Top Ten Castles in the uk
Leeds Castle is in Kent, England, 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Maidstone. A castle has been on the site since 1086. In the 13th century it came into the hands of King Edward I, for whom it became a favourite residence; in the 16th century, Henry VIII used it as a dwelling for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.
Bodiam Castle (/ ˈ b oʊ d i ə m /) is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War.
Warwick Castle is situated in the town of Warwick, on a sandstone bluff at a bend of the River Avon. The river, which runs below the castle on the east side, has eroded the rock the castle stands on, forming a cliff.
Alnwick Castle (/ ˈ æ n ɪ k / ( listen)) is a castle and stately home in Alnwick in the English county of Northumberland. It is the seat of the Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman conquest, and renovated and remodelled a number of times.
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. It is the largest castle in England.
Bamburgh Castle occupies a strong defensive position on top of a volcanic rock. The site served as the capital of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Bernicia but was destroyed by the Vikings in AD 993.
Conwy Castle (Welsh: Castell Conwy, English: Conway Castle) is a medieval fortification in Conwy, on the north coast of Wales. It was built by Edward I, during his conquest of Wales, between 1283 and 1289.
Caernarfon Castle (English spelling Caernarvon) is one of the top tourist attractions in the whole of Wales – and one of the most impressive castles in the whole of the UK. Why so impressive? Well, the entire little fishing town of Caernarfon is wrapped within the castle’s mighty stone walls.
Dunstanburgh Castle is a 14th-century fortification on the coast of Northumberland in northern England, between the villages of Craster and Embleton. The castle was built by Earl Thomas of Lancaster between 1313 and 1322, taking advantage of the site's natural defences and the existing earthworks of an Iron Age fort.
Edinburgh Castle is a historic fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position on the Castle Rock. Archaeologists have established human occupation of the rock since at least the Iron Age (2nd century AD), although the nature of the early settlement is unclear.
Warkworth Castle is a ruined medieval building in the town of the same name in the English county of Northumberland. The town and castle occupy a loop of the River Coquet, less than a mile from England's north-east coast.
Rochester Castle stands on the east bank of the River Medway in Rochester, Kent, South East England. The 12th-century keep or stone tower, which is the castle's most prominent feature, is one of the best preserved in England or France.
Raby was the family's caput, their seat of power, and there may have been a fortified house on the site of the present building from around 1300. In the second half of the 14th century the Nevilles began rebuilding several of their properties in northern England, including Raby Castle between roughly 1367 and 1390.
Lincoln Castle is a major castle constructed in Lincoln, England, during the late 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress. The castle is unusual in that it has two mottes. It is only one of two such castles in the country, the other being at Lewes in Sussex.
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation.
Berkeley Castle (/ ˈ b ɑːr k l i / BARK-lee; historically sometimes spelt Berkley Castle or Barkley Castle) is a castle in the town of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, UK (grid reference). The castle's origins date back to the 11th century and it has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building.
History. Dating from 1086, Ludlow Castle has been privately owned by the Earls of Powis since 1811. Surrounded by the bustling Black & White Town of Ludlow
Carisbrooke was the strongest castle on the Island; though it is visible from some distance, it does not dominate the countryside like many other castles. There are traces of a Roman fort underneath the later buildings.
Carlisle Castle is situated in Carlisle, in the English county of Cumbria, near the ruins of Hadrian's Wall. The castle is over 900 years old and has been the scene of many historical episodes in British history.
Lewes Castle: One of the Oldest Castles in England Lewes Castle was one of the very first fortresses to be built in England, directly following the Norman conquest of 1066. It’s a brilliant example of a Motte and Bailey castle – probably one of the best examples in the whole of the UK.
The castle was bought by Sir Thomas Myddelton in 1593 for £5,000 (approx. £11 million as of 2008). His son, Thomas Myddelton of Chirk Castle was a Parliamentarian during the English Civil War, but became a Royalist during the 'Cheshire rising' of 1659 led by George Booth, 1st Baron Delamer.
Dunnottar Castle has played a role in numerous important moments of Scottish history. One of its grislier moments came during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Fearsome Edward I, King of England from 1272-1307, is commonly known by his nickname of “Hammer of the Scots”.
Tattershall Castle has its origins in either a stone castle or a fortified manor house, built by Robert de Tattershall in 1231. This was largely rebuilt in brick, and greatly expanded, by Ralph, 3rd Lord Cromwell, Treasurer of England, between 1430 and 1450.
Durham Castle: An Overview. Durham Castle has enjoyed a long history of continuous use, and is now home to students of University College, Durham. Beginnings. Construction of the Castle began in 1072 under the orders of William the Conqueror, six years after the Norman Conquest of England, and soon after the Normans first came to the North.
Belvoir Castle (/ ˈ b iː v ər / ( listen) BEE-vər) is a stately home in the English county of Leicestershire, overlooking the Vale of Belvoir (grid reference). It is a Grade I listed building.
Castle Drogo is a country house and castle near Drewsteignton, Devon, England. Constructed between 1911 and 1930, it was the last castle to be built in England. The client was Julius Drewe, the hugely successful founder of the Home and Colonial Stores.
