We are thrilled to announce that our small, independent charity is now caring for a rare Iron Age hillfort and 18th-century folly which enjoy extensive views of Mounts Bay.
Photo credit – Julian Perry
Cornwall Heritage Trust has taken ownership of Castle an Dinas (West) – a small multivallate hillfort situated at the summit of a broad hill on Tonkins Downs, just north of Penzance. Hillforts of this kind are rare, with around 100 examples recorded across the UK.
Standing prominently on the hillfort’s inner rampart is Rogers’ Tower, a late 18th-century folly built for the Rogers family who owned nearby Treassowe Manor. The tower is a listed building Grade II.
The site has been transferred to the charity from Cornwall Council.
Founded in 1985, the Trust protects historic places across Cornwall, which are all free for the general public to visit. It hosts a wide-reaching programme of wellbeing, education and community workshops, activities and events at these heritage sites and provides grants enabling visits to museums and historic monuments across Cornwall.
In the heathland to the north of the hillfort are the remains of extensive prehistoric and medieval field systems. To the south-west, the small fields of a 19th-century smallholding have utilised the ramparts of the hillfort as part of their field system. Both folly and farmstead are important features in the landscape in this part of Cornwall.
The site lies within Cornwall National Landscape and includes a scheduled area which centres around the hillfort. It is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Country Wildlife Area, as well as being common land.
Photo credit – Julian Perry
It is a mix of heathland and high pasture, which is rich in ecological value. Falcons, kestrels and many other interesting species are often seen when visiting the land. An ecological assessment is forthcoming in late spring 2026.
The land has a herd of Ruby Red cows grazing on it in the summer months. We have been reassured that they are docile and used to public and dog walkers.
Join the fight for your heritage today
We’re so proud to now be the custodians of this important historic asset, which joins our growing portfolio of heritage sites.
When we set our targets in 2021 for the number of sites we could sustainably acquire, we aimed to take on one per year. In reality, the collection of sites we own has almost doubled in the last four years and has grown even larger in 2025.
If a historic site needs protecting, we want to help, and that’s why your support is vital in making this happen.
