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Summer 2012 tlm n the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 19

The greatsurvivors

uk uncovered n britain’s castles

By definition a castle is a private fortifiedresidence; as well as providing a home fortheir owners and families, castles werebuilt as defensive structures. While mostfortifications that we acknowledge as prop-er castles were built in the 500 years after

the Norman Conquest, many pre-date this.The first fortifications appeared in Britain from the

5th century BC; Maiden Castle (www.maidencastle.com)in Dorchester is one of the finest examples of an IronAge hill-fort. However, these earthworks were easilyovercome by the Romans, who replaced them with struc-tures made of wood, brick or stone.

Fine examples of these Roman structures still existtoday including Portchester Castle and Pevensey Castle(see www.english-heritage.org.uk for both), two-thirds of the towered walls of which still stand.Pevensey was the landing place of William theConqueror’s army in 1066 and his first defensive struc-ture was built within the walls of the old Roman fort.He continued to build castles across Britain to defend

his line of retreat and within two weeks of landing, had

built castles at Hastings and Dover.On his ascendency to king, hegave his most loyalknights grants of landand permission tobuild castles; by thetime of his death in 1087 there were 86Norman castles in England. The early motte and bailey

castles – primarily anearthen mound andwooden tower – werelater rebuilt in stone, thefocus of which wasusually a large stonetower, such as the WhiteTower at the Tower ofLondon and that ofColchester Castle.As society changed

and the nobility wantedmore comfortable

They were built as a show of power and strength or to defend against the enemy beyond. Today,the remains of some 800 castles and fortresses dot the British countryside, more than 300 stillstanding tall and proud and defining many of our towns and landscapes. Julie Thompsondelves into their fascinating past

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dwellings, the functions fulfilled by castles becamebetter served by other buildings. The fate of manycastles was sealed during the Civil War when they wereattacked and either refortified by the opposing forces orleft in ruins. Some simply fell into disrepair, their stonesrecycled in churches or grand buildings.Today, many of Britain’s remaining castles offer an

entertaining insight into our history through historicalre-enactments and family-themed events.

london and the southThe home of British kings and queens for almost 1,000 years, Windsor Castle(www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/windsorcastle) isthe oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. Builtby William the Conqueror to secure the westernapproach to London, its easy access to the city andproximity to a royal hunting forest quickly identified itas a popular royal residence. The original Norman keep was rebuilt as the Round

Tower in 1170; today you can take the Conquer theTower tour to the top of one of the nation’s most iconiclandmarks. One of the capital's most iconic landmarks, the Tower

of London (www.hrp.org.uk/TowerofLondon) wasalso built by William I, not primarily as a royal residencebut as a fortress-stronghold, with the White Towerproclaiming the physical power and prowess of the newNorman monarch.It was latterly used as a prison as well as the infamous

place of execution of no less than three English queens –Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey –and, today, houses the Crown Jewels as well as offering afascinating insight into royal history. Royal connections abound in the south’s castles.

Hadleigh Castle, overlooking the Thames Estuary inEssex (see www.english-heritage.org.uk), was afavourite residence of Edward III following the HundredYears War and was the subject of a painting by Consta-ble. Little of it remains save for one tower; a sight thatwill become familiar to TV viewers watching theOlympic mountain biking finals on the adjacent circuit. The stunningly-beautiful Leeds Castle

(www.leeds-castle.com) in Kent was inhabited by six ofEngland’s Medieval queens as well as by Henry VIII andhis first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Kent’s equally-alluringHever Castle (www.hevercastle.co.uk) was the child-hood home of Anne Boleyn, passing in ownership toHenry VIII’s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, and later Amer-ica-born Viscount Astor and his socialite wife, LadyAstor. A trip to the Medway towns should include the

imposing fortress of Rochester Castle as well as theElizabethan artillery fort at Upnor Castle (seewww.english-heritage.org.uk for both).One of the finest Tudor artillery castles in England,

built by the order of Henry VIII, Deal Castle can becombined with a visit to Dover Castle (bothwww.english-heritage.org.uk), spectacularly-locatedabove the White Cliffs of Dover. Its secret wartimetunnels and vivid recreation of the Dunkirk evacuation

20 tlm n the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk Summer 2012


In the gatehouse is the original wooden portcullis,probably England’s oldest and a rare example of its kind. Arundel Castle (www.arundelcastle.org) overlooks

the River Arun in West Sussex and features an originalmotte, an artificial mound, over 100 feet (30 metres)high from the dry moat.

