Where can I see a good castle?
How about the Tower of London?
Began by William the Conqueror, this iconic castle was built over hundreds of years by numerous kings of England including the formidable Edward I. William was desperate to have a stronghold in his newly conquered land where he was seen as the enemy of the English and the focus of numerous rebellions. Henry III (1216-72) and Edward I (1272-1307) transformed William’s Tower into one of the strongest castles in England by adding two sets of high curtain walls, one inside the other, to make it impregnable. Here you will find a royal residence used by kings for over 500 years as well a a notorious prison where they could incarcerate their rivals. It is where the crown jewels can be seen as well as well as being the last place that the two “Princes in the Tower” were last seen alive, the place where Henry VI was murdered, Guy Fawkes was tortured and where Anne Boleyn was imprisoned before her execution on Tower Hill.
What about great castles outside of London?
How about Dover Castle?
Medieval castles are widespread ranging from Dover in the south to Carlisle in the North.Dover has a very interesting history, dating from just after the Battle of Hastings and the Norman conquest right up to World War Two when it helped mastermind the evacuation of Dunkirk. Deep in those famous chalk cliffs under the iconic castle was an underground hospital for the casualties of the Second World War. Although outside the medieval period, a drive along the coast takes us to castles such as Deal Castle and Southsea Castle built by Henry VIII to defend England against the expected invasion of both French and Spanish forces who opposed his “Reformation” and choice of wife!
Enjoy spectacular medieval displays at Warwick Castle
Warwick is a wonderful place to learn about medieval castles. Warwick displays such key features as a huge barbican with a great example of an inpenetrable portcullis and its associated murder holes. You can see how castles could be attacked with an example of a huge catapult known as a trebuchet which could hurl huge rocks at the fortifications. This was also an early attempt at biological warfare in that dead and rotten animals could also flung over the the walls to spread disease amongst those who refused to give in. In the “Time Tower” you can “join characters from the castle’s past as they travel through time on an adventure quest through Warwick Castle’s dark history of bloodshed, death, treachery and destruction!”
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