The castles of Pendennis and St Mawes were built by King Henry VIII. They were part of a chain of coastal forts created when Spain and France threatened to invade England in the 16th century. For more than four hundred years Pendennis Castle played a vital role in the defence of Cornwall, seeing action during the Civil War in the 17th century and then again in the Second World War. On the other side of the Fal estuary, elegant St Mawes Castle is the most perfect and ornate survivor of King Henry VIII's forts. This beautifully illustrated new guidebook provides a full tour and history to both remarkable sites.