Portland Castle visitors 'highest ever', English Heritage says

About 29,600 people visited Portland Castle in 2023, according to English Heritage

A coastal castle dating back to King Henry VIII's reign has reported its highest ever visitor numbers.

Just under 30,000 people visited Portland Castle in Dorset in 2023 - an increase of 20% on the previous year.

Overlooking Portland Harbour, the fort was built in the early 1540s to protect against French and Spanish invasion.

Families were continuing to visit historical sites for days out despite the cost of living crisis, English Heritage said.

The 450-year-old artillery fort sits on the Isle of Portland, about four miles from Weymouth.

Portland Castle's manager Jennifer Snook said its popularity last year was down to a combination of factors.

"As we've seen across the country, historical sites have proved a big draw for people looking for a day out, even when they might be tightening their budget elsewhere," she said.

"The area is also popular with holidaymakers, being in such a beautiful part of Dorset."

Visitor numbers were also up at Yarmouth Castle, a Tudor fort built in 1547

Other sites on the south coast also saw record-breaking visitor numbers, according to the charity.

Yarmouth Castle on the Isle of Wight reported a 4% increase on 2022, making 2023 its most popular on record.

Also built by Henry VIII, the coastal fortress was designed to guard the western entrance to the Solent and prevent the capture of the Isle of Wight.

Across the country, figures revealed about 550,000 families visited English Heritage sites in 2023 - the highest figure since records began and an increase of 54% over the last decade.

Kate Logan, the trust's historic properties director, said: "Everyone remembers the first castle they ever visited and what I think we're seeing in these numbers is a desire amongst parents to pass on that experience of wonder and awe and might."

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