British Castles, Palaces, Stately Homes & Ruins

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Zamki, pałace, dwory, twierdze i ruiny Południowej Wielkiej Brytanii

The word castle comes from a Latin word meaning fortress

The official London residences of the English Sovereigns, from Henry VIII to the present day, have been:

• the Palace of Whitehall (to 1699),
• St James's Palace (to 1837) and
• Buckingham Palace (1837 +), originally known as Buckingham House.

The only access to St James's and Buckingham Palace before 1841 was through Horse Guards: The Mall was closed at both ends until the opening of Trafalgar Square in that year.

The Queen's Homes

                                                 Buckingham Palace

 

Buckingham Palace is the Queen's official and main royal London home, although the Queen regularly spends time at Windsor Castle and Balmoral in Scotland.

 Buckingham Palace’s 19 state rooms are open to visitors during August and September while the Queen makes her annual visit to Balmoral.

The State rooms house some of the Royal family’s greatest treasures including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin and Canaletto. They are also exquisitely furnished with some of the finest French and English furniture.

Visit the spectacular Palace Ballroom and see the traditional horseshoe-shaped table lavishly decorated for a State Banquet. On display you can see the silver gilt from the Grand service, first used to celebrate the birthday of George III in 1811 as well as jewelled cups, ivory tankards, chased dishes, sconces, shields and basins.

The end of the tour takes you along the south side of the Palace’s gardens with views of the west front of the Palace and the lake.

The Changing of the Guard takes place in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace at 11.30 every day in summer, every other day in winter, and lasts about 45 minutes.

The New Guard marches to the Palace from Wellington Barracks with a Guards band, the Old Guard hands over in a ceremony during which the sentries are changed and then returns to barracks. The New Guard then marches to St James's Palace leaving the detachment at Buckingham Palace.

The nearest tube stations are Green Park, Victoria, Hyde Park Corner and St. James's Park.

Windsor Castle

 

 

 

Windsor Castle is an official residence of The Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world. The castle was the inspiration for the Royal family's surname.

William the Conqueror built the castle in 1080 and it has remained a royal palace and fortress for over 900 years. Windsor is the oldest royal home in Britain and, covering 13 acres, it's the largest castle in the world that is still lived in.
Each year, the Order of the Garter ceremony is held at Windsor Castle, and the Queen occasionally hosts a "dine and sleeps" for politicians and public figures.

Balmoral Castle

Balmoral Castle is the private residence of The Queen. It has remained a favourite residence for The Queen and her family during the summer holiday period in August and September. The Castle is located on the large Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Some 85,000 people visit Balmoral each year, and the estate maintains and restores footpaths throughout the property for visiting hikers.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse

Founded as a monastery in 1128, the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh is The Queen's official residence in Scotland. It was also the home of many Scottish royals.
The Queen holds receptions, state functions, and investitures within its walls, and each year during Holyrood Week Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip invite 8,000 Scottish guests to the Garden Party.

Sandringham House

The Royal family’s private country retreat in Norfolk. Every Christmas is spent at Sandringham House, which has been the private home of four generations of sovereigns since 1862.

Other Royal Family Homes 

 

Kensington Palace 

 

 

 

Kensington Palace was the favourite residence of successive sovereigns until the death of George II in 1760.
When William III bought the Jacobean mansion in 1689 it was known as the Nottingham House, and during his ownership he outfitted it for royalty. It was the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria and her primary residence until she moved into Buckingham Palace.
Kensington Palace was the London residence of the late Princess Diana. 

Kensington Palace has been home to the royal family for over 300 years and was where Diana Princess of Wales resided. Today it is the official residence of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.

Kensington Palace holds a wealth of history with many Royals calling it home over the years. It has all the glamour and grandeur you would expect of a palace. The King's Apartment has an amazing collection of old masters including Tintoretto and Van Dyck and the staircase walls are painted with William Kent's life sized portrayal of George I's court.

The magnificent State apartments are open to the public and include an exhibition of Diana's dresses and Princess Margaret's love of fashion.

St. James Palace

Built between 1532 and 1540 by Henry VIII. St James Palace was the official residence of the British Sovereign until the death of William III in 1837. Since then Buckingham Palace.
Clarence House

Clarence House, stands beside St James's Palace. It is The Prince of Wales's current official London residence and former London residence of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

Past Royal Homes 

 

Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster)

 

 

 

 

Edward the Confessor made the Palace of Westminster the first official London residence. It is now the seat of British democracy. It is where the UK government is. The Palace contains over 1,000 rooms, the most important of which are the Chambers of the House of Lords and of the House of Commons.

