We have visited the ruins of this Tudor-castle a number of times over the last 20-years or so. This castle was constructed in a wooded valley just outside of Paignton and has to be accessed by a twisty-turny (narrow) road that has grass growing along its centrw. I suspect that When Queen Elizabeth I (and her ample entourage) traversed in and out in their gilded carriages – the journey must have been very uncomfortable – particularly as these people had travelled by horse-drawn carriage hundreds of miles from London (or perhaps much further afield). As we are staying in Galmpton (situated on the outskirts of Torbay) – the surrounding countryside is full of large, well-fed and breeding Grouse-birds that are happily running around screetching and posing! It is exactly with the forests around Berry Pomeroy Castle!
As we live in the London Borough of Sutton & Cheam – we are very much aware of the history of the nearby Nonsuch Park. Prior to 1965 – this area was part of East Surrey – before becoming a Borough of (South-West) Greater London. During the 1500s, Elizabeth I was an absolute monarch (as was her father – King Henry VIII) – who preferred to live in and around the Nonsuch Park area – including Hampton Court Palace (which is no longer used by the royal family). However, there was once a “Nonsuch Palace” which does not exist today. After Elizabeth I died (1603 CE) – many of the castles she frequented were no long favoured by the royal family – leading to these buildings falling into neglect and ruin. This was the case with Nonsuch Palace which was so badly dilapidate that what was left of it had to be demolished in 1683 CE – for safety reasons – with the ruins being recycled into the constructon (or maintenance) of local buildings.
The Tudor-castle at Berry Pomeroy seems to have been forgotten in its South Devon forest. The castle was constructed in such a manner that it cannot be clearly seen from afar. This is an important defence mechanism against attack and invasion. After the Engllish Civil Wars of the 1640s CE – the castle was abandoned and started to fall apart quite naturally. I suspect that this castle might be an indicator of what Nonsuch Palace may have looked like – although Nonsuch Palace was built earlier. Nevertheless, when we visited this monument in the past – we were not fully aware of the historical context this site possessed with the area we live-in in South-West London! As the years go by – the cameras we bring to the castle improve and the videos and photographs we take of quite naturally improved as the technology progresses.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 