See Richard Earl of Cornwall in (people in history)

Restormel originally formed part of the manor of Bodardle.

1086-Held by Turstin the Sheriff.

1100-The castle was probably built by Turstin's son Baldwin Fitz Turstin.

A later 12th century charter mentions the chapel beside Baldwin's Bridge: as this chapel is almost certainly the hermitage of the Holy Trinity which lay at the foot of the castle hill, it would seem that Baldwin bridged the river at this point, and he probably erected the castle to command the crossing.

1166-Robert Fitz William, Lord of Cardinham, held Bodardle, as guardian of Walter Hai the younger.

1186-Walter Hai the younger died without issue.

Bodardle passed to Fitz William or his heirs in the right of Agnes his wife, sister of Walter Hai.

1193-Both Cardinham and Bodardle had passed to Robert de Cardinan (grandson of Fitz William) before this year.

Robert de Cardinan was a man of importance in the county, and later became one of the Kings Justices.

1224-Robert de Cardinan was still alive.

1227-By this year the estates had passed to Robert de Cardinan's son Andrew.

On Andrew de Cardinan's death his daughter and heiress Isolda de Cardinan succeeded to the estates. She married Thomas de Tracy.

1264-The earliest mention of the castle is its surrender by de Tracy in this year.

1265-The declaration of seizure of the castle by Sir Thomas de Tracy that Sir Ralph Arundell sized Restormel from Simon de Montfort (this document is in the Arundel Archives).

1270-Isolda de Cardinan granted the castle and certain lands to her over-lord Richard Earl of Cornwall and King of the Romans.

1272-Earl Richard was succeeded by his son Edmund.

1299-Edmond died and the Earldom of Cornwall reverted to the Crown.

Since that date Restormel has belonged to the Earldom (latter the Duchy) of Cornwall, which forms an apandage of the King's eldest son.

1354-Edward the Black Prince the first Duke of Cornwall visited the castle.

1365-Edward the Black Prince made a further visit.

In the sixteenth century the buildings were unoccupied and ruinous.

But in the Civil War the keep was garrisoned by the Parliamentarian army of Lord Essex, which was holding Lostwithiel and Fowey.

1644-The castle was captured by Sir Richard Grenville on the 21st of August, and this episode closes the history of the castle.