south westThe sweeping south west coastline is the perfect settingfor striking fortresses, and Dartmouth Castle (seewww.english-heritage.org.uk) occupies one of themost stunning settings in England. For more than 600years, the castle has guarded the narrow mouth of theRiver Dart; it was designed to protect Dartmouthharbour from attack by foreign vessels. Portland Castle, (see www.english-heritage.org.uk)

one of Henry VIII’s finest coastal forts, offers spectacularsea views from its vantage point overlooking PortlandHarbour in Dorset. The castle reopens on weekdays afterAugust 12. Corfe Castle (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/corfe-castle),

partially demolished in 1646 by the Parliamentarians, isone of England’s most evocative survivors of the EnglishCivil War. Explore the ruins and visit the pretty village,with its Medieval church tower. A ferry to the Isle of Wight takes you to Carisbrooke

Castle, where King Charles I was imprisoned, andYarmouth Castle (both www.english-heritage.org.uk),the last and most sophisticated addition to Henry VIII’scoastal defences, with the first arrowhead artillerybastion built in England.Separated from the mainland by a causeway covered by

the sea at high water, St Michael’s Mount(www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk) has religious and histori-cal significance. An apparition of the Archangel St Michaelis said to have been witnessed by fishermen in 495BCwhile, in 1588, it was on St Michael’s Mount that the firstbeacon was lit to warn of the arrival of the Spanish Armada. Other fine Cornish castles include St Mawes (see

www.english-heritage.org.uk), one of the best-preserved of Henry VIII’s coast artillery fortresses whereyou can still see the Latin inscriptions in praise of Henryand his son Edward VI on its walls, and the magicalTintagel Castle (also www.english-heritage.org.uk),said to be the birthplace of King Arthur and where youcan visit the nearby Merlin’s Cave.

midlands and central/eastern england One of Suffolk’s finest bastions, Framlingham Castle(see www.english-heritage.org.uk), was once therefuge of Mary Tudor before she became queen in 1553.The magnificent wall walk offers splendid views overthe mere. Warwick Castle (www.warwick-castle.com) is one

of England’s most famous tourist attractions, with ahistory going back almost 11 centuries. A walled build-ing in Warwick can be traced back to Saxon days,although William the Conqueror constructed a woodenmotte and bailey here in 1068. Today the owners, Merlin Entertainments Group,

offer an array of entertaining activities which recall thecastle’s historic roots.

Its quieter neighbour, Kenilworth Castle (seewww.english-heritage.org.uk), is best known as thehome of Robert Dudley, the great love of Queen Eliza-beth 1. As well as the ornate palace he created, Dudleydeveloped the famous gardens to impress his queen andyou can follow in her footsteps today in the

make for a great family day out. Set on the Kent/Sussex border, Bodiam Castle

(www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodiam-castle) is theperfect example of a 14th century Medieval moatedcastle, with its impressive towers providing wonderfulviews of the Rother Valley.

castles with accommodationAs well as serving as defensive structures, castles were built to provide accommodationfor their owners. These days, there are a number of castles where you can stay. George III set the tradition of allowing loyal servants to live at Hampton

Court (www.hrp.org.uk/HamptonCourtPalace) by grace and favour and,nowadays, self-catering apartments are available to stay in; Fish Court, situated inthe service wing of the old Tudor palace, sleeps up to six people while theGeorgian House, originally a kitchen, sleeps up to eight. At the foot of the South Downs, privately owned 900-year-old Amberley

Castle (www.amberleycastle.co.uk), is enclosed by a 60-foot (18m) curtainwall and working portcullis behind which is a luxurious country house hotel,while the 64 individually-designed bedrooms at Bovey Castle

(www.boveycastle.com), now a golf resort on DartmoorNational Park, are located in the original manor houseand private mews.

Sudeley Castle (www.sudeleycastle.co.uk), inCheltenham, has country cottages midway betweenthe castle and the historic town of Winchcombe,while Kent’s lovely Hever Castle(www.hevercastle.co.uk) offers luxury bed andbreakfast within its Astor Wing. Ruthin Castle (www.ruthincastle.co.uk), in North

Wales and just 20 miles from Chester, is a romantic hotelsteeped in history, with notable owners of the castle including

monarchs Edward I, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Scotland’s Dalhousie Castle Hotel (www.dalhousiecastle.co.uk) is a

magnificent 13th century fortress set within acres of wooded parkland on thebanks of the River Esk. Madonna famously married Guy Ritchie in 2000 in exclusive Skibo Castle

(www.carnegieclub.co.uk), which is only open to members of the CarnegieClub and their guests. The club is currently considering applicationsfor new members for acceptance in 2012. Buying your owncastle might be easier....