The Banqueting House (Whitehall Palace)

In 1529, Henry Vlll got fed up with Westminster Palace and built himself another one which he called Whitehall Palace. It covered 23 acres and it was the official royal residence until it burned down in 1698. It was rebuilt as government offices.

Hampton Court Palace

 

Residence of King Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey.

 Hampton Court has grown from humble beginnings in the 11th century to one of the finest palaces in the world. Over 800 years of history can be explored through this magnificent palace whose previous owners include Cardinal Wolsey, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
Visitors are offered an introductory exhibition, a guide through Tudor kitchens, a costume guide tour, and the opportunity to see the Queen’s state apartments, the King’s apartments and the Wolsey and Georgian rooms. One of the most impressive sights is the Great Hall, Englands last and greatest medievel hall, decorated with sumptuous tapestries.
Outside you can try not to get lost in the worlds most famous maze or visit the Privy garden restored to its 1702 glory.

Tower of London

 

 

 

The palace was a residence for Mary I and Elizabeth I, Charles I, William III and Mary II. Find out more about the Tower of London

  Built by William the Conquerer in the early 1080s the Towers role has been as a fortress, palace and prison.
One of the main reasons to visit the Tower is to see the working collection of Crown Jewels. There are 23,578 in the collection including one of the world's most famous diamonds. Find out who dared to try and steal the Jewels in 1671 and whether they succeeded.
Many people lost their heads in the Tower and the Prisoners exhibition looks at some of the Towers more infamous inmates including Anne Boleyn, Edward V, Guy Fawkes and Sir Thomas More. The Tower's history as a prison continued during the two world wars and still held executions.
There is so much to see at the Tower including the 'Yeomen of the Guard', the Ravens, Henry VIII's armour, instruments of torture in Lower Wakefield Tower and the Traitors Gate.
The nearest tube station is Tower Hill on the Circle and District underground lines. The Tower Gateway station on the Docklands Light Railway is also within easy walking distance. 

Lambeth Palace

Residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury

OTHER PALACES

 

 Arundel Castle

 

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, and constructed in 1068: followed by the gatehouse in 1070. Under his will, King Henry I (1068-1135) settled the Castle and lands in dower on his second wife, Adeliza of Louvain. Three years after his death she married William d'Albini II, who built the stone shell keep on the motte. King Henry II (1133-89), who built much of the oldest part of the stone Castle, in 1155 confirmed William d'Albini II as Earl of Arundel, with the Honour and Castle of Arundel.
 Arundel Castle has descended directly from 1138 to the present day, carried by female heiresses from the d'Albinis to the Fitzalans in the 13th century and then from the Fitzalans to the Howards in the 16th century and it has been the seat of the Dukes of Norfolk and their ancestors for over 850 years. From the 15th to the 17th centuries the Howards were at the forefront of English history, from the Wars of the Roses, through the Tudor period to the Civil War. Among the famous members of the Howard family are the 2nd Duke of Norfolk (1443-1524), the victor of Flodden, Lord Howard of Effingham, who with Sir Francis Drake repelled the Armada in 1588, the Earl of Surrey, the Tudor poet and courtier, and the 3rd Duke of Norfolk (1473-1554), uncle of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, both of whom became wives of King Henry VIII (1491-1547). 
During the Civil War (1642-45), the Castle was badly damaged when it was twice besieged, first by Royalists who took control, then by Cromwell's Parliamentarian force led by William Waller. Nothing was done to rectify the damage until about 1718 when Thomas, the 8th Duke of Norfolk (1683-1732) carried out some repairs. Charles Howard, the 11th Duke (1746-1815), known to posterity as the 'Drunken Duke' and friend of the Prince Regent subsequently carried out further restoration.
Queen Victoria (1819-1901) came from Osborne House with her husband, Prince Albert, for three days in 1846, for which the bedroom and library furniture were specially commissioned and made by a leading London furniture designer. Her portrait by William Fowler was also specially commissioned by the 13th Duke in 1843.
The building we see now owes much to Henry,15th Duke of Norfolk (1847-1917) and the restoration project was completed in 1900. It was one of the first English country houses to be fitted with electric light, integral fire fighting equipment, service lifts and central heating.

