Castle review thread.

[Montegriffo]

Magnificent.

Today's main excursion was to Carlisle castle. The main defense in Edwards wars against the Scots.
Founded in 1092 by William II it became the principal fortress of England’s north-western border with Scotland. For over 500 years until the unification of the Scottish and English crowns in 1603 it was the scene of multiple seiges.



Carlisle holds the title for the most seiges at 10 and also the longest seige in English history at 9 months.
Built on the site of a Roman fort in Hadrian's wall dating back to 72 AD, William's castle was probably built of earth and timber.
Henry I visited in 1122 and ordered that it be ‘fortified with a castle and towers’.
This may have been the origin of the stone keep although King David of Scotland, who retook Carlisle after Henry's death in 1135, is said to have built a ''very strong keep'' there. Probably finishing what Henry started earlier.

Carlisle castle also saw action in the War of the Roses, the civil war and the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 led by Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Occupied continuously since 1092 it was garrisonned by troops of the Border regiment from 1818, when they were brought in during a time of civil unrest, right up till 1959.
The last modifications were made with the addition of barracks in 1932.

Half moon battery built for Henry VIII


Graffiti carved by 14th century guards in the keep.

[Montegriffo]

After waking up next to a Roman tower built in around 120 AD and visiting a couple of 12th century buildings I thought I should park up next something old tonight...

Castlerigg stone circle, built around 4500 years ago. A ring of stones surrounded by a ring of hills.





Tempted to dance naked in the circle at midnight...

Heading to the Eastern end of Hadrian's wall tomorrow to see friends in Newcastle and visit one or more of the Northumbrian castles.

[SuburbanFarmer]

Damn... that’s some serious graffiti!

[Montegriffo]

Damn... that’s some serious graffiti!

Bored prisoner guards. There are two styles, the earlier ones being crude representations of animals and the later more skilled heraldic emblems such as the Lancashire rose.

[Ex-California]

Shit man I gotta go to the UK

[Montegriffo]

A museum to the border regiment was inside the castle in one of the barracks built during their occupation of the site.


Plenty for gun lovers here including a Henry Martini from the Boar war, Lee Enfield rifles, Vickers and Browning machine guns and a 25 pounder artillery piece.
The regiment fought in the Crimea,the Chinese opium wars, the war of Spanish succesion, Ypres and Gallipoli, operation market garden and many more.

[Montegriffo]

Currently, Edward I is credited with many accomplishments during his reign, including restoring royal authority after the reign of Henry III, establishing Parliament as a permanent institution and thereby also a functional system for raising taxes, and reforming the law through statutes. At the same time, he is also often criticised for other actions, such as his brutal conduct towards the Scots, and issuing the Edict of Expulsion in 1290, by which the Jews were expelled from England. The Edict remained in effect for the rest of the Middle Ages, and it was over 350 years until it was formally overturned under Oliver Cromwell in 1657.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_I_of_England

Edward I also banned the playing of football as it interfered with archery practice...

[Montegriffo]

Woke up to the sound of liquid sunshine hitting the roof of the truck so I've had a lazy morning. It's nearly midday now and I'm still at the Castlerigg stones so I'm going to go and sacrifice a lentil to the gods to ensure a safe journey to Newcastle.
I'm due at my juggler friends house this evening and it's only 90 miles away so I've got time to stop en route for a castle or two.
Am thinking of having a look at Brough castle first



Then hitting Prudhoe castle this afternoon




Both look like they are situated in some stunning countryside.

[Montegriffo]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlerigg_stone_circle

Worth a read, I didn't really know about this place before. I just found it on my English Heritage map and thought it would be a nice place to stay the night.
Turns out it is one of the most spectacular of all the circles in Britain. The stones themselves are small in comparison with Stonehenge but the surroundings are awesome.
It has a rectacular enclosure at one end of the slightly oval circle which is called the sanctuary but no-one knows its purpose and it is a rare feature among the 1300 known circles.

[Montegriffo]

Today I have been getting my kicks on the A66.
The A66 is an old Roman road travelling East West across Cumbria. There are a series of castles built on the sites of old Roman forts.
Penrith and Brougham are both on the route and were owned by the Cliffords. Today I visited two more of the Clifford's castles at Brough and Bowes.
Brough castle




Beseiged and taken by the filthy Scots in the rebellions of the 1170's it fell into ruin in the 13th century but was restored by Roger Clifford (Edward I's right hand man in the wars against the Scots)
It was restored again after an accidental fire in 1521 caused by a Christmas feast which had left nothing but the walls standing.
Once again fallen into ruin by the 17th century it was rebuilt by Lady Anne Clifford around 1660.

Bowes castle




The 4th of the 5 Clifford castles I've visited once again on the site of a Roman fort. Nothing left but the keep which was in poor condition.

Next onto Barnard castle



Perched on top of a cliff overlooking the site of a Roman bridge over the river.
This was a large castle divided into four wards with a long curtain wall surounding them and a series of walls and moats dividing them.



Raby castle not far up the road is still lived in and was not open to the public today so I was only able to sneak a quick look at the outside. Late 14th century in origin but added to over the centuries this is a very large palace of a place once owned by the local Bishop.








Next a quick walk around the outside of Lumley castle. A 14th century quadrangle castle with a central courtyard it is now a hotel.





Prudhoe will have to wait for my return trip back to the West...