Situated in a position of great natural beauty, close to the village of Lydford, on the edge of Dartmoor, Lydford Castle boasts three main defensive features, from different times. Close to the centre of the site is an original 13th Century tower keep on a mound which was later converted into a notoriously harsh prison. The the south of the tower is the remains of the Norman earthwork castle and to the north are the interesting Saxon town defences. The entire site is overseen by English Heritage.