Blenheim Palace

 

 

 Blenheim Palace is a large country house in Oxfordshire, home to the 11th Duke of Marlborough and birthplace of Winston Churchill. It was built between 1705 and 1722 in the rare English baroque style and is today one of the largest houses in the country. Inside the scale of grandeur continues with an 180ft library and 67ft high hall. The interior is lavishly decorated with guided tours available through the state rooms.
The 'Untold Story' tells Blenheims story through animated figures, video and projection technology while there is also an exhibition dedicated to Winston Churchill.

Sherborne Castle

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1969, Sherborne Castle opened its doors to the general public. Visitors from all over the world have been attracted to its outstanding collections of art and furniture, connection to Sir Walter Raleigh and to admire Capability Brown’s landscape. Sherborne Castle remains the family home of the Wingfield Digby Family.

Sherborne has had a castle since the 12th Century. Roger Bishop of Salisbury built a castle to the east of the Town to administer the western part of his large diocese. In early Tudor times the Bishops built a small Hunting Lodge in the deer park attached to the Old Castle from which to observe the chase.

Sir Walter Raleigh acquired the Old Castle in 1592. At first he tried to modernise it, but then he built a new house in 1594 in the deer park. It was on the site of the Hunting Lodge which he incorporated into the foundations. His house was rectangular and four storeys high, with large square-headed windows filled with diamond pane glass. In 1600 he added hexagonal turrets to the four corners of his house, topped with heraldic beasts. The house was rendered from the outset, in the latest fashion.

In 1617 the diplomat Sir John Digby acquired Sherborne Castle and he added four wings to Raleigh’s building, giving the house its present H-shape. He copied the style adopted by Raleigh, of square-headed windows, and balustraded roofs with heraldic beasts, and added hexagonal turrets at the end of each wing, so the house looks of one piece.
In the Civil War the Digbys fought for the Royalist cause and the Old Castle was garrisoned and suffered two sieges. After the second siege in 1645 Col Fairfax and his Parliamentarian army systematically demolished the Old Castle. Thus the name ‘Sherborne Castle’ came to be applied to the new house in the park.
In the eighteenth century later generations of the Digby family modernised the Tudor house, adding Georgian sash windows, panelled doors and white marble fireplaces and filling the house with fine furniture.
In 1787 an extension was added to the west side of the house which provided more bedrooms and improved staff accommodation and kitchens.
The Victorian period saw only one major re-modelling, in the Solarium (Raleigh’s Parlour), reflecting the respect the Wingfield Digby owners held for the antiquity and historical associations of the house. In the First World War the Castle was used as a Red Cross Hospital and it was requisitioned by the Army in the Second World War

Beaulieu Palace House

 

 

Palace House, once the gatehouse of the medieval Beaulieu Abbey, has been the Montagu family home since 1538.

In an idyllic New Forest setting, overlooking the picturesque Beaulieu River millpond, Palace House was remodeled and extended during the 1800s and is now a fine example of a Victorian country house. Inside, its ecclesiastical heritage sets the grand gothic tone for a home bristling with character and adorned with family treasures, portraits, and memorabilia.

Palace House was used as one of the primary locations in The Honourable Rebel, a new feature film based on Elizabeth Montagu's life. The Dining Hall and Drawing Room are just two of the rooms you may recognise in this fascinating true story of Edward 3rd Baron Montagu's older sister.

 Highcliffe Castle

Highcliffe Castle has been described as arguably the most important surviving house of the Romantic and Picturesque style of architecture, which flourished at the end of the 18^th century and the beginning of the 19^th century. Its significance is recognised nationally by its Grade 1 status on the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural and Historical Interest.

There is an international importance, too. For a large amount of medieval French masonry, shipped across the Channel, was used in its construction. It is this Norman and Renaissance carved stone, along with the Castle’s Gothic revival features and ancient stained glass, that make it appear older than it is.

Built mainly between 1831 and 1836, the Castle is the realisation of one man’s fantasy. He was Lord Stuart de Rothesay, a distinguished diplomat who had known and loved the cliff-top site overlooking Christchurch Bay since he was a boy. The magnificent building, once lavishly furnished in the 18th century French style remained a family home until the 1950s. In the late 1960s two fires rendered the building derelict and in 1977, to prevent futher deterioration, Christchurch Borough Council purchased it

Lulworth Castle

 

 

 

Lulworth Castle, built in the early 17th Century as a hunting lodge, became a country house at the heart of a large estate. Thomas Howard, 3rd Lord Bindon, built the Castle in order to entertain hunting parties for the King and Court. The Howards owned it until 1641 when it was purchased by Humphrey Weld, the direct ancestor of the present owners.
The exterior of the Castle changed little over the years but the interior evolved in line with changing fashions until it was gutted by a disastrous fire in 1929. Consolidation work on the ruin was started by the Department of the Environment and was followed through to completion in 1998 by English Heritage.

