Rainy Days
The Gun Tower
Climb down the steps and you reach the basement floor of the tower which you can see is built into the rock itself. Here the large metal harbour chain would have been housed and you can imagine it being stretched across the river to prevent ships from attacking the town.
Climb upwards and you can see interactive displays of the history of the castle and examples of weapons which would have been used by the Garrison based at Dartmouth. Keep climbing and you reach the open deck where you can look out over the battlements and if you look down, you can see markers highlighting key sights such as Britannia Royal Naval College and Bayards Cove Fort.
Explore the Passages
Get a sense of the cramped, dangerous and dark conditions in which the soldiers would have worked as they loaded charges into the guns. Walk down the narrow passages lit only by dim lanterns to recreate the atmosphere of wartime at the castle.
See the gunpowder barrels stacked in the store and hear the men talking as they work on the audio system - can you hear what they are doing?
The Victorian Battery
On the lower floor of the Battery, you can see a great display of cannons and guns laid out as they would have been during an attack including the large 64 pounder. Alongside the display are cannonballs, some of which were discovered in the River Dart and all the equipment the soldiers needed to load, fire and clean the guns.
Shopping
The shop at Dartmouth Castle has one of the best views on the Dart Estuary and is a great place to spot seals, dolphins and sea birds while you pick out that perfect gift or souvenir. With a great range of toys, games and books to choose from, budding soliders, princesses or knights will soon find something to keep them amused.
