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CastleUK Blog
October 2009
The blog page, a place where I can record and then archive my monthly updates and what's new in our hunt for castles UK.
This months castles and towers, are the last sites for now from the east side of up north, this time it's Northumberland to people above Scotch Corner.
September was holiday time and we switched off from the castle hunting and working on the website, better to think about beer, sand and sun. That's why everything late, I find it hard to get back into the groove sometimes but I'm now getting back up to speed and once again thinking total castle, is that sad, fun or just hard work or maybe its all three. I feel that when you get to your middle-ish years, you need a passion, something to focus your way ahead, I've found mine and why I enjoy sitting at this computer for hours on end, day after day, working on a website I can never finish, I don't know.
One good thing I did in September was to put an end to my daily 300 spam emails and funny as it might seem, I was also paying to get them. I mean how clever is that, let's just say to the world come on send them all to me, I'll take them I need all that rubbish you want me to buy. Well I don't, just like everyone else and it's a pain to look through them in case they's an email I want among them but no more. I was paying to have any name @ my website's name emails and it would come to me, so it was all quite simple, stop paying and just use the 5 free names my service providers give me and bingo I'm now down to 10 spam a day, it's just bliss for now!!
Anyway onward upwards, it's time to start on a plan to hunt castles around Berwick-upon-Tweed, there's lots of sites to get your teeth into, such joy.
Click on the pictures, for more information.
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Castell Dinas Bran, OS 117/SJ 222-430 Denbighshire Wales, is this months wallpaper.
The picture was taken in September 2007 and the view is of the scant remains of the postern gate.
Well this is one of the iconic Welsh castles and not to be missed but having said that you can't miss it, if your on the A6 around Llangollen, its up there on that hill. You just have to stop and take a look, thinking how did they build that up there and is it possible to get to it, because from the road its high, very high. A footpath starts at Panorama Walk, which takes a bit of the hill out of it, at first it's a nice flat walk but soon its straight up and 30 minutes later we hit the top, great views and there's enough of the castle to make it worth while. Started to have a look around, only to see a big black cloud coming our way and there's no cover to run for, so when the first drops hit us, we just had to head back down, luckily by the time the big drops came, we were in the car. |
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Aydon Castle, OS 87/NZ 001-663 Northumberland England.
Was originally a 13th century timber-framed manor house, founded by Hugh de Reymes. Sited with three sides standing against the steep banks of the Cor Burn, in 1305 Robert de Reymes fortified the manor with battlements and walls, after King Edward I granted him a licence to crenellate. The site is owned by English Heritage and is open, Thursday to Monday April to September 10:00-5:00pm.
One of the finest and most unaltered examples of a 13th century English manor house and a must for all castle hunters. There's plenty to see and lots of interlinking rooms, it's a great place to play where's the castle spotter, she fast over the ground and won't wait for me, now she's gone again!! |
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Low Hall, OS 87/NY 991-643 Northumberland England.
Was originally an early 14th century stone ground-floor hall house, with a two storey solar block. In the mid to late 15th century, the Baxter family converted the solar block into a rectangular tower house, known as Baxter's Tower. The site is a private residence, with no public access and is only visible from the road.
This is the forgotten tower in Corbridge, the one people miss, which is a pity because it's a good looking tower and hall house. It's private but to can get up close and there's a plaque by the gate, nice one. |
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Halton Castle, OS 87/NY 997-678 Northumberland England.
Was originally a 13th century timber-framed manor house and barmkin, which was burnt by William Wallace. In the early 14th century, John Halton added a T-plan hall house and solar block, built of reused stone from Onnvm Roman Fort. In the late 14th or early 15th century, William Carnaby founded the castle when adding a rectangular four storey tower house, probably built as a defended stronghold against attacks from Scottish raiders. The site is a private residence, with no public access and is only visible from the road.
A good looking castle and you can get good views from the road and church, also there's an unblemished view of the Northumberland country side, nice place to rest a while. |
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Vicars Pele, OS 87/NY 988-644 Northumberland England.
Is an early 14th century stone rectangular vicar's tower house, possibly founded by the lords of Warkworth. Standing in St Andrews churchyard and built of reused stone from Corstopitum Roman camp, it was probably built as a defended stronghold against attacks from Scottish raiders. The site is freely accessible in daylight hours.
Great pele tower here, I believe it opens sometime but I can't find out when and I do wish it would stop raining every time we visit Corbridge, it's a nice little market town and we'd like to have a good look around. |
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