Lancaster Castle

 

Lancaster Castle, often known as John O' Gaunt's Castle is one of the most historically fascinating surviving buildings in the country. Its beginnings date back to Roman times when, from its commanding position on the hill overlooking the town of Lancaster and the River Lune, it stood as a bastion against the marauding forces of the ancient Picts and Scots tribes.

Owned by The Duchy of Lancaster (Her Majesty the Queen is the Duke of Lancaster), the castle has witnessed scenes of significant historical, cultural and political impact throughout the centuries. These include incidents of religious persecution, the trials of the 'Lancashire Witches' and 200 executions for everything from murder to stealing cattle.

Until 2011 it was a fully functioning HM Prison and today it is a magnificent 'living' monument, offering a glimpse into England's often dark past through tours and special events enjoyed by modern day visitors of all ages.

The Duchy of Lancaster is an ancient inheritance that began 750 years ago in 1265, when Henry III gifted to his son Edmund Crouchbank lands which had been forfeited by the Earl of Leicester, Simon de Montfort.

Later that same year, lands taken from Robert Ferrers, Earl of Derby were added to this holding. However, it was not until Edmund was given the 'county, honor and castle of Lancaster' in 1267 that it became known as the 'Lancaster inheritance'.

The title 'Duke of Lancaster' did not come into existence until it was conferred on Edmund's grandson Henry Grosmont in 1351. At the same time, Lancaster was made a County Palatine for Henry's

lifetime. This meant that the Duke had Royal powers within the county and could do practically everything that would otherwise be the king's privilege. The law courts were in the Duke's hands and he appointed the Sheriff, the Judges, and the Justices of the Peace, as well as all other senior officials.

Henry died without leaving a male heir in in 1362, so the title and inheritance became part of his daughter Blanche's dowry. Through her marriage, Blanche passed on both to perhaps the best

known Duke of Lancaster, her new husband, John O'Gaunt. The third son of King Edward III and the younger brother of the Black Prince, this was the 'time-honoured Lancaster' referred to by Shakespeare.

Over the next several years, John O'Gaunt added significantly to his wealth and possessions. On 28 February 1377, Edward III recreated the Palatinate for John's lifetime. In 1390, this grant was extended to include John's heirs. The Duke of Lancaster had now become one of the most important figures in the country.

When John died in 1399, the young King Richard II was fearful of the power that the Lancaster inheritance gave to his heir, Henry Bolingbroke. Richard therefore banished Henry from England and

took the Duchy of Lancaster title, lands and properties for himself. Bolingbroke returned to England at the head of an army and overthrew the King in 1399, reclaiming his historic Lancaster inheritance.

On his accession to the throne as Henry IV, Bolingbroke passed a Royal Charter which decreed that the Duchy should be a distinct entity held separate from all other Crown possessions and handed down through the Monarchy.

So it remains to this day. The Monarch is always the Duke of Lancaster - hence the historic Lancastrian toast 'The Queen, Duke of Lancaster!'. The title is always that of 'Duke' for both Kings and Queens. Today, Her Majesty the Queen is our Duke and, as such, is actively engaged and regularly updated on activities across Her Duchy estates.

Warwick Castle

 

 

 Warwick Castle is a medieval castle developed from an original built by William the Conqueror in 1068. Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England, situated on a bend of the River Avon. The original wooden motte-and-bailey castle was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. During the Hundred Years War, the facade opposite the town was refortified, resulting in one of the most recognisable examples of 14th century military architecture. It was used as a stronghold until the early 17th century, when it was granted to Sir Fulke Greville by James I in 1604. Greville converted it to a country house and it was owned by the Greville family, who became earls of Warwick in 1759, until 1978 when it was bought by the Tussauds Group. In 2007, the Tussauds Group merged with Merlin Entertainments, who is the current owner of Warwick Castle.

Berkeley Castle

 

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 and their home have played an important part in the power struggles of so many centuries.

The Castle is one of the March Castles, built to keep out the Welsh.

