The most remarkable thing about the Castle is that for nine centuries, the building, the Berkeley family, the archives (which go back to the 12th Century), the contents, the estate and the town have all survived together. Its place in history is significant, not just because it is still intact, but because the Berkeley family …
Kenilworth Castle is one of the great historical sites of the United Kingdom. First built in the 1120s and a royal castle for most of its history, it was expanded by King John, John of Gaunt and Henry V. In 1563 Elizabeth I granted it to her favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, who converted …
This remarkable castle, built on the instruction of William the Conqueror, has been my family?s home for 450 years. Prior to the Watson?s ownership the Castle was held by the crown. There are very few other homes that have been continuously occupied for nearly 1000 years and within that time been owned by just one …
Standing in a peaceful Shropshire valley near the Welsh border, Stokesay Castle has survived remarkably intact since a leading wool merchant, Laurence of Ludlow, built it in the late 13th century. His fine fortified manor house was both comfortable and impressive, designed as a statement of his wealth and power. Today, barely touched by the …
The first known settlement in Lincoln, dating back to the first century BC, was around the Brayford Waterfront area, giving the place its original name Lindon: ?Lindo? translating as ?The Pool? in the Celtic language (similar to Dublin’s name Gaelic for ?Black Pool?). Timber houses and pottery have been found dating back to that time …
Powis Castle (Welsh: Castell Powys) is a medieval castle, fortress and grand country mansion near Welshpool, in Powys, Wales. It is known for housing the treasures that were brought home by Robert Clive and his son, Edward Clive from India. The Clives “looted” them during their service with the British East India Company.[1] The castle …
Tickets for the Tower of London. What’s Included Tower of London Tickets Tickets for the Tower of London, the UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s the official home to the Crown Jewels and protected by the Yeoman Warders, more commonly known as the Beefeaters, oh and the resident Ravens, of course! The Ravens have been living …
Strictly speaking a fortified manor more than a castle, the site at Astley Castle has been in continuous occupation since the Saxon period. As Grade II* listed, the castle is counted of national significance. Its site includes the moated castle, gateway and curtain walls, lake, church and the ghost of pleasure gardens in a picturesque …
There are nearly 1,000 years of history at this great castle, situated in magnificent grounds overlooking the River Arun in West Sussex and built at the end of the 11th century by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel. The oldest feature is the motte, an artificial mound, over 100 feet high from the dry moat, …
In 1284, Robert Burnell obtained a licence from the king to fortify his residence. Work was probably still in progress when Robert died in 1292. The large first-floor windows of the castle suggest, however, that it never had a serious defensive purpose and was instead perhaps designed to impress. The Burnell family of Acton Burnell …
William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor of England bought the house in 1377. It then passed to William?s great-nephew Sir Thomas Wykeham and thence to Sir Thomas?s granddaughter, Margaret, who married Sir William Fiennes, later the 2nd Lord Saye & Sele, in 1448. Sir Thomas Wykeham obtained a licence to ?crenellate and embattle? …
Bramber Castle was founded by William de Braose as a defensive and administrative centre for Bramber, one of the six administrative regions ? each of which was controlled by a castle ? into which Sussex was divided following the Norman Conquest. It was held almost continually by de Braose and his descendants from its foundation …
Boarstall Tower?is a 14th-century?moated?gatehouse?located in?Boarstall,?Buckinghamshire,?England, and now, with its surrounding gardens According to legend King Edward the Confessor gave some land to one of his men in return for slaying a wild boar that had infested the nearby Bernwood Forest. The man built himself a mansion on this land and called it “Boar-stall” (Old English …
Carreg Cennen Castle had a long and eventful history, having changed ownership numerous times. Legendary references place the original fortress in the Dark Ages, held by Urien Rheged, Lord of Iskennen, and his son Owain, knights during the reign of King Arthur. Stories claim that there is a warrior (perhaps one of the knights, or …
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd didn?t build Caerphilly Castle. In fact he twice tried to knock it down before it was finished. But he was certainly its inspiration. The rise of the powerful Prince of Wales persuaded Marcher lord Gilbert de Clare that he needed a fortress in double-quick time. And it had better be truly formidable. …
Located in Tottenham, Bruce Castle Park covers eight hectares of parkland and is rich in history dating back to the early 11th century. The park was created from the remains of the ancient Bruce Castle family estate, purchased by the Council in 1892. Bruce Castle Museum, a Grade 1 listed 16th century manor house, now …
Clun Castle sits high on a natural rocky mound in a loop of the river Clun, on the edge of the small, picturesque town of the same name. Founded shortly after the Norman Conquest to demonstrate the authority of the English monarchy over this part of the border region, the castle and the nearby settlement …
Donnington Castle overlooks the Lambourn Valley in an important strategic position commanding the crossing of major north?south and east?west routes. The manor of Donnington was held by the Abberbury family from 1287, and in 1386 Sir Richard Abberbury was granted a licence ?to crenellate and fortify a castle at Donyngton, Berks? by Richard II. Sir …
Welsh construction Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Gwynedd’s main land holdings lay in the Gwynedd. In order to assert his claim to be the most important of the Welsh princes he felt the need to exercise his authority in the strategic area which is the Severn Valley, giving as it does access to the heartlands …
Built by Henry VIII at a time when England seemed vulnerable to invasion, Deal Castle has watched over the Kentish coast for nearly 500 years. Delve into the history of this remarkable Tudor fort, from its intriguing shape intended to repel foreign ships to the time it came under siege from forces closer to home. …
The Castle has changed hands numerous times in its long, interesting life since (possibly) Saxon times, and many families have made their own particular mark. Now there are three generations of the family of Henry Garratt-Adams, who purchased the castle in 1954 when it was under threat of demolition after WWII.? ? Previous residents of …
Hay Castle is very much under threat. The castle and manor are in desperate need of conservation to prevent further deterioration. The Norman keep is unstable and unsafe for entry. The famed archway is impassable. The east wing of the Jacobean manor remains roofless and derelict, and its decorated stone walls are collapsing. Hay Castle …
Immediately after landing in England in 1066, William of Normandy ordered three fortifications to be built, Pevensey Castle in September 1066, Hastings (before the Battle of Hastings) and Dover. Hastings Castle was originally built as a motte-and-bailey castle near the sea. Later that year, the famous Battle of Hastings took place near the Hastings castle, …
Grosmont Castle is a ruined castle in the village of Grosmont, Monmouthshire, Wales. The fortification was established by the Normans in the wake of the invasion of England in 1066, to protect the route from Wales to Hereford. Possibly commissioned by William fitz Osbern, the Earl of Hereford, it was originally an earthwork design with …
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