Exploring English Castles PDF Download

Author: Edd Morris
Publisher: Skyhorse
ISBN: 1634500091
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 893

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Book Description
A guide to some of the most historical and picturesque castles in England for romantics and Anglophiles alike. Castles have shaped England. For almost one thousand years, castles have been the settings of siege and battle, dens of plotting and intrigue, and refuges for troubled kings. Today, the romantic yet ruinous shapes of once grand fortresses stud the English countryside—a reminder of turbulent times past. Exploring English Castles provides readers with a breathtaking tour through the grandest castles of England. It brings ruins to life through true stories of royalty, chivalry, deception, and intrigue, played out within formerly majestic walls. Uncover the secret of Bodiam Castle, Sussex—a fortress seemingly from a fairy tale, built for a knight returning from the Hundred Years’ War. Discover how Mary Tudor, first queen of England, took refuge in Framlingham Castle, Suffolk, overturning a wily plot to deny her the throne. Unearth a delicate love story between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, which unfolds against the genteel backdrop of Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire. Filled with evocative photographs, awe-inspiring historical tales, and gentle humor, Exploring English Castles will delight any armchair historian, travel aficionado, or fan of historical fiction.

Author: Paul Johnson
Publisher: Orion Publishing Company
ISBN: 9780753802625
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 215

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Book Description
England, Scotland, and Wales together possess one of the largest and most impressive collections of castles anywhere in the world. Their names--Kenilworth, Edinburgh, Bodiam, Stirling, Tintagel--conjure images of romance, battles and intrigue. Trace each stage of the castles' development from Norman times through Plantagenet and Edwardian expansion, including their role in strengthening the coastline during the Tudor age, the appalling devastation suffered in the Civil War, and the gradual decay of the castle--and its renaissance.

Author: Lise E. Hull
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0313027447
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 246

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Book Description
The widespread construction of castles in Britain began as soon as Duke William of Normandy set foot on the shores of southern England in 1066. The castles that were constructed in the ensuing centuries, and whose ruins still scatter the British countryside today, provide us with an enduring record of the needs and ambitions of the times. But the essence of the medieval castle—a structure that is equal parts military, residential, and symbolic—reveals itself not only through the grandeur of such architectural masterpieces as the Tower of London, and the imposing nature of such royal residences as Windsor, but also in the aging masonry carvings, enduring battlements, and more modest earthen ramparts that have survived alongside them. Through a feature-by-feature account of the architectural elements and techniques used in constructing the medieval castle, author Lise Hull allows the multiple functions of these multifarious forms to shine through, and in so doing, lends a new vitality to the thousand faces that the medieval world assumed to discourage its enemies, inspire its friends, and control its subjects. This compelling investigation takes a unique look at each of the medieval castle's main roles: as an offensive presentation and defensive fortification, as a residential and administrative building, and as a symbolic structure demonstrating the status of its owner. Each chapter focuses on one specific role and uses concrete architectural features to demonstrate that aspect of the medieval castle in Britain. A wealth of illustrations is also provided, as is a glossary explaining the distinct parts of the castle and their functions. This book should be of interest to students researching architecture, the Middle Ages, or military history, as well as general readers interested in castles or considering a trip to Britain to observe some of these magnificent sites themselves.

Author: Christopher Gravett
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472800605
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 143

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Book Description
The simple castles raised after the Norman conquest had been developed throughout 11th and 12th centuries, whilst the introduction of Islamic and Byzantine fortification techniques from the late 12th century led to further developments in castle architecture. These fortifications were to be well tested throughout the course of the 13th century as England was riven by the conflict, characterized by prolonged sieges, between the monarchy and powerful magnates. As well as providing the focus for warfare, castles increasingly became the centres of their communities, providing a more permanent base for the lord, his family and retainers, as well as acting as centres for justice and administration.

