By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions. We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
something about these big old buildings fascinate me, probably the history and what went on in those walls, especially medieval times.
my favourite castle over here is Berkeley castle, great bit of history and lovely country side. there are plenty more bigger and better looking......bit like women.
there is one in france i'd like to visit, had good reviews....carcasson, if that's the right spelling.
Marc Morris 'Castle' is a good book I have on the development of them.
I went to Dover Castle last June. Wow it beats my former favourite Kenilworth hands down. I joined English Heritage after that visit to Dover.
I went up to York last year with a mate saw the Minster and what's left of the castle then got roaringly drunk in a Viking pub that played metal. I fell asleep on the train back. A splendid day out my mate had a different seat on the train in another carriage and doesn't remember going home
I intend to try and visit more this year as I'm renewing.
Beer and Beef has made us what we are - The Prince Regent
1
Castles and abbeys. on 12:18 - Jun 27 with 2310 views
Been to a few big old places over here, the craftmanship is amazing, Hampton Court & Hatfield House two I would recomend for a nice day out, gardens at both pretty decent as well.
Abroad one that really did impress was The Alhambra, wow, good walking legs needed as quite a size with the grounds , not even sure just the one day's visit does it justice, just so much to take in.
0
Castles and abbeys. on 12:26 - Jun 27 with 2293 views
I've been to Carcassonne and it's amazing, but has become a bit twee with all the tourists and shops. It's also more or less Violet le Duc's 19th C vision of what a medieval castle village would be like, rather than the real thing itself.
Drive around that part of France though and you can't help but stumble upon wonderful immense ruins, with hand-made local history up on boards, and nobody about at all.
The Cathedral at Albi had an effect on me. Perhaps the largest brick building in the world? Looks more like a fortress. And really it was one, to assert the domination of the church after the Albigensian crusade.
2
Castles and abbeys. on 12:55 - Jun 27 with 2279 views
Castles and abbeys. on 12:26 - Jun 27 by dannyblue
I've been to Carcassonne and it's amazing, but has become a bit twee with all the tourists and shops. It's also more or less Violet le Duc's 19th C vision of what a medieval castle village would be like, rather than the real thing itself.
Drive around that part of France though and you can't help but stumble upon wonderful immense ruins, with hand-made local history up on boards, and nobody about at all.
The Cathedral at Albi had an effect on me. Perhaps the largest brick building in the world? Looks more like a fortress. And really it was one, to assert the domination of the church after the Albigensian crusade.
Marc Morris 'Castle' is a good book I have on the development of them.
I went to Dover Castle last June. Wow it beats my former favourite Kenilworth hands down. I joined English Heritage after that visit to Dover.
I went up to York last year with a mate saw the Minster and what's left of the castle then got roaringly drunk in a Viking pub that played metal. I fell asleep on the train back. A splendid day out my mate had a different seat on the train in another carriage and doesn't remember going home
I intend to try and visit more this year as I'm renewing.
for some reason dover castle has always evaded me, that will be next.
Castles and abbeys. on 12:26 - Jun 27 by dannyblue
I've been to Carcassonne and it's amazing, but has become a bit twee with all the tourists and shops. It's also more or less Violet le Duc's 19th C vision of what a medieval castle village would be like, rather than the real thing itself.
Drive around that part of France though and you can't help but stumble upon wonderful immense ruins, with hand-made local history up on boards, and nobody about at all.
The Cathedral at Albi had an effect on me. Perhaps the largest brick building in the world? Looks more like a fortress. And really it was one, to assert the domination of the church after the Albigensian crusade.
Castles and abbeys. on 12:26 - Jun 27 by dannyblue
I've been to Carcassonne and it's amazing, but has become a bit twee with all the tourists and shops. It's also more or less Violet le Duc's 19th C vision of what a medieval castle village would be like, rather than the real thing itself.
Drive around that part of France though and you can't help but stumble upon wonderful immense ruins, with hand-made local history up on boards, and nobody about at all.
The Cathedral at Albi had an effect on me. Perhaps the largest brick building in the world? Looks more like a fortress. And really it was one, to assert the domination of the church after the Albigensian crusade.
Although not there currently, Mrs Planet and I live in Carcassonne.
That part of France has loads of medieval castles, abbeys, walled cities and so forth. Le Cite in Carcassonne was a crumbling ruin until being rebuilt not too long ago and so it can feel ‘new’ given how long a castle has been on the site. But to be honest, you could criticise a lot of places for being overly commercialised.
But generally, they’ve kept them all in really good nick and if you can travel out of season, so much the better.
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
Nous sommes L’occitane Rs!
Although not there currently, Mrs Planet and I live in Carcassonne.
That part of France has loads of medieval castles, abbeys, walled cities and so forth. Le Cite in Carcassonne was a crumbling ruin until being rebuilt not too long ago and so it can feel ‘new’ given how long a castle has been on the site. But to be honest, you could criticise a lot of places for being overly commercialised.
But generally, they’ve kept them all in really good nick and if you can travel out of season, so much the better.
didn't know Carcassonne existed until I read a book called "labrynth" by author kate mosse. heavy going read, but the way she described Carcassonne sold it for me.
