This site contains
information on 750 English and Welsh castles, fortified manor houses, Bishop's
palaces and Pele towers constructed over the last twenty centuries. These range
from the most impressive and powerful of structures like Windsor and
Dover Castles to worn earthworks that are all that are now left of
sites such as Burwell Castle.
There is also information on 250 of the mainly 18th and 19th century coastal
forts and gun batteries that still stand around the south coast.
The first stone fortifications were constructed by the Romans in the
1st Century, and they were so well built that many of the walls
are still standing. The next wave of castle
building started in 1066 in all the major towns
and cities after the Norman
invasion. Between then and the year 1200, well over two and a half thousand castles were erected. The majority
were simple earth and timber castles and have now either vanished
or exist only as a motte, a grassy mound, or earthworks........more
Use
the Maps.... menu to select one of the
12 regions of England & Wales to explore and then either
click on the castle icons, or use the
dropdown lists on each of the map pages.
To find a specific castle or fortification use either the Search....
menu for A - Z listings or use the Site
Map to search by county.
Photographs
600
of the most important sites have been photographed so far, many with
your help.
If you can provide any photos of the castles
or forts not
yet photographed - click here
for the list of sites - or if you have any other information
on these then please
email me
Turner
& British Castles
JMW
Turner
(1775-1851) was one of Britain's greatest artists. Throughout his life he had a particular interest in painting and drawing
the most dramatic of the castles of England and Wales..............
more
JMW
Turner
(1775-1851) was one of Britain's greatest artists. Throughout his life he had a particular interest in painting and drawing
the most dramatic of the castles of England and Wales..............