Castles of Interest

[Pippa-Stef]

As we were getting carried away with castles on the World of Blyton thread I thought we might be good have a thread for them!

I'm looking forward to seeing three castles while I'm on holiday. Ludlow castle, Stokesay Castle and Clun castle being the other.

Three castles in three days. I'm looking forward to it.

One of ny favourite castles has to be Windsor Castle, expensive- yes but beautiful! In fact it has inspired a story idea!

What are your favourite castles?

[Katharine]

I'm glad to see you starting this thread. I don't know about favourite castles, but I've been to Arundel Castle, Bodium Castle, Framlingham Castle and Orford Castle. Probably several others, but I can't remember them at the moment.

I knew I'd think of some more:- Carisbrook , Carnarvon, Yarmouth and the ones at Deal and Dover. We went to Dover last year, and it was very impressive, we ran out of time to see everything as we were only there for an afternoon. Several of the rooms had been 'dressed' for the period the castle was built in.

Hedingham Castle is another good one, and so is one in Norfolk, the name of which escapes me. We've been members of English Heritage on and off for several years, so we usually manage to visit any castles in the area if we go on holiday.

I think I've also been to a castle in Scotland, began with a D, but as it was about 15 years ago, I can't remember what it was called.

[Lucky Star]

I've been to Arundel and Pevensey castles in Sussex, both are wonderful. Corfe castle of course must have a mention on a Blyton forum. Bodiam castle is also very evocative. Hever castle is another good one. There are many castles along the North Wales coastline which I would love to visit.

[Katharine]

Bodiam is certainly very memorable with the surrounding moat. I'd love to visit Corfe one day too.

[Lenoir]

I’ve been to a few castles acksherley, including Ludlow castle and also to Clun’s ruined castle.

[Moonraker]

Wardour Old Castle, near Tisbury. A real castle, although ruined, still has one tower standing.

[deepeabee]

I live just down the road from Chirk castle. It's a National Trust place and well worth a visit if you are North Wales way (or even north Shropshire).

[Fiona1986]

I love castles. It would take me forever to list all the ones I've been to (if I could remember them all!)

Some I do remember are Eilean Donan, St Andrews, Crathes, Urquhart, Drumlanrig and Cawdor.

And a particular favourite - though I've only been once - Brough Castle

[Pippa-Stef]

Gosh I am a ninny! I forgot St Andrew's Castle!!!

*facepalm*

[Daisy]

And a particular favourite - though I've only been once - Brough Castle

You mean you don't live there?

[Eddie Muir]

Glamis Castle must be Scotland's most beautiful castle:

http://www.glamis-castle.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glamis_Castle" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Poppy]

I've been to few castles before (more remains than actual surviving castles), and much enjoyed my visits. I've been round Richmond Castle which is a favourite, which I thoroughly enjoyed. My favourite visit to a 'castle like structure' was my visit to Durham Cathedral. I hope this comes under the castle subject. I think the thing which made it so enjoyable for me was that I had researched the building quite a lot, and learned some of it's history. This certainly made it very thrilling anyhow. Somehow, I like to see cathedrals more than castle's. As mighty and brilliant as castle's may be, Cathedrals seem to have a personality some how. I love the large stained glass windows and the high ceilings and stone steps. They seem peaceful, and thoughtful, beautiful and magnificent. I'm very lucky to live so near Durham Cathedral, as I realise people come from all over the world to visit this spectacular place. I hope to visit this place again sometime.

[Chrissie777]

As we were getting carried away with castles on the World of Blyton thread I thought we might be good have a thread for them!
I'm looking forward to seeing three castles while I'm on holiday. Ludlow castle, Stokesay Castle and Clun castle being the other.
What are your favourite castles?

Hi Pippa,

Great thread !
I spent 3 weeks in Great Britain in May 1981 and was mostly impressed by Bodium Castle, Warkworth Castle (the daffodils on the hill on which the castle ruin is located were in full bloom) and Corfe Castle (at that point I still did not know about the connection between FF and Corfe, but I had seen a beautiful picture of Corfe in a coffee table book and decided to visit it together with several other castles on that trip).
Windsor Castle was my last British Castle so far (end of November 2008).
I tried to visit Scotney Old Castle in 1981, but it was not open to the public on that day .
Warwick Castle was way too expensive (25 £ per person), so we had to give up on that, the same goes for the Tower of London and Mme Tussaud's. Didn't visit the Tower before November 2008.
Colchester Castle in Essex (late November 2008) harbors their Roman Museum...fascinating.
In 1981 I also went to Alnwick Castle, but Bamburgh Castle (which is close by) was more impressive as it's built almost on the beach.
On that same vacation we missed Leeds Castle, it was already closed for the day and we couldn't stay until the next morning. But we were able to visit Lindisfarne/Holy Island (has anybody seen the Donald Pleasance film "Cul-de-sac" by Roman Polanski, it was filmed on Lindisfarne).
We did drive by Arundel Castle, but had no time for checking it out .
Does St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall count as a castle? It's very beautiful and worth a trip. When it's high tide, you go to the little island by boat, at low tide you can walk over on a stone path. On a postcard I noticed that you can see that stone path even at high tide from high up in the air.
Is Lanhydrock a castle or a mansion?
Not to forget (St.?) Catherine's Castle in Fowey and those two castles on Tresco Island, Isles of Scilly.
I'm sure I forgot several British castles, but these are the ones I can think of.
Went to the Loire, Indre and Cher river in France in 1990 and spent 2 weeks visiting castles, often 2 castles per day.

One castle that I want to visit very badly is Old Slains Castle since I read "The Winter Sea" by Susanna Kearsley:

https://www.google.com/search?q=old+sla ... 63&bih=797" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And since I joined enidblyton.net several years ago and checked out the pictures of the other members, I would love to go to St. Andrews Castle in Scotland (my husband played golf at St. Andrews in May 2008...every golfers biggest dream!...but he had no idea that there is such an interesting castle to visit).

Being interested in Daphne DuMaurier's life, I also went in 1987 to the remains of that round castle in Cornwall, not too far from Fowey, but I forgot how it's called (Castle d'Or?).

[Francis]

deepeabee wrote

I live just down the road from Chirk castle. It's a National Trust place and well worth a visit if you are North Wales way (or even north Shropshire).

I saw that last year - the location is superb.
Castles near us are Guildford (built by William 11 and extended by king Stephen) whose keep and tower you can climb, Lewes Castle, and Farnham Castle. Most of them near us are early ones built in the years following the conquest.

[Francis]

I think Chrissie is the champion castle visitor - I very much admire her.