Two of my absolute favourite things here. Agree with all the recommendations here if anyone is looking for sites to visit and I'd add:
Isle of Man - two cracking castles on a small island, Peel is the perfect romantic ruin on a rocky (almost) islet facing into the sunset with nice beach and town attached; Castle Rushen is almost perfectly preserved (it was still being used as jail, garrison and government offices into Victorian times) and right in the middle of town
Chepstow: beautiful site overlooking the Wye, it is the basis of Life In A Medieval castle by J & F Gies, cited by George R R Martin as his main source for castle life
Tintern Abbey: you could fit this in with Chepstow, a few miles up the Wye, good ruins in stunning wooded valley location
0
Castles and abbeys. on 14:25 - Jun 27 with 2200 views
Chepstow was also home of William Marshal, the greatest English military hero no-one has heard of (we'd be part of France without him. Good BBC Timewatch documentary series on him on youtube if you search it out). Two stories about him:
When he was a kid his dad was fighting against King Stephen. Little William was handed over as a hostage on the promise that his dad would surrender his castle on a set date. When his dad wouldn't surrender Stephen had the boy put in a catapult and threatened to have him smashed against the walls, but let him off
As an adult he once knocked Richard the Lionheart off his horse in battle when Richard was rebelling against his own father. Shortly after the father died and Richard became King - William went to do homage and Richard said "the last time I saw you, you tried to kill me." William said: "No, if I'd tried you'd be dead." Takes balls to say that sort of thing to a medieval king.
2
Castles and abbeys. on 14:28 - Jun 27 with 2197 views
If you want to do some reading, try "Behind The Castle Gate" by Matthew Johnson - revolutionises your view of what castles were for and about (academic so not an easy read but only 180 pages).
0
Castles and abbeys. on 14:38 - Jun 27 with 2186 views
Castles and abbeys. on 14:25 - Jun 27 by CiderwithRsie
Chepstow was also home of William Marshal, the greatest English military hero no-one has heard of (we'd be part of France without him. Good BBC Timewatch documentary series on him on youtube if you search it out). Two stories about him:
When he was a kid his dad was fighting against King Stephen. Little William was handed over as a hostage on the promise that his dad would surrender his castle on a set date. When his dad wouldn't surrender Stephen had the boy put in a catapult and threatened to have him smashed against the walls, but let him off
As an adult he once knocked Richard the Lionheart off his horse in battle when Richard was rebelling against his own father. Shortly after the father died and Richard became King - William went to do homage and Richard said "the last time I saw you, you tried to kill me." William said: "No, if I'd tried you'd be dead." Takes balls to say that sort of thing to a medieval king.
good bit of history that, and your right never heard of William marshal. not many books on king Stephen either.
Rochester for me. Impressive Castle and Cathedral right next to each other. Good for pubs and live music too. Quick and easy to get to from London and can usually pick up good cheap advance train tickets in my experience. More characterful and less touristy than Canterbury/Winchester, although the town has gone a little more up market of late and subsequently lost some of it's charm. Still a great day out though.
I'd love to spend a holiday visiting Star Forts around Holland, Germany and France, but Mrs Sheen would probably leave me.
I visited a "fortified church" called Prejmer in Transylvania, built by German settlers in the 14th century.
Though people lived in the village outside it, every family had its own allocated cell within the fortifications which they were required to keep stocked with food to withstand a siege by Turkish or Tartar raiders. There was a even a school inside the walls to ensure education continued. Very German!
Though it was perfectly maintained, there's no evidence it was ever needed in earnest. The Germans left Prejmer in waves through the 20th Century so it's a Romanian village now. The locals have their own modern Uniate church across the road and don't use the medieval Lutheran church.
4
Castles and abbeys. on 15:27 - Jun 27 with 2141 views
Cathedrale Saint-Bertrand de Comminges in the village of the same name in the Freench Pyrenees is staggering if ever any of you are nearby. It has a wooden Cathedral preserved inside a later stone Renaissance cathedral.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Castles and abbeys. on 15:27 - Jun 27 by BrianMcCarthy
Cathedrale Saint-Bertrand de Comminges in the village of the same name in the Freench Pyrenees is staggering if ever any of you are nearby. It has a wooden Cathedral preserved inside a later stone Renaissance cathedral.
That's really something. Lucky to escape the iconoclasts, who were quite active in that area.
0
Castles and abbeys. on 15:49 - Jun 27 with 2115 views
Castles and abbeys. on 15:51 - Jun 27 by BrianMcCarthy
Is that right?
South-West France was the heartland of French Calvinism, though the gentry were more enthusiastic than the common people. Calvinism peaked about 1560-70, before being suppressed over the next century and a half. I visited Condom (it really exists! between Toulouse and Bordeaux) Cathedral a few years ago, and they had preserved some of the statues of the saints that had been mutilated by iconoclastic Calvinists in the "Wars of Religion".
1
Castles and abbeys. on 16:20 - Jun 27 with 2071 views
South-West France was the heartland of French Calvinism, though the gentry were more enthusiastic than the common people. Calvinism peaked about 1560-70, before being suppressed over the next century and a half. I visited Condom (it really exists! between Toulouse and Bordeaux) Cathedral a few years ago, and they had preserved some of the statues of the saints that had been mutilated by iconoclastic Calvinists in the "Wars of Religion".
Never knew that. Thanks.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
didn't know Carcassonne existed until I read a book called "labrynth" by author kate mosse. heavy going read, but the way she described Carcassonne sold it for me.
Yeah I read the book and was surprised she didn’t mention Pete Doherty or wearing the Hoops in bed.
Reread it in case I missed it and then the wife pointed out ‘Moss with an e on the end!’
Which is how I imagine Doherty probably prefers it!!
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
Nous sommes L’occitane Rs!