WHAT IS A CASTLE?
The mind produces a vision of a grand romantic and historic stone structure when imagining a castle. The castle certainly would have towers and turrets. It would have arrow slits and be crowned by a crenellated edge all around the top. There would be a dark, deep, and mystical moat surrounding the structure and strong iron chains ready to raise the heavy oak drawbridge accessing the entrance.
Some castles meet this description, but in reality most castles cover a wide variety of structures ranging from the ancient hill forts, to the tower houses that dot the Irish countryside, the fortified houses built during the Norman conquest, the military strongholds built by Henry VIII and the renaissance buildings of the seventeenth century.
Castles have been used as fortresses, official residences of a sovereign, and public buildings for a legislature, court or governor. Often a castle was awarded to a person for their special service to the monarchy. Many of the fortresses built along the coasts of England and Wales in the sixteenth century by Henry VIII were renovated in the nineteenth century and used during the world wars. And in the twenty-first century one can spend a day or longer in a castle used as a hotel or resort.
Today castles range from complete ruins to current residences of the owners. Some have been left untouched since they were last occupied, others have been restored and preserved as they existed during their final use and still others have been renovated to include some of the conveniences of the twentieth century.
There is no simple answer to the question "What is a castle?" For these web pages we are taking some liberties with the term. We certainly include any structure that is called a castle or a palace. We have included some of the follies of the wealthy noblemen, the ornate towers built to commemorate a particular event or occasion. We display some of the forts and batteries that complete a fortress plan. We also include some structures that "look like" a castle.
We have presented only those castles that we have personally visited. Almost all of the photography has been taken by us. When an exception occurs it is so noted. We hope that you enjoy these pages and we welcome your comments.
Some castles meet this description, but in reality most castles cover a wide variety of structures ranging from the ancient hill forts, to the tower houses that dot the Irish countryside, the fortified houses built during the Norman conquest, the military strongholds built by Henry VIII and the renaissance buildings of the seventeenth century.
Castles have been used as fortresses, official residences of a sovereign, and public buildings for a legislature, court or governor. Often a castle was awarded to a person for their special service to the monarchy. Many of the fortresses built along the coasts of England and Wales in the sixteenth century by Henry VIII were renovated in the nineteenth century and used during the world wars. And in the twenty-first century one can spend a day or longer in a castle used as a hotel or resort.
Today castles range from complete ruins to current residences of the owners. Some have been left untouched since they were last occupied, others have been restored and preserved as they existed during their final use and still others have been renovated to include some of the conveniences of the twentieth century.
There is no simple answer to the question "What is a castle?" For these web pages we are taking some liberties with the term. We certainly include any structure that is called a castle or a palace. We have included some of the follies of the wealthy noblemen, the ornate towers built to commemorate a particular event or occasion. We display some of the forts and batteries that complete a fortress plan. We also include some structures that "look like" a castle.
We have presented only those castles that we have personally visited. Almost all of the photography has been taken by us. When an exception occurs it is so noted. We hope that you enjoy these pages and we welcome your comments.