It has all the trappings to match: trip steps designed to make the enemy stumble during an assault, arrow slits, murder holes, enormous barred doors, slots where the portcullis once fell, and worn stones where sentries stood guard.

It is also a fairytale Castle with its warm pink stone that glows in soft sunset light. Outside, the battlements drop some 60' to the Great Lawn below; but inside the Inner Courtyard, the building is on a human scale, with uneven battlements, small towers, doors and windows of every shape and size. The surrounding land would have been flooded for defence.

The Family are the only English family still in existence in England that can trace its ancestors from father to son back to Saxon times. English history has been lived out within these walls - and by this family. The Castle is the oldest building in the country to be inhabited by the same family who built it.

For centuries, the Berkeleys were close to the throne, able administrators and fighters who supported their king or queen (as long as they could), backed the winning side, and married well. The Castle, naturally enough, is full of stories.

The archives, which are still housed in the Castle, date from 1154. They comprise around 25,000 documents relating to the estate, of which about 6,000 date from before 1490. These earlier records have all been catalogued: they consist mainly of title deeds and manorial accounts. The archives do not contain any personal records of the family.

Oxford Castle

 

When William the Conqueror took control of England after his victory at the Battle of Hastings Oxford was already a prosperous Saxon burgh, or walled town. William built a castle mound within the Saxon walls in 1071. The castle was a royal possession in name, but early Norman monarchs preferred nearby Beaumont Castle, so they left Oxford Castle in the care of hereditary constables drawn from the D'Oyly (or D'Oilly) family.

The initial castle was simply an earthwork mound, or motte, which would have been surmounted by a wooden palisade. The motte rises over 60 feet (roughly 20 metres). Within a few years constable Robert d'Oilly built the first stone fortifications, including a stone keep atop the mound. The keep is gone, but set into the earth beneath the top of the motte is a later 13th century well chamber.

D'Oilly founded a chapel here in 1074, dedicated to St George, administered by a college of canons. This is the first collegiate church founded in an English castle. From very early Norman times the canons included scholars within their number, so it is not too much of an exaggeration to suggest that St George's Chapel was the seed from which Oxford University grew. One of those scholars was Geoffrey of Monmouth, a Welsh monk who in 1136 wrote the stories from which our modern legend of King Arthur grew. Only a few columns of the chapel undercroft have survived (rather dramatically renamed The Crypt).

 

 

 

 

 

Castles Ruins

 

                     Caerphilly Castle

 

Caerphilly Castle is one of the great medieval castles of western Europe. Several factors give it this pre-eminence - its immense size (1.2h), making it the largest in Britain after Windsor, its large-scale use of water for defence and the fact that it is the first truly concentric castle in Britain. Of the time of its building in the late 13th century, it was a revolutionary masterpiece of military planning
One of Henry III's most powerful and ambitious barons, Gilbert de Clare, lord of Glamorgan, built this castle. His purpose was to secure the area and prevent lowland south Wales from falling into the hands of the Welsh leader Llywelyn the Last, who controlled most of mid and north Wales. De Clare built other castles on the northern fringes of his territory for the same purpose, such as Castell Coch. He had seized the upland district of Senghenydd, in which Caerphilly lies, from the Welsh in 1266 to act as a buffer against Llywelyn's southward ambitions. Llywelyn realised the threat and tried but failed to prevent the castle from being built; it was begun on 11 April 1268, was attacked by Llywelyn in 1270, and was begun again in 1271. This time it was completed without hindrance. Its message was not lost on Llywelyn, who retreated northwards. Apart from the remodelling of the great hall and other domestic works in 1322-6 for Hugh le Despenser, no more alterations were carried out, making it a very pure example of late 13th-century military architecture.

 

Christchurch Castle

 

 

 

 

 

    

Christchurch Castle is located in Christchurch, Dorset, England. The castle was originally known as Twynham Castle. Part of the keep walls remain surrounded by a rectangular moat. There is a ruined Norman domestic dwelling, known as the Constable's House, built within the original castle bailey in 1160. Most of the stonework survives, including a rare example of a Norman Chimney.
Christchurch Castle was built as a Norman motte and bailey castle around 1100 by Richard de Redvers, cousin of Henry I. The keep was thee storeys high with nine feet thick walls, and was probably added around 1300. The castle was besieged in 1147 during the war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda. During the English Civil War, the castle was a Royalist stronghold, and was destroyed after the war by Parliamentarian troops about 1652. The castle is now in ruins.

