Guidebook: Berry Pomeroy Castle

The romantic ruins of Berry Pomeroy Castle stand on a steep wooded hillside above the Gatcombe Brook. The castle was the home of the Pomeroy family from the mid-15th century until 1547, when it was sold to the first Duke of Somerset. The Duke's son and grandson embarked on an ambitious plan to enlarge the castle, building a fashionable mansion house within the old defences and adding a magnificent new wing with a long gallery and a classical-style loggia. However, by 1701 the site had been abandoned and the ivy-clad remains soon became shrouded in legend.