Author Topic: Our local castle (Read 33114 times)

mcshroom · « **Reply #100 on:** 08 July, 2014, 10:25:58 am »

My most local castle - Egremont Castle. Built by the de Lucy family to look over the river crossing, nowa ruin set in a garden

Also slightly further South, Muncaster castle where our choir sang at a wedding a few weeks back

jogler · « **Reply #101 on:** 08 July, 2014, 10:29:43 am »

I was suprised some years ago to discover that Kendal has a castle.

I don't know why.Perhaps it's because I associate Wales & Scotland with castles as a result of Edward I having noisey neighbours

mcshroom · « **Reply #102 on:** 08 July, 2014, 11:09:42 am »

Not so sure about Westmorland and the Furness, but Cumberland was actually part of Scotland until the 13th century. There's also been lot of Roman activity as support networks to the wall. For example the Hadrian's Cycle way starts at the remains of a Roman Bath house in Ravenglass.

billplumtree · « **Reply #103 on:** 08 July, 2014, 12:44:10 pm »

Quote from: mcshroom on 08 July, 2014, 10:25:58 am

My most local castle - Egremont Castle.

Yay! About bloomin' time an'all!!

billplumtree · « **Reply #104 on:** 08 July, 2014, 12:48:19 pm »

Quote from: jogler on 08 July, 2014, 10:29:43 am

I was suprised some years ago to discover that Kendal has a castle.

It's got two! An old one and a new'un, on opposite sides of the river: you can see one from t'other. I've been meaning to take pics for this thread for ages...

Quote

I don't know why. Perhaps it's because I associate Wales & Scotland with castles as a result of Edward I having noisey neighbours

There are loads of castles, pele towers and fortified whatnots round these parts. I blame the Scots, mostly.

jogler · « **Reply #105 on:** 08 July, 2014, 12:50:15 pm »

Quote from: billplumtree on 08 July, 2014, 12:48:19 pm

Quote from: jogler on 08 July, 2014, 10:29:43 am
I was suprised some years ago to discover that Kendal has a castle.

It's got two! An old one and a new'un, on opposite sides of the river: you can see one from t'other. I've been meaning to take pics for this thread for ages...

Obviously I should have gone to spec savers

I'll look forward to your pics

Bledlow · « **Reply #106 on:** 08 July, 2014, 01:56:26 pm »

Should we rule out fake 19th century castles, & manor houses which were crenellated as status symbols, after castles ceased to be of much military significance?

No truly local castle here, there being nothing to see on Castle Hill except 19th century & later houses. There's a small motte in the abbey grounds, & there was once some kind of fortification on it (probably wooden), but it only lasted 30 years or so, until the end of The Anarchy.

Plenty within a bike ride, though. I'll have to dig out my pictures of Wallingford: a few ruins & some impressive earthworks.

billplumtree · « **Reply #107 on:** 08 August, 2014, 08:22:51 pm »

As I was saying, pele towers - loads of em round here, what with here being Westmorland and having to deal with marauding Scots over the centuries. How? Just shut yourself up in your baby castle, until they get bored and go away. (Baby castles! What's not to like?)

Here's a couple particularly local to me.

Hazelslack Tower:

Attached, naturally enough, to Hazelslack Tower Farm:

Arnside Tower:

(how on earth does that stay up?)

More pics of these two here. Other towers to follow as and when.

billplumtree · « **Reply #108 on:** 24 August, 2014, 09:43:55 pm »

Another pele tower attached to a working farm. At the foot of Garburn Pass

in Kentmere

is Kentmere Hall

Exit Stage Left · « **Reply #109 on:** 24 August, 2014, 09:58:22 pm »

Pele towers are very much an A6 thing. One of the finest examples is Clifton Hall, just South of Penrith. It's completely surrounded by a working farm, and is visible from the M6 and A6 if you know about it. I got to know it when I was maintaining roadside trees in 1999.
http://www.visitcumbria.com/pen/clifton-hall/

billplumtree · « **Reply #110 on:** 24 August, 2014, 10:20:28 pm »

Aye, it's on my list. Not least because it's one of the only ones that can be freely entered.

billplumtree · « **Reply #111 on:** 24 August, 2014, 10:54:39 pm »

Quote from: Exit Stage Left on 24 August, 2014, 09:58:22 pm

Pele towers are very much an A6 thing.

That makes sense. If you're on foot or horseback, and herding cattle wot you've just nicked from the locals, you're not allowed to use the motorway innit.

Exit Stage Left · « **Reply #112 on:** 25 August, 2014, 12:32:29 am »

The lack of a specific 'Border Raider Railcard' was another oversight. South of Lancaster the routes become more braided, so fixed defences are rarer, and more hidden away.

Exit Stage Left · « **Reply #113 on:** 25 August, 2014, 01:11:17 am »

The 'yards' in Kendal are another interesting defensive feature.

Quote

A chartered market town, the centre of Kendal is structured around a high street with fortified alleyways, known locally as yards, off to either side which allowed the local population to seek shelter from the Anglo-Scottish raiding parties known as the Border Reivers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendal

http://www.visitcumbria.com/sl/kendal-yards/

Lancaster and Preston had a similar arrangement, as towns on the route South. Preston has lost most of its yards in redevelopment. Whether they afforded much protection is debatable, they might just be a reflection of land ownership. But might make an interesting photo study.

RJ · « **Reply #114 on:** 19 September, 2014, 09:28:33 pm »

Sort of local - Neidpath Castle, just west of Peebles:

Neidpath castle by rjevans6, on Flickr

RJ · « **Reply #115 on:** 01 October, 2014, 11:17:48 pm »

The castle by rjevans6, on Flickr

mcshroom · « **Reply #116 on:** 30 November, 2014, 04:44:27 pm »

Whitehaven

David Martin · « **Reply #117 on:** 25 January, 2015, 05:18:13 pm »

One of the local castles - owned by the other University. First time I have walked past that side of it and yes it is on a hill and yes it is about as symmetrical as a 5 year old's drawing of a castle.

DSC_4421 by davidmamartin, on Flickr

loafer · « **Reply #118 on:** 04 May, 2015, 11:14:51 pm »

coming back from barny today ...I remembered I had the camera with me Walworth castle very close to ARCHERS ice cream shop

Ruthie · « **Reply #119 on:** 10 June, 2015, 11:48:45 pm »

I'm sure we must have had this one before, but it's my first ever time riding past it on my bike, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Raby Castle.

DSCF0697 by Ruth Turner, on Flickr

loafer · « **Reply #120 on:** 11 June, 2015, 03:53:39 pm »

cut short my planned ride(legs were not interested)

and came back via Ravensworth

Ruthie · « **Reply #121 on:** 22 July, 2015, 05:49:11 pm »

Another shot of Ravensworth Castle, taken today, in different weather. I was fascinated by the fact that the whole place is pretty much knackered, apart from that arch which is pretty much intact - proving the strength of the structure.

20150722_120416 by Ruth Turner, on Flickr

Pingu · « **Reply #122 on:** 22 October, 2015, 11:25:34 pm »

Rosenberg, Copenhagen (with added Mrs Pingu)

rosenberg_01 by The Pingus, on Flickr

Deano · « **Reply #123 on:** 23 October, 2015, 10:07:16 pm »

OK, if Pingu's posting photos of castles in Denmark, I feel justified in posting a photo of Brough Castle, a mere 30 miles away as the cow flies...

Peter · « **Reply #124 on:** 23 October, 2015, 10:13:54 pm »