Castles


Book Description

Presents original maps, plans and archive illustrations alongside hundreds of photographs, showing ruins and surviving castles in their glory. This work includes descriptions of hundreds of special buildings, from remote ruins in isolated settings to imposing piles in towns and cities.







Castles of England, Scotland and Wales


Book Description

England, Scotland, and Wales together possess one of the largest and most impressive collections of castles anywhere in the world. Their names--Kenilworth, Edinburgh, Bodiam, Stirling, Tintagel--conjure images of romance, battles and intrigue. Trace each stage of the castles' development from Norman times through Plantagenet and Edwardian expansion, including their role in strengthening the coastline during the Tudor age, the appalling devastation suffered in the Civil War, and the gradual decay of the castle--and its renaissance.




Best Castles - England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales


Book Description

This is the ultimate book for days out with the family, visiting Britain and Ireland's greatest architectural and historical treasures. Many of the castles featured offer a wealth of things to see and do, from their beautiful settings and manicured gardens, to museum collections and re-enactment events. Not only does the book give you essential information for visiting the castles, but it also provides background information on the roles castles played and other interesting facts to make your visit more enjoyable. This book is beautifully illustrated with photographs of the castles.




The Medieval Castle in England and Wales


Book Description

This original and pioneering book examines the role of the castle in the Norman conquest of England and in the subsequent administration of the country. The castle is seen primarily as an instrument of peaceful administration which rarely had a garrison and was more often where the sheriff kept his files and employed his secretariat. In most cases the military significance of the castle was minimal, and only a very few ever saw military action. For the first time, the medieval castle in England is seen in a new light which will attract the general reader of history and archaeology as much as the specialist in economic and social history.







The Medieval Castles of Wales


Book Description

The purpose of the book is to give visitors to the medieval castles of Wales a concise but informative description of the main publicly accessible sites in a convenient format. An introductory chapter outlines the development of castle architecture in Britain, drawing on Welsh examples, with a number of ‘box features’ that elaborate more fully on particular aspects, such as gatehouses, or key personalities such as Llywelyn Fawr. Five chapters form a regionally based gazetteer of the castles described. Each entry is prefaced with a key to arrangements at each castle, such as whether there is an entry charge. The know history of any given site is then summarized, and this is then followed by the core of each entry, namely the description of the visible remains, to enable visitors to navigate their way around. Some of the descriptions of the larger sites are accompanied by plans. A final chapter provides a brief overview of castle-like buildings dating from the seventeenth century onwards, and this is followed by a guide to further reading.




The Castles of Britain and Ireland


Book Description

To many, medieval castles are the essence of Britain and Ireland's fascinating past. Immersed in history and centuries old, each one tells a story of Kings, Queens and feuding lords; war and bloody conflict; treason, revenge and murder. In Castles of Britain and Ireland, Rodney Castleden weaves a fascinating and detailed narrative of 115 of the grandest and most historically significant castles in the British Isles, including Balmoral in Scotland, Bunratty in Ireland, Caernarfon in Wales and St Michael's Mount in England. As well as the details of the construction, function, and often the destruction of these magnificent buildings, each chapter also tells the human stories behind these ancient walls, with fascinating details of everyday life within.







The Great Castles of Britain & Ireland


Book Description

Britain has a unique castle heritage, and "The Great Castles of Britain and Ireland" is a celebration of 50 beautiful, unique and fascinating castles. With stunning photography by Stephen Whitehorne, the bookms engaging commentary guides the reader around the interior and exterior of each castle: architecture, furnishings, artefacts and gardens. The text is peppered with fascinating snippets of historical information, including details of past residents and military action. Included are staples such as Caerphilly, Warwick and Dover, and also Pembroke, Bamburgh and Rochester among many others. This book is a true celebration and a real treat for anyone who is fascinated by castles. The engaging text is complemented by beautiful pictures which entice the reader and bring alive the unique and very different charms of each castle covered.Lise Hull is a freelance writer, castelologist and historian. After many years in the US Navy, she gained masterms degrees in Heritage Studies (from University of Wales, Aberystwyth) and Historic Preservation (from Indiana University). She runs Castles Unlimited, which focuses on the study and promotion of British castles. Lise Hull is the author of "Countries of the World: Scotland" (Times Media) and a forthcoming book on the castles of Glamorgan.Stephen Whitehorne is one of Scotlandms foremost landscape, architectual and travel photographers. He is the photographer and author to several walking guides to Scotland, including" Exploring the Highlands of Scotland" and" Walking the Scottish Highland Round" (both Cassell), as well as photographer on many other guides His work has been widely exhibited in the UK. Stephen also teaches photography, and is basednear Edinburgh.