Corfe Castle

 

The first stone of Corfe Castle was laid more than 1,000 years ago. Since then it’s seen its fair share of battles, mysteries and plots. It’s been a treasury, military garrison, royal residence and family home.

The keep was built in the early 12th century for King Henry I, William the Conqueror’s son. It was designed to be impressive – and it certainly was. Standing 21m tall and on the top of a 55m high hill, this gleaming tower of Purbeck limestone could be seen from miles around.

 In the 17th century, as the Civil War raged around it, the castle stood firm. The Bankes family supported King Charles I (Cavaliers) against Oliver Cromwell (Roundheads). Lady Bankes defended it bravely during not just one, but two sieges, until finally she was betrayed by one of her own soldiers.

 After six centuries of keeping enemies at bay, an Act of Parliament was passed at Wareham to destroy the castle. Captain Hughes of Lulworth was given the job of demolishing it. His sappers dug deep holes packed with gunpowder to bring the towers and ramparts crashing down, resulting in the yawning gaps and crazy angles we see today

After a brief period of confiscation, the castle was handed back to the Bankes family and remained in their ownership for three and a half centuries.

In 1982 Ralph Bankes gave it to the National Trust along with the family's extensive holdings in Purbeck, their mansion at Kingston Lacy near Wimborne and its adjoining land. The Bankes estate was one of the most generous gifts in the Trust's history

 

Old Wardour Castle

 

 Old Wardour Castle, near Tisbury was once one of the most daring and innovative homes in Britain. It was built in the 14th century as a lightly fortified luxury residence for comfortable living and lavish entertainment. Today the castle ruin provides a relaxed, romantic day out for couples, families and budding historians alike. 

 The castle was the inspiration for the one featured in the Kevin Costner film 'Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves'

 Originally built by Lord John Lovell, the castle passed through the generations of this important family before being foreited to Henry VI and was held by the Crown until 1461. It passed back and forth between the Crown and the Lovell family for many years and was modernised by the Arundell family after acquisition in 1547. It survived two sieges before abandonment when New Wardour Castle was built nearby.

Sherborne Old Castle

 

 

Sherborne Castle remains the family home of the Wingfield Digby Family

Sherborne Old Castle is a romantic 12th century ruin set in beautiful grounds next to New Sherborne Castle.

After withstanding two sieges during the Civil War, only the Southwest Gatehouse and parts of the castle, including the Great Tower and the North Range, now survive. Loved by Sir Walter Raleigh, he leased the castle but when he was imprisoned in the Tower of London for marrying one of Queen Elizabeth I's maids of honour without her permission, it was then leased out but remained a favourite home of the famous explorer.

The castle grounds are a haven for wildlife and birds and it is an ideal spot for a picnic where you can take in the beautiful views across the surrounding countryside. Keep an eye out for 'Lady Betty's Pinks' during July & August, named after Sir Walter Raleigh's wife, Elizabeth, flowering throughout the ground

Conwy Castle

 

 

Conwy castle is a gritty, dark stoned fortress which has the rare ability to evoke an authentic medieval atmosphere. The first time that visitors catch sight of the castle, commanding a rock above the Conwy Estuary and demanding as much attention as the dramatic Snowdonia skyline behind it, they know they are in the presence of a historic site which still casts a powerful spell.

Conwy, constructed by the English monarch Edward I between 1283 and 1289 as one of the key fortresses in his 'iron ring' of castles to contain the Welsh, was built to prompt such a humbling reaction.

A distinguished historian wrote of Conwy, 'Taken as a whole, Conwy's incomparably the most magnificent of Edward I's Welsh fortresses'. In comparison to other great Edwardian castles it is also relatively straightforward in design, a reflection of the inherent strength of its siting.

There are no concentric 'walls within walls' here, because they were not needed. Conwy's massive military strength springs from the rock on which it stands and seems to grow naturally. Soaring curtain walls and eight huge round towers give the castle (a World Heritage Inscribed site) an intimidating presence undimmed by the passage of time.

The views from the battlements are breathtaking looking out across mountains and sea and down to the roofless shell of the castles 125ft Great Hall. It is from these battlements that visitors can best appreciate Conwy's other great glory, its ring of town walls.

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                  https://www.beaulieu.co.uk
                  http://www.conwy.com/
                  http://www.highcliffecastle.co.uk/
                  http://www.lancastercastle.com/history-heritage
                 http://www.arundelcastle.org/
                 http://www.berkeley-castle.com/
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