Tudor times

Events like the French raids demonstrated the need for adequate defence - a need that became more urgent with the development of Southampton as a commercial port and Portsmouth as a naval base. Fears of invasion, and awareness of the Island's vulnerability have left us with useful resources for studying Tudor defence.

Yarmouth castle is an interesting example of a coastal fort. It is just one of a chain of defence works that ran from Milford Haven in the west to Hull in the east, built by Henry VIII in response to the threat of invasion from France and Spain.

Later, fear of Spanish invasion, even after the defeat of the Armada, resulted in the building of a system of outer defences at Carisbrooke between 1597 and 1602. These defences against cannon brought the old medieval castle up to date.

The museum in the castle displays examples of Tudor-style furniture as an illustration of domestic life in Tudor times. Unfortunately, the Tudor mansion, which once stood in the castle courtyard as the residence of Sir George Carey, is now only a shell and reveals very little of the lavish lifestyle enjoyed by Carey as Captain of the Island.