Author Topic: Our local castle (Read 32305 times)

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #75 on:** 23 September, 2013, 10:10:02 am »

Quote from: fboab on 23 September, 2013, 10:02:20 am

I don't think rolling down would be fun at all. It's really very steep. I had to scramble down on my hands and erm, arse, mostly. The paths are slippy skiddy chalk.

Way back in the distant past I did a fair bit of manual labour.

My flabber is officially gasted at the thought digging and piling up that volume of earth and chalk, by hand.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #76 on:** 23 September, 2013, 10:12:44 am »

I don't think it's as big as Silbury Hill though and I bet they had better spades (and possibly wheelbarrows) by the Middle Ages.

L CC · « **Reply #77 on:** 23 September, 2013, 10:43:31 am »

Dr Wiki says that it's the second largest man made mound in England (Silbury being the largest) at 25 metres.
Wiki also estimates 24,000 man days for Thetford, vs 18,000,000 for Silbury. Silbury can be pretty confident at its 'most impressive' status.
Spades, but no pickaxes, apparently.

clarion · « **Reply #78 on:** 23 September, 2013, 11:00:33 am »

That's big. I thought the mottes at Conisborough and Clifford's Tower were big, but that is big.

Deano · « **Reply #79 on:** 29 September, 2013, 10:24:36 pm »

Ravensworth.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #80 on:** 01 October, 2013, 09:56:52 am »

Quote from: Deano on 29 September, 2013, 10:24:36 pm

Quote

When I first came here, this was all swamp. Everyone said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built in all the same, just to show them. It sank into the swamp. So I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So I built a third. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. .

Exit Stage Left · « **Reply #81 on:** 01 October, 2013, 10:06:59 am »

Quote from: mrcharly on 23 September, 2013, 10:10:02 am

Quote from: fboab on 23 September, 2013, 10:02:20 am
I don't think rolling down would be fun at all. It's really very steep. I had to scramble down on my hands and erm, arse, mostly. The paths are slippy skiddy chalk.

Way back in the distant past I did a fair bit of manual labour.

My flabber is officially gasted at the thought digging and piling up that volume of earth and chalk, by hand.

The main way that land could be improved in the past was by draining and marling. Both require the excavation of large amounts of clay and subsoil. A mound is generally built as a spiral trackway, like a helter skelter, and the trackway collapsed at the end.

Medieval paintings of the Tower of Babel, show the effect. The action of the carts and oxen would also consolidate the layers.

T42 · « **Reply #82 on:** 09 December, 2013, 09:20:26 pm »

A couple of ours, Lutzelhardt and Fleckenstein:

loafer · « **Reply #83 on:** 26 December, 2013, 05:25:20 pm »

David Martin · « **Reply #84 on:** 01 January, 2014, 11:18:24 pm »

This is probably my closest castle.

IMAG1922 by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Deano · « **Reply #85 on:** 02 March, 2014, 10:37:02 pm »

Definitely pushing "local" now - Lindisfarne Castle (and bonus ~~Bamber Gascoigne~~ Bamburgh Castle in the even farther distance).

Lindisfarne by dean.clementson, on Flickr

Deano · « **Reply #86 on:** 02 March, 2014, 10:45:52 pm »

Quote from: loafer on 26 December, 2013, 05:25:20 pm

Where's that, Larry?

billplumtree · « **Reply #87 on:** 23 March, 2014, 09:00:48 pm »

Pendragon Castle, Mallerstang:

(last one might also involve a bridge for CrinklyLion)

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #88 on:** 23 March, 2014, 09:27:51 pm »

Romantic ruin in a beautiful setting. Wonderful.

Blodwyn Pig · « **Reply #89 on:** 10 April, 2014, 08:03:34 am »

Not a 'castle' as such, but close, this is Cliffe Fort. I was once stopped from cycling past by a man in a flouro coat, and diverted. Apparantly its one of the few places left in England, where the import/export of explosive material is allowed. It arrives in unmarked , but subtly escorted lorries. Reason being I suppose , if it did go bang then there's nothing around there.