Castles and Fortifications of England & Wales
Carew Castle © Luc Herman
         

Website Summary

 
This site contains information on over 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

 

New/Updated Info
May 2008 April 2008 Mar 2008 Feb 2008 Jan 2008 Dec 2007 Nov 2007 Oct 2007 Sept 2007 Aug 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007
   
Tonbridge Castle 11th CenturyCaerphilly Castle 13th CentruyOrford Castle 12th CenturyConisborough Castle 12th CenturyBodiam Castle 14th Century

 

 

 

Using the Site  
Use the Maps.... menu to select one of the 12 regions of England & Wales 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  
Over 730 of the sites have been photographed so far with your help.

If you can provide any photos of the castles or forts not yet photographed - click here for a list of some of the sites - then please email me

 
Books on Castles  
Mike Salter has lovingly produced a set of 34 paperbacks covering in great detail ALL the castles and other sites in the UK county by county. For more info visit Folly Publications ......... and take a book with you as you travel around!
 
         
www.ecastles.co.uk © Charles Taylor 1997 - 2008   Last updated: 01.05.2008