The Best Castles to Visit: 2013

Wednesday, 25 September 2013

The Tower of London

The White Tower, the Norman keep at the centre of the castle, was contructed in the late 11th Century, in the reign of William the Conqueror. The castle is located on the north bank of the River Thames, in London, England. The castle has served at various times as a royal residence, fortress, prison, armoury and treasure house. It is a popular tourist attraction.

Video of The Tower of London.

Sunday, 22 September 2013

Llansteffan Castle

Llansteffan Castle is a 12th century Norman castle, contructed within the still visible defensive ditches of an earlier iron age promontory fort. It is situated on a headland overlooking the mouth of the River Tywi and Camarthen Bay, in Wales.

Video of Llansteffan Castle.

Nunney Castle

Nunney Castle is a 14th century stone keep located in Somerset, England. It has four corner towers and is surrounded by a water filled, defensive moat.

Aerial video of Nunney Castle.

Friday, 20 September 2013

Carreg Cennen Castle

Carreg Cennen Castle is located on a steep limestone promontory in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. Construction is thought to have begun in the 12th century, and it was in a ruined state by the 15th century. A cave beneath the castle contains a freshwater spring.

Video of Carreg Cennen Castle.

Flint Castle

Flint castle is located on the coast of North Wales, at the mouth of the River Dee. It was constructed in the late 13th century under the rule of Edward I. It is of square layout, but distinctive in that one of the four corner towers is enlarged and isolated to form the main keep.

Aerial video of Flint Castle.

Rhuddlan Castle

Rhuddlan Castle was constructed in the late 13th century, under the rule of Edward I. The layout is a distinctive diamond shape, with six corner towers. It is located beside the River Clwyd in north Wales.

Aerial video of Rhuddlan Castle.

Thursday, 19 September 2013

Dolbadarn Castle

Dolbadarn Castle was constructed in the early 13th century. It is located on a hill overlooking the lake of Llyn Padarn, at the base of Llanberis Pass, in North Wales. The stone keep is an example of a Welsh round tower.

Aerial video of Dolbadarn Castle.

Dunstanburgh Castle

Dunstanburgh Castle was constructed in the early 14th century, and was described as being in a ruined state by the early 16th century. It is located on a scenic, rocky headland on the coastline of Northumberland, in England.

Video of Dunstanburgh Castle.

Hedingham Castle

Hedingham Castle is a Norman motte and bailey castle in Essex, England. The surviving stone keep dates to the mid 12th century and is mostly intact, apart from missing two of its original four turrets.

Video of Hedingham Castle.

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

Portencross Castle

Portencross Castle is located on a rocky outcrop on the west coast of Scotland, overlooking the Firth of Clyde. It is thought to have been moved from a nearby hill and reconstructed, in the 14th century.

Tuesday, 17 September 2013

Warwick Castle

Warwick Castle's earliest phase was a Norman timber motte and bailey castle, which was replaced in the 12th century with a stone castle. The castle's distinctive towers mostly date to the 14th and 15th centuries. The castle is located on a bend of the river Avon, in Warwickshire, England.

Aerial video of Warwick Castle.

Framlingham Castle

Framlingham castle dates to the 12th century, and is located in Suffolk, England. It has a curtain wall with 13 towers, but no central keep.

Video of Framlingham Castle.

Friday, 13 September 2013

Carrigadrohid Castle

Carrigadrohid is a 15th century castle built on a rock in the middle of the River Lea, in County Cork, Ireland. It is connected to a stone bridge which crosses the river.

Video featuring Carrigadrohid castle.

Thursday, 12 September 2013

Hadleigh Castle

Hadleigh Castle was constructed in the 13th century, and is located on a hill overlooking the Thames estuary in Essex, England. Land subsidence has left it in a ruined condition, although one tower still stands to its original height.

Wednesday, 11 September 2013

Greenan Castle

Greenan Castle is a 16th century tower house perched dramatically on a coastal promontory. It is located in South Ayrshire, on Scotland's west coast.

Tuesday, 10 September 2013

Portchester Castle

Portchester is a moated medieval castle built within a roman fort. The castle is thought to have been founded in the 11th century, while the Roman fort dates to the 3rd century. It is located in Hampshire, England.

Aerial video of Portchester Castle.

Friday, 6 September 2013

Ogmore Castle

Ogmore Castle is located on the banks of the River Ewenny, near Bridgend in Wales. It is a ruined Norman castle constructed in the early 12th century.

Aerial video of Ogmore Castle.

Coity Castle

Coity Castle is a ruined Norman castle built in the 12th century. It is located near the town of Bridgend in Wales.

Aerial video of Coity Castle.

Thursday, 5 September 2013

Castle Sween

Castle Sween dates to the late 12th century, and is thought to be one of the earliest stone castles in Scotland. It is located on the coast of Loch Sween, Argyll.

Video of Castle Sween.

Dunstaffnage Castle

Dunstaffnage Castle was constructed in the 13th century. It is built on a rock outcrop near the coast, at the entrance to Loch Etive, Scotland.

Aerial video of Dunstaffnage Castle.

Duart Castle

Duart Castle is located on a rocky outcrop on the coast of the island of Mull, Scotland. Its construction dates back to the 13th century.

Video of Duart Castle.

Gylen Castle

Gylen Castle is located on a rocky promontory on the coast of the island of Kerrera, near Oban in Scotland. It was constucted in the 16th century.

Video of Gylen Castle.

