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CastleUK Blog
April 2008 |
The blog page, a place where I can record and then archive my monthly updates and what's been happening in my hunt for castles UK.
This months castles, are from Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.
March was a busy month for us, we did a bit of castle hunting down south and visited some good sites around Sevenoaks. Once again I received an email, this time from Paul, which said 'unless I am mistaken there is no reference to Somerton Castle which is located south of Lincoln, west of the village of Boothby Graffoe'. Well why not put it on, we visited this site over 10 years ago so it was time I did something with the pictures!
The early Easter holiday, Ebay and the rip out and fitting of our bathroom, (didn't have a bath for two weeks and boy were we glad when it was finished), all kept me away from my website. Also when looking at my old pages in maps 120 and 121, I just had to update them, putting in the new pictures I had taken of Bolsover and Worksop Castles but it all takes time, time, time.
So better late than never, here's the update and blog, trouble is I'm already behind with May's update and I don't yet know which castles I'm going to be putting on!!
Click on the picture, for more information. |
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Conwy Castle, OS 115/SH 784-775 Caernarfonshire Wales, is this months wallpaper.
The picture was taken in April 2006, looking across the town, from the high tower in Plas Mawr, which is an architectural gem and the finest surviving town house of the Elizabethan era to be found anywhere in Britain. Mind you Conwy is a gem full stop, don't wait, just go! |
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Somerton Castle, OS 121/SK 954-588 Lincolnshire England, is a late 13th century stone quadrangular fortress, founded by Anthony Bek, bishop of Durham. In 1281, King Edward I granted him a licence to crenellate his manor but by 1309 the castle had been given to King Edward II. The site is private but visible from the road, well you can't really miss it, the earthworks are huge and very impressive, worth a look. |
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Heydour Castle, OS 130/TF 007-397 Lincolnshire England, was originally an important medieval manorial complex, which can be identified with the Craon fee. During the Anarchy, in the reign of King Stephen, it is possible that the castle was fortified and the earth and timber ringwork and bailey defences built. The site is visible from the road, its been so long since I visited this site, that I can't remember anything about it, good job I took a couple of pictures!! |
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Castle Hill Hough-on-the-Hill, OS 130/SK 924-464 Lincolnshire England, is a medieval earthwork motte and bailey fortress, built on land which was held by Ralf the Staller, in 1066. From the bailey platform, a natural mound was scarped to make a steep-sided motte, encased by a ditch. The site is behind the church and is freely accessible in daylight hours, funnily enough I can remember this site. Some things just stick in the mind, the church of All Saints, with its semicircular stair projection on the tower and the cat you can see in the picture on the main page. What you can't see is the castle spotter, who been rubbed out of the picture, she was sat, reading and the cat came and sat upright next to her, I've never seen a cat sit and acted like that before or since. Nice site, go and find your cat! |
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King John's Palace, OS 120/SK 603-468 Nottinghamshire England, is a mid 12th century fortified timber royal residence or hunting lodge, founded by King Henry II. Possibly built on the site of a chapel, founded by King Edwin of Northumbria, the palace was rebuilt in stone, in 1176-80. The site is visible from the road, this is another site I need to go back to and see if I can get a bit closer. |
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