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n Rochester Castle

n Deal Castle was builtby King Henry VIII

n Windsor is the world'soldest inhabited castle

n Leeds Castle washome to six queens

n Bodiam Castle

n DartmouthCastle

n Live like royaltyin Hever Castle

n Stay in 13th centuryDalhousie Castle

authentically-recreated Elizabethan Garden. The impressive Lincoln Castle

(www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/visiting/historic-buildings/lincoln-castle)is home to the Lincoln Magna Carta, dating back to1215, as well as the Charter of the Forest, while Stoke-say Castle (see www.english-heritage.org.uk), set inpeaceful countryside near the Welsh border, is the oldestfortified manor house in England. The timber-framedgatehouse, stone tower and parish church are some of thebest-preserved examples of Medieval building in the UK.

northern englandHeading north, Conisbrough Castle(www.conisbroughcastle.org.uk), boasts the finestcircular Norman keep tower still surviving in England,while the splendid Richmond Castle (see www.english-heritage.org.uk), originally built tosubdue the unruly north of England, is now one of themost popular tourist attractions in North Yorkshire.Northumberland offers more than its fair share of

splendid castles, from Alnwick Castle (www.alnwickcastle.com), home of Hogwarts in thefirst two films in the Harry Potter series and one of thelargest inhabited castles in the UK, to the ruins of one ofEngland’s less famous castles, Dunstanburgh Castle

(www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunstanburgh-castle);its rocky approach from Embleton beach makes it astriking walking destination. Bamburgh Castle (www.bamburghcastle.com) has

one of the most gorgeous settings, spanning nine acres ofland atop an outcrop of volcanic dolerite and sittingalmost 150ft (45m) above sea level. It is also one of theworld's most important Anglo Saxon archaeologicalsites.Further south, Prudhoe Castle

(see www.english-heritage.org.uk) was the onlycastle in Northumberland to resist the Scots, and itstowered walls enclose a fine Georgian mansion.Romantically-situated Lindisfarne Castle

(www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lindisfarne-castle), onHoly Island, is only accessible via a three-mile causewayand its dramatic perch on a rocky crag has spectacularviews. Originally a Tudor fort, it was converted into aprivate house in 1903 by Edwin Lutyens and it also haswell-preserved 19th century lime kilns which are amongthe largest in the country.You can walk the entire circuit of the impressive

remains of Berwick-upon-Tweed Castle and Ramparts(see www.english-heritage.org.uk), once one of themost important of all the border castles; over thecenturies that England and Scotland were in conflict, thecastle was a key objective for the armies of both nations.

scotland and northern ireland Scotland’s most famous and instantly recognisable castle,Edinburgh Castle (www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk) isperched on an extinct volcano and has been a strongholdfor over 3,000 years. In 1995, the Old and New Towns ofEdinburgh were inscribed as a World Heritage Site, andthe castle remains the city’s most important building. Stirling Castle (www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk) is a

great symbol of Scottish independence and the castle’s



did you know?l No two castles are the same. This is dueto topography, taste, available materials,and the ability of the designer.

l The spiral stairs in castle towers weredesigned to ascend clockwise so as tomake the attackers expose more of theirbody and allow the defenders to use thesword in their right hand.

l The keep at Bridgnorth Castle inShropshire leans at 15 degrees, threetimes further than the Leaning Tower ofPisa, following an attempt to blow it upduring the Civil War.

l For a Christmas feast in 1206 atWinchester Castle, King John’s orders tothe sheriff included 1,500 chickens, 5,000eggs, 20 oxen, 100 pigs, and 100 sheep.

l The world’s oldest surviving football wasdiscovered at Stirling Castle; it was found

lodged in the rafters of the Palace. Madearound 1540, from a pig’s bladder and aleather skin, it is now held by Stirling’sSmith Art Gallery and Museum.

l A knight’s wages were 8d per day and hewas expected to serve for 40 days.

l 166 houses were pulled down in order tobuild Lincoln Castle.