Author: Bernard Lowry
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1784422150
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 81

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Book Description
Designed to dominate the surrounding area, to house powerful garrisons, offer sumptuous quarters for local nobility, and to discourage and repel enemy attacks, castles dominated England and Wales for more than half a millennium. Though some were built before 1066, the Norman Conquest left a lasting legacy in the form of fortifications ranging from small earthworks now barely discernible, to mighty and dominating stone fortresses. This book examines why castles were so essential to medieval warfare, their importance in domestic politics, and the day-to-day lives of those who lived and worked within them. It also shows how the development of new technologies affected their construction and design, and why they eventually fell into disrepair in the late Middle Ages. Beautifully illustrated with stunning photographs, this is the perfect guide for any castle enthusiast seeking to discover more about medieval fortifications and their inhabitants.

Author: Plantagenet Somerset Fry
Publisher: David & Charles Publishers
ISBN: 9780715326923
Category : Castles
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
Presents original maps, plans and archive illustrations alongside hundreds of photographs, showing ruins and surviving castles in their glory. This work includes descriptions of hundreds of special buildings, from remote ruins in isolated settings to imposing piles in towns and cities.

Author: Nicholas Harris
Publisher: Hammond World Atlas Corporation
ISBN: 9780843713954
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Youngsters can discover the inner-workings of a castle in this fun novelty book. Readers are encouraged to peek behind doors, windows and walls, and open foldouts of four detailed scenes that reveal castle life. Illustrations.

Author: W. Douglas Simpson
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0429511728
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Book Description
Originally published in 1957, Exploring Castles examines the 'classic' castle story. The book traces the origins of castles across England and Scotland, from the early Norman Castles, to Edwardian, all the way up to the ‘modern’ castles. The book case studies on individual castles, such as Newcastle upon Tyne’s castle, and the coverage of Scottish Tower Houses. The book looks at the influence of historic concepts surrounding the building of castles, such ‘bastard feudalism'. This book will be of interest to academics and students of history alike.

Author: Amicia de Moubray
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
ISBN: 9780711231788
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The unforgettable silhouette of Eilean Donan Castle at the confluence of three sea lochs in the Highlands, seen against the majestic backdrop of the mountains of Kintail, is an iconic image of Scotland and of Scottish history that adorns calendars, shortbread tins and whisky bottles worldwide. Not many people realise that the castle was only built in 1932. Along with Lutyens's slightly better known Lindisfarne of 1906, and Castle Drogo of 1930, it represents the astonishing survival of a nostalgia for the middle ages well into our own lifetimes. This book is the first to investigate and illustrate the phenomenon. ÿÿThese castles were not only (relatively) modest country houses in remote and rugged areas, but some were also colossal and fabulously expensive re-creations of complete medieval complexes like Herstmonceux, Leeds, Hever, Saltwood and Allington in Kent and Sussex, specifically chosen for their proximity and ease of commuting access to London. And beyond the conventional extravagance of the millionaire (often spending the money of his American wife) there were the demented fantasies of the likes of William Randolph Hearst whose St Donat's in Wales boasted thirty bathrooms and a swimming pool with underwater lighting, and Gordon Selfridge's Hengistbury with its proposed 300 bedroom suites and a tower as high as St Paul's. ÿ Amid all these extraordinary fantasies, and the almost equally extraordinary stories associated with them, however, is a more serious narrative about the conservation and restoration of historic monuments. And, at the end of the twentieth century, when the conservation battles have been more or less resolved, again there is an almost incredible resurgence of neo-medievalism with brand-new castles being built in England, Scotland and Wales, often against substantial opposition, but undoubtedly resulting in remarkable and impressive structures. This book tells their story.

Author: Plantagenet Somerset Fry
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780715312551
Category : Castles
Languages : en
Pages : 312

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Book Description
This text aims to bring to life every aspect of castles and castle life: why and how they were built; the weapons that were used; their social life in ordinary and extraordinary times; their provisioning; their maintenance; and their changing role in a continually evolving political climate.