Foundation.
We also need to raise £100,000 from supporters. Every visit, membership and donation helps us to care for this special place.
What does the project involve?
Repointing involves repairing and replacing damaged mortar, the binding material between stones. It is crucial to maintain the stability of the walls to prevent water from infiltrating. Corfe Castle was built with lime mortar, and we ensure the correct mix is used through careful analysis of the existing mortar, and sourcing clay from an original quarry.
Some types of vegetation can damage the castle's fabric. Ivy and valerian, for example, can take root in cracks and crevices within the damaged walls, weakening the structure. Removing these plants is an ongoing challenge. Our dedicated staff can only reach so high, so specialist conservationists are brought in to remove vegetation from inaccessible areas, ensuring the masonry remains secure.
Not all vegetation is harmful, however. Ivy, for instance, can be very effective at protecting the underlying stone from extreme temperatures and weather. It also helps prevent airborne pollution from degrading the stone. We strike a careful balance between removing the damaging ivy and maintaining the ivy that helps protect the castle.
Harling is a technique involving the application of a lime mortar finish to protect the exposed internal core of the walls. Over time, this mortar deteriorates and needs reapplication.
Hearting involves using small stones to fill gaps between the external stone layers of the wall, with larger stones at the bottom and smaller ones at the top. Over time, these stones and the mortar can come loose. Part of our conservation work is to reinstate missing hearting.
Despite our best efforts, periodically stones can come loose. Dedicated staff undertake regular inspections where any loose stones are recorded, carefully stored, and kept safe until our specialist stone masons can restore them to their original positions.
We use soft capping, a technique using vegetation to protect exposed wall tops. It prevents rainwater and moisture from damaging the walls while allowing moisture to escape, protecting against freeze/thaw damage and erosion. Soft capping also adapts to a changing climate, continuing to protect the castle for generations to come.
Corfe Castle still boasts many significant historic elements, including a surprising amount of decorated plaster which needs looking after. Some elements of the castle have never been exposed and studied and the conservation works offer exciting opportunities to uncover and learn more.
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Looking after nature
The team of conservationists consult with National Trust ecologists to avoid disturbing the castle's wildlife. Important lichens, nesting birds such as Peregrine Falcons, and other wildlife like adders and lizards that call the castle home are carefully protected during conservation work.
The Kings’ View (now closed) was a viewing platform set high within the ruins of the castle and where the royal living quarters once were. We were granted rare permission to erect the platform by Historic England while conservation works are taking place. The platform didn't impact the castle at all but allowed us to offer a unique and once in a lifetime experience to visitors to help us raise funds for the conservation works.
The Kings' View closed on 28 February 2026 and raised over £62,000 for the conservation works.
Phase 1 works have been completed on the curtain wall between South West Gatehouse and West Bailey, New Bulwark, Fore Building and wall connecting the Keep and SW Gatehouse. This includes tumbles (sections of the castle that toppled over the hill after destruction) in this area.
“While you’re there…” Our conservationists were asked to put up two very important cameras for Springwatch. The cameras were trained on a large nest within an old fireplace cavity which housed two Peregrine falcons and their chicks,
Phase two of the works started on Monday 4 November 2024. This is a vast part of the project with conservation work concentrating on the West Bailey curtain and inner walls, Butavent Tower, North Tower and tumbles on the outer slopes.
During this phase, we have been granted rare permission to erect a platform by Historic England while the works are taking place. Called the Kings' view, the platform is set high within the ruins where the royal living quarters once were. The platform doesn't impact the castle at all but allows us to offer a unique and once in a lifetime experience to visitors to help us raise funds for the works. Aside from small conservation teams on ropes, nobody has been able to access this area since 1646.
Visitors can access the Kings' view by booking on to a tour here: Corfe Castle events
Long lost gateway
During the conservation works, we had uncovered the top of an arch within the inner ward, raising the question of whether this ivy and rubble-covered archway was the site of the sallyport used to betray the castle. This area is long thought to be where Sir Colonel Pitman allowed Parliamentarian forces into the castle, leading to its ruin.
In the summer of 2024, the team received permission from Historic England to lower the ground surface under the arch by half a metre. During the dig, it quickly became clear that this was the top of a sallyport leading to the inner ward.
Several finds were made, including fragments of lead frames and glass from a Tudor window, likely from the Gloriette/Queens Tower, and 16th-century pottery shards, including fragments from a bright green glazed earthenware bowl 55cm (22in) in diameter. There was still plaster on the walls, with the base and skim coat both clearly visible, finished with a coat of limewash. Other finds included oyster, cockle, and crab shells, roofing slate, a sheep’s jaw, and rabbit bones.
However, sometime between 1586 and 1620, a turret was added to the exterior wall, but no evidence of openings or steps was found which leaves us unsure if this sallyport was in use during the civil war. It is likely that the floor of the sallyport lies a further 1.5m below, and these deeper areas could hold more clues. One thing is certain: Corfe is known for giving up her secrets slowly…
In 2025 we'll be working on the inner ward, tumbles on the outer slopes and around the Corfe River. Scaffolding erected over the Great Ditch and around the Keep.
Restoring a fallen guard tower
One of the most complex tasks to date has been restoring a fallen guard tower, dislodged by vegetation and perched precariously over the castle's mound.
Built during the reign of King John (1199-1216) and destroyed in 1646, the tower has remained where it fell, embedded at an angle 30 metres above the valley floor.
Access to the tower was extremely challenging, with each 50-90kg stone needing to be lifted and cleared of vegetation before being repositioned.
The stones hadn't been moved since the 13th century, revealing medieval masons' marks and construction techniques. Each stone was carefully reset using mortar mixes similar to those used by the original stonemasons.
The final phase of the project is focussing on the Inner Ward, including the North Building and walls perched high above the steepest slopes of he mound. These areas are among the least accessible and least studied, offering exciting opportunities for new discoveries.
Christina Newnham, Senior Building Surveyor at the National Trust said "During this final phase, we're working through some very cold months on walls that are hardest to reach. However, every stone tells a story, and this phase could reveal more secrets about Corfe's dramatic past."
Kings' View platform closes
The conservation works enabled us to build a temporary platform high with the Keep at Corfe Castle. Called the Kings' View, the platform allowed access to rare historical features and panoramic views not experienced for over 350 years. The platform closed on 28 February 2026 and raised over £62,000 which went directly to the conservation works.