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n Young knights atCarisbrooke Castle

n Framlingham Castle: refuge of Mary Tudor

n Joustingat HeverCastle

long, turbulent history is associated with great figuresfrom Scotland’s past such as William Wallace & MaryQueen of Scots. Balvenie Castle (www.historic-scotland.gov.uk)

has a vast, impressive curtain wall and the iron yett, thetwo-barred iron crossed-gate behind the main entrance,is unique in Scotland.Spectacular locations for castles are a given in Scot-

land; the dramatic cliff-top position of Dunnottar Castle(www.dunnottarcastle.co.uk) is one of the most stun-ning locations of any castle, while Eilean Donan Castle(www.eileandonancastle.com) is situated on an islandat the point where three great sea lochs meet,surrounded by amazing scenery. It also featured in theJames Bond film, The World is Not Enough. Glamis Castle (www.glamis-castle.co.uk), the

ancestral home of the Earls of Strathmore for over 600years and the setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth, makesa magnificent wedding venue and was the childhoodhome of the Queen Mother. Carrickfergus Castle (www.doeni.gov.uk/niea)

has been an imposing monument on the NorthernIreland landscape for more than 800 years; don’t miss its17th century cannons. Situated beside CountyFermanagh's River Erne, Enniskillen Castle(www.enniskillencastle.co.uk), was built almost 600 years ago to guard one of the few passes into Ulster, while Dunluce Castle(www.northantrim.com/dunlucecastle.html), sitting on the north coast along the causeway coastalroute, is rumoured to house a castle ghost.

wales The castles of Wales vary in style, age and tradition andCardiff Castle (www.cardiffcastle.com) evokes its historyin many ways. In its 2,000 years, the castle has been aRoman garrison, a Norman stronghold and, in Victoriantimes, was transformed into a Gothic fairytale fantasy. Caernarfon Castle (www.caernarfon.com) is



castle facts

possibly Wales’s most famous castle, built in 1283 byEdward I as not only a military stronghold but also as aseat of government and royal palace. The dark-stoned fortress that is Conwy Castle

(www.conwy.com) has a commanding position abovethe Conwy estuary in the pretty, walled town of Conwy.Constructed by Edward I between 1283 and 1289 as akey fortress in his iron ring of castles to contain theWelsh, the intimidating presence of this magnificentstructure is undimmed by time. Other Welsh Edwardian castles include: Harlech

Castle (www.harlech.com), which almost appears as ifkeeping a watchful eye over Snowdonia; PembrokeCastle (http://pembroke-castle.co.uk), noteworthy asthe only castle in Britain to be built over a natural cavernand also the birthplace of Henry VII in 1457; andDenbigh Castle (www.denbigh.com/castle.html), withits striking, triple-towered Great Gatehouse. Beaumaris Castle (www.beaumaris.com), on the

island of Anglesey, is the great unfinished masterpiece ofthe iron ring; money and supplies ran out before thefortifications reached their full height.

“Manycastles offeranentertaininginsight intoour historythrough re-enactmentsand family-themedevents”

organisationsMany of the castles featured are owned oroperated by English Heritage (www.english-heritage.org.uk) andannual membership – £47 per adult withstudent, couple and senior discountsavailable – gives free access to all thecastles and properties mentioned. Fordetails of individual castles mentioned, seethe listings detailed on the English Heritagewebsite: www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties. TheNational Trust (www.nationaltrust.org.uk) also looks after a numberof key castles; annual membership is £53 but family and child discountsare available.

castle holidaysAs well as booking directly with individual properties offeringaccommodation, several companies can put together castle stays. StatelyEscapes (www.statelyescapes.co.uk) organises group stays in luxurycastles, as well as castle weddings. The Landmark Trust(www.landmarktrust.org.uk) has a vast range of castles and forts, aswell as towers and follies for short breaks or special occasions. ScottsCastle Holidays (www.scottscastles.com) is a holiday lettings agencywhich offers the chance to rent castles throughout Scotland as part of

its inventory, as does Cottages and Castles (http://cottages-and-castles.co.uk).

interesting informationIf you are a true castle buff and want toknow more about the castlesmentioned and many that we haven’t,check out Castle Xplorer(www.castlexplorer.co.uk), which hascastle listings for England, Scotland and

Wales with history and general information.

n Dunnottar Castle'sspectacular setting

n Caerphilly Castle

n King's bedroomat Dover Castle

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