Tuesday, 3 September 2013

Castle Stalker

Castle Stalker is a medieval keep located on a tidal island in Loch Linnhe, on the west coast of Scotland. It was constructed in the 14th to 15th century.

Video of Castle Stalker.

Monday, 2 September 2013

White Castle

White Castle was constructed in the 13th century on earlier Norman foundations. It is one of "The Three Castles" along with Grosmont Castle and Skenfrith Castle, and is located in Monmouthshire, Wales.

Aerial video of White Castle.

Skenfrith Castle

Skenfrith Castle was constructed in the 13th century, on the foundations of an earlier Norman castle. It is located beside the River Monnow in Monmouthshire, Wales, and is one of "The Three Castles" along with White Castle and Grosmont Castle.

Aerial video of Skenfrith Castle.

Grosmont Castle

Grosmont Castle was constructed in the 13th to 14th century, on the remains of an earlier Norman motte and bailey castle. It is located in Monmouthshire, Wales and is one of "The Three Castles", along with White Castle and Skenrith Castle.

Video of Grosmont Castle.

Corfe Castle

Corfe Castle was built in the 11th century in the reign of William the Conqueror. It is located at a gap in the Purbeck Hills, in Dorset, England.

Aerial video of Corfe Castle.

Sunday, 1 September 2013

Castle Tioram

Castle Tioram, also known as Dorlin Castle, is located on a tidal island in Loch Moidart, on the west coast of Scotland. The oldest parts of the castle are thought to date to the 13th century.

Video of Castle Tioram (Interior currently closed for safety reasons).

Wednesday, 28 August 2013

Pembroke Castle

Pembroke Castle is located on a promontory beside the River Cleddau, in Wales. Most of the castle's structure dates to the 12th century.

Tuesday, 27 August 2013

Dover Castle

Dover Castle was founded in the late 12th century, in the reign of Henry II. The site was occupied since early times, and includes the remains of a roman lighthouse. It is located on the coast of Kent, England.

Video of Dover Castle.

Wednesday, 21 August 2013

Restormel Castle

Restormel is a Norman Castle built in the 12th century. Its located near the River Fowey, in Cornwall, England.

Video of Restormel Castle.

Launceston Castle

Launceston Castle is a Norman Motte and Bailey castle built in the 11th century. It is located in Cornwall, England.

Aerial video of Launceston castle.

Okehampton Castle

Okehampton Castle is a ruined Norman Motte and Bailey castle. It was built in the 11th century, and is located in Devon, England.

Aerial video of Okehampton castle.

Tuesday, 20 August 2013

Castle Roche

Castle Roche is a norman Castle constructed in the early 13th century. It is located on a rocky outcrop in County Louth, Ireland.

Video of castle Roche.

Dunguaire Castle

Dunguaire Castle was built in the 16th century, and is located on the shore of Galway Bay, in Ireland.

Ballycarbery Castle

Ballycarbery Castle was constructed in the 16th century. It is located on the coast of County Kerry, Ireland.

Video of Carberry Castle.

Monday, 19 August 2013

Trim Castle

Trim Castle is a Norman castle located beside the River Boyne, in County Meath, Ireland. Construction started in the late 12th century.

Video of Trim Castle.

Ross Castle

Ross Castle was constructed in the late 15th century. It is located on the shore of Lough Leane, in Killarney National Park, Ireland.

Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle is located in County Cork, Ireland, and was constructed in the mid 15th century. The castle is known for its tradition of kissing the Blarney Stone.

Video of Blarney Castle.

Friday, 16 August 2013

Raglan Castle

Raglan Castle is located in Monmouthshire, Wales. It's constuction began in the 15th century. The castle's hexagonal keep is surrounded by a water-filled moat.

Video of the view from the top of Raglan Castle.

Harlech Castle

Harlech Castle is located on a rocky coastal hill in Wales. It was constructed in the late 13th century in the reign of Edward I.

Video of a visit to Harlech Castle.

Chepstow Castle

Chepstow Castle is situated on cliffs above the River Wye, in Wales. Construction began in 1067, in the reign of William the Conqueror.

Video showing Chepstow Castle's clifftop location.

Kilchurn Castle

Kilchurn Castle dates from the 15th and 17th century and is located on the shore of Loch Awe, in Scotland.

Aerial video of Kilchurn Castle.

Dunnottar Castle

Dunnottar Castle is located on a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland. Most of the surviving ruins are from the 15th and 16th century, but the headland was occupied since the early medieval period.

Aerial video of Dunnottar castle.

Thursday, 15 August 2013

Ardvreck Castle

Ardvreck Castle was constructed in the late 16th century. It is located on the shore of Loch Assynt in Sutherland, Scotland.

Aerial video of Ardvreck castle ruins.

Eilean Donan Castle

Eilean Donan castle was founded in the 13th century. It is located on a small rocky island on the west coast of Scotland. A stone bridge to the island was added when the castle was restored in the early 20th century.

Aerial video of Eilean Donan castle

Castle Sinclair Girnigoe

Castle Sinclair Girnigoe was built around the late 15th century, and is located on the coast of Caithness, Scotland.

Aerial video of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe.

Keiss Castle

Keiss castle was built in the late 16th century, and is located on the coast of Caithness, Scotland.

Aerial video of Keiss Castle.

Urquhart Castle

Urquhart Castle was founded in the 13th century and is located on the western shore of Loch Ness in Scotland.

Aerial video of Urquhart castle.