Colchester Castle, front Colchester Castle, front and SE corner Colchester Castle in Colchester, Essex, England, is an example of a largely complete Norman castle.
Pendennis Castle is an artillery fort constructed by Henry VIII near Falmouth, Cornwall, England between 1540 and 1542. It formed part of the King's Device programme to protect against invasion from France and the Holy Roman Empire, and defended the Carrick Roads waterway at the mouth of the River Fal.
Lindisfarne Castle is a 16th-century castle located on Holy Island, near Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, much altered by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1901. The island is accessible from the mainland at low tide by means of a causeway.
Cardiff Castle (Welsh: Castell Caerdydd) is a medieval castle and Victorian Gothic revival mansion located in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales. The original motte and bailey castle was built in the late 11th century by Norman invaders on top of a 3rd-century Roman fort.
Carrickfergus Castle was established in 1177 and remained a prominent stronghold in Northern Ireland for over 700 years. Originally built by the Anglo-Norman nobleman John de Courcy, Carrickfergus Castle was modified repeatedly over the centuries as new weapons, tactics and threats brought fresh challenges to those defending the area.
Restormel Castle (Cornish: Kastel Rostorrmel) lies by the River Fowey near Lostwithiel in Cornwall, England, UK. It is one of the four chief Norman castles of Cornwall, the others being Launceston, Tintagel and Trematon. The castle is notable for its perfectly circular design.
Oxford Castle is a large, partly ruined Norman medieval castle on the western side of central Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. Most of the original moated, wooden motte and bailey castle was replaced in stone in the 11th century and played an important role in the conflict of the Anarchy.
Pembroke Castle (Welsh: Castell Penfro) is a medieval castle in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, West Wales. The castle was the original family seat of the Earldom of Pembroke. A Grade I listed building since 1951, it underwent major restoration during the early 20th century.
Harlech Castle is one of the most threatening castles in Wales. Discover the history of this beast, alongside photos and legends. Harlech Castle is one of the most threatening castles in Wales.
Lancaster Castle is a medieval castle in Lancaster in the English county of Lancashire. Its early history is unclear, but may have been founded in the 11th century on the site of a Roman fort overlooking a crossing of the River Lune.
Richmond Castle in Richmond, North Yorkshire, England, stands in a commanding position above the River Swale, close to the centre of the town of Richmond. It was originally called Riche Mount, 'the strong hill'.
Linlithgow Palace was built and added to over two centuries by the Stewart kings, resulting in a superb Renaissance residence. This impressive retreat was an ideal place for royals to break the journey between Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle.
Castle Lodge, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 7DR Set on a large natural mound, Launceston Castle dominates the surrounding landscape. Begun soon after the Norman Conquest, its focus is an unusual keep consisting of a 13th-century round tower built by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, inside an earlier circular shell-keep.
The historic sources are little help, since it is not always clear whether they refer to the motte near Welshpool station (Domen Castell), the Lady's Mound, in the park 300m west of Powis Castle, or the present site.
Balmoral Castle (/ b æ l ˈ m ɒr əl /) is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, near the village of Crathie, 6.2 miles (10 km) west of Ballater and 6.8 miles (11 km) east of Braemar.
Tamworth Castle is fun-sized Norman castle at the heart of Tamworth, Staffordshire. The town of Tamworth is a stone’s throw from Birmingham (England’s second city, depending on who you listen to) and it’s a pleasant little place.
Totnes Castle. A classic Norman motte and bailey castle, founded soon after the Conquest to overawe the Saxon town. A later stone shell-keep crowns its steep mound, giving sweeping views across the town rooftops to the River Dart.
Conisbrough Castle is a medieval fortification in Conisbrough, South Yorkshire, England. The castle was initially built in the 11th century by William de Warenne, the Earl of Surrey, after the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
Prudhoe Castle /ˈprʌdə/ is a ruined medieval English castle situated on the south bank of the River Tyne at Prudhoe, Northumberland, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building.
Chepstow Castle. Chepstow Castle (Welsh: Castell Cas-gwent) at Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales is the oldest surviving post-Roman stone fortification in Britain. Located above cliffs on the River Wye, construction began in 1067 under the instruction of the Norman Lord William fitzOsbern.
In its form, Tantallon follows on from the 12th-century castles of Bothwell and Kildrummy, as a castle of enceinte, or curtain wall castle. It was the last of this type to be built in Scotland, as the smaller tower house was becoming increasingly popular.
Pontefract Castle, in Yorkshire, England (or Pomfret Castle, as it was known at its time) used to be the most important, and most terrifying castle in the whole of Early Modern England. However, visitors today would find this unbelievable to understand.
Canterbury Castle is a Norman Castle in Canterbury, Kent, England (grid reference It is a five-minute walk from Canterbury East Station and main bus station around City Wall. Canterbury Castle was one of the three original Royal castles of Kent (the other two being Rochester Castle and Dover Castle).
The Longtown Castles Project, a local community project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, are conducting some interesting research and excavations to discover more about the origins of Longtown Castle and nearby Ponthendre Motte.
Nottingham Castle is a castle in Nottingham, England. It is located in a commanding position on a natural promontory known as "Castle Rock", with cliffs 130 feet (40 m) high to the south and west. In the Middle Ages it was a major royal fortress and occasional royal residence.