|
CastleUK Blog 2012
 A place where I can record and then archive my monthly updates and what's new in our hunt for castles UK.
In January, I'm still thinking Tablet, most of the time thinking I'm I ever going to finish centralizing the words in the 800 castle pages plus checking and updating all the links, changing the opening times and changing the names of castles that I've got wrong.
I've finish East Anglia, Scotland and started on the Midlands but it's taking so long that at Aslockton Castle which is now called Cranmer's Mound Aslockton, I've stopped moving the small pictures and map links to below the words next to the map. I'm just centralizing and updating times, links and names and I'm well into the North with that but I'm not it's going to be finish before the middle of the year because I'll have to go back and move the small pictures and map links, I must be mad.
See you soon, Chris.
For more information, click on the pictures.
|
 Craigmillar Castle, OS 66/NT 288-709 Midlothian Scotland, is this months wallpaper.
The picture was taken in January 2010 and
the view looks at the top of the mighty tower house encased by outer walls, defended by round towers, pierced by gun-loops. This is the second and last wallpaper snow picture for this year.
|
 Kenilworth Castle, Elizabethan Garden OS 140/SP 278-723 Warwickshire England, was January's wallpaper.
The picture was taken in late November 2010 and the view of the Elizabethan Garden was taken from the keep. This is the first of my 2 snow pictures, for this wallpaper year. |
 Ashby de la Zouch Castle, OS 128/SK 361-166 Leicestershire England.
Was originally a mid 12th century stone fortified manor house, founded by Alain de Parrhoet, la Zouch. In 1474, William, Lord Hastings was granted a licence to crenellate and he founded the tower and courtyard fortress. To the original hall, kitchen and solar block, he added a chapel and the keep-like Hastings Tower.
The site is owned by English Heritage and is open daily, July and August 10:00-5:00pm, Thursday to Monday April to June, September and October 10:00-5:00pm, November to March 10:00-4:00pm. New write up and pictures to the castle pages, it's a great one to visit, go and climb the tower. |
 Duffield Castle, OS 128/SK 343-441 Derbyshire England.
Is a late 11th century earthwork motte and bailey fortress, founded by Henry de Ferrers. Standing on a prominent knoll, the motte is encased by a wide ditch and to the west the bailey was defined by two ditches. The earthwork castle was destroyed in 1173 but in the late 12th century William de Ferrers crowned the motte with a large stone keep, a forebuilding and a deep well.
The site is owned by The National Trust and is freely accessible in daylight hours, from Milford Road steep steps ascend the knoll. New write up and pictures to the castle pages, them bad de Ferrers boys, made this very impressive early castle in a prominent position, a sad tarmac covered place. It would be better if The National Trust covered it in grass again, with a sign saying 'On this motte stood the great keep of Duffield, a considerable 30m square building, with a forebuilding and a deep well'. |
 Nether Abington, OS 72/NS 932-249 Lanarkshire Scotland.
Is a well preserved 12th century earthwork motte and bailey fortress. Standing on the west bank of the River Clyde, the sub-circular, flat-topped motte is encased by a ditch and crowned by a modern stone memorial. Defended on the east by the river, a natural wide gully to the south and a marsh to the west, the motte is located at the south-east angle of the horseshoe shaped bailey.
The site is freely accessible in daylight hours, nice spot by the banks of the river and the layout of the castle is all there. I don't know why the memorial on the motte is to a postmaster who fished. |
 Roberton, OS 72/NS 940-270 Lanarkshire Scotland.
Is a large mutilated 12th century earthwork motte, probably founded by Robert the Fleming. Standing above a bend of the River Clyde, the motte is now a horseshoe shape, after a large northern trench was dug in the 1960s. Formerly with steep-sides, a flat-top and encased by a ditch, the possible site of a bailey is now occupied by farm buildings.
The site is visible from the road but you can get close enough to get a good look. |
|
