English Castles

English Castles

English Castles
English castles dominate the landscape of England. Hundreds of these massive fortresses were built during the Medieval era - a list many of the famous and historic English castles are detailed on this page. A concise history and several timelines of the following English castles is also available on the following links to old English Medieval castles.

The History of English Castles
The History of English castles date back to the Norman Invasion of 1066 and William the Conqueror. His success at the Battle of Hastings was partly due to bringing pre-built castles with his invasion fleet when attacking England. These wooden Motte and Bailey castles were fast to erect and afforded a power base and shelter for his men-at-arms and livestock. Up to this point there were very few English castles. The Bronze Age had seen the erection of Hillforts and Alfred the Great had adopted a strategy of building Burhs - fortified towns. A few English Motte and Bailey castles had been constructed by Normans who had been invited to England by King Edward the Confessor. The temporary wooden Motte and Bailey castles were quickly replaced by the permanent stone Norman castles which were dominated by their tower Keeps. The advantages of English castles were quickly perceived by the Medieval Plantagenet Kings and the concept of concentric castles were soon to dominate the English landscape. King Edward I continued the castle building initiated by his father Henry III and, with his chief architect and builder Master James of St George,  built massive Concentric Castles in England, Scotland and Wales. The strongly fortified concentric castles built a series of defences around the central keep. The history of English castles moved on again when the interiors of English castles became more luxurious. English politics changed and the King was not dependent on his nobles for support. Privately owned English castles which were built as power bases and strongholds came out of favour and English castles were built primarily as magnificent, or palatial, residences of the wealthy. The massive English castles developed into highly luxurious palaces. The comprehensive history of English castles can be accessed via the Castles Timeline and Sitemap at the top of the page.

The Most Famous of English Castles - The Tower of London!
The most famous of all English castles is the Tower of London. This is the oldest of English castles and its cruel bloody history dates back almost one thousand years! Its history during the early renaissance covers this famous English castle when it was used, in the fourteenth century, as a prison to some of the most famous people in English history.

Other Famous English Castles
There are many other famous Medieval Castles in Great Britain - the most famous English castles are

• Windsor

• Warwick

• Leeds

• Hever

• Dover

List of English Castles
The following list of English castles is not exhaustive but indicates the vast range of Medieval and Renaissance castles that can be found in England.

English Castles and Gardens
The most beautiful English castles provide the opportunity to not only, soak in the atmosphere of old Medieval castles, but also to enjoy the splendour of their beautiful gardens. English castles and gardens provide the opportunity to enjoy the history of the past and the beauty of the present day. Many of the castles have fully landscaped gardens. Formal gardens provide the opportunity to see unusual flowers and plants with examples of imaginative works of topiary and perfect lawns. Some English castles have gardens  with outstanding collections of exotic subtropical plants and 18th century and 19th century landscape gardens set among terraces and winding paths. The great old Castles of England with their unusual herb gardens reflect the life of 14th century fortresses and gardens.