A historic castle on Portland, recognised as one of “Henry VIII’s finest coastal forts”, saw a record number of visitors in 2023.
Overlooking Portland Harbour, Portland Castle was built in the early 1540s to protect against French and Spanish invasions.
It is now owned by English Heritage and operates as a tourist attraction.
Last year, Portland Castle saw a 20 per cent increase in visitors from 2022 making it the attraction's most successful year.
Jenny Snook, Portland Castle Cluster Manager at English Heritage, said: "We’re absolutely delighted with the news of our record year in 2023. It’s a real testament to the hard work for our team and volunteers in welcoming visitors to Portland Castle. Our audio guide, garden and Tudor kitchen are particularly popular!
"While it’s been a prominent landmark on the Isle of Portland since the Tudor times, today the castle offers a beautiful vantage point to look out to sea and learn about the rich history of the area which brings people back time and time again. We look forward to seeing locals and those from further afield at Portland Castle soon.”
The charity has announced that more families visited its historic sites last year than ever before. More than 550,000 families enjoyed a visit to English Heritage sites in 2023 - the highest figure since records began - marking an increase of 54 per cent over the last decade.
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