Dunstanburgh Castle, Craster, Northumberland
© David Swann (view gallery)
Dunstanburgh Castle sits on a headland between Craster and Embleton in Northumberland. This photograph was taken from the beach directly in front of Dunstanburgh Golf Club. Image cannot be loaded
Herstmonceux Castle
© Sarah Dawson (view gallery)
Herstmonceux is renowned for its magnificent moated Castle set in 550 acres of glorious parkland and superb Elizabethan gardens. Built originally as a country home in the mid 15th Century, Herstmonceux Castle embodies the history of medieval England and the romance of renaissance Europe. Sir Roger Fiennes was granted a licence to build Herstmonceux in 1441. The Castle was one of the earliest to be built of brick and was constructed in a lake so that the water acted as a large moat. The Castle was well appointed, designed more for comfort than for defence. Unfortunately the castle was not well maintained by some of its later owners. By the end of the 18th century much of it had been demolished to provide building materials for Herstmonceux Place, further up the hill. During the first half of the 20th Century the ruins were transformed into an impressive home and the external appearance of the Castle was restored. 
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Dunstanburgh Castle, Craster, Northumberland
© David Swann (view gallery)
Dunstanburgh Castle stands on a headland on the coast of Northumberland between the villages of Craster and Embleton. The headland is part of a geological formation known as the Great Whin Sill. Construction of the castle began in 1313 by Earl Thomas of Lancaster and later improved by John of Gaunt. The structure was damaged during the Wars of the Roses and fell into decay. It was painted by Turner on many occasions. Image cannot be loaded
Bamburgh Castle.
© James Carter (view gallery)
This shot was taken in a dash to get to the beach before the sunset disappeared. I left my wife in the car and dashed down to the beach from the carpark with my camera and tripod. To my amazement there were about a dozen others with cameras and tripods all set-up to capture this moment! I had to jostle between them to get my tripod set-up also, and hoped I got the shot. This was a film camera so I could not see the result, as you can now with digital instantly! Bit too easy now!! However I still think if I ever get to Bamburgh again I could take a much better shot? Image cannot be loaded
The Big Question
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
This is a fire place but was originally the main entrance into the Castle from the entrance hall at the top of the flight of steps into the Castle. The Castle was built by William d'Albini ( an ancestor of my wife and daughter and he was married to Adeliza of Louvain- King Henry 1st's second wife ). Now this shot I have taken a similar one but this one you see here was taken by my wife Linda and we have been unable to understand what we can see in the bottom of the reflections of the left hand window. Firstly there is what seems to be a womans face where the window frame main sections cross but it seems the face would have to be on the outside of the window ! Even more worryingly there is another image in the very bottom left of this window which looks like a semi mummified face with teeth in tact- it needs magnification but does go off a bit as you enlarge. It has been looked at by someone who knows Castle Rising Castle exceedingly well and who is very much involved with the paranormal, he has not been able to explain it and he says this picture and what it holds still freaks him out big time. Anyone else able to explain it? Image cannot be loaded
Clitheroe Castle, Lancashire
© David Swann (view gallery)
Clitheroe Castle was built in the motte and bailey style and stands on a limestone outcrop dominating the town. The castle has one of the smallest keeps in the country and is thought to have been built around 1186. Legend has it that the large hole which can be seen in the side of the keep was the result of the Devil hurling a boulder from nearby Pendle Hill. In truth the damage was ordered by the government in 1649 to put the castle out of commission. Image cannot be loaded
St Mawes Castle - the sea view.
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
The heavy clouds break enough to get a sunny shot of St Mawes Castle as we pass by on the Enterprise. The castle was built by Henry VIII as part of the defence against the French. The Castle protects Carrick Roads along with Pendennis Castle on the other side of the entrance at Falmouth. I am not sure if it is true but I am sure there had to be a castle on both sides of the entrance as a canon fired from one side would not fire a great enough distance to reach the other side, so castles were built both sides to give full protection. Image cannot be loaded
Scarborough Castle
© Zbigniew Siwik (view gallery)
Scarborough Castle is situated on a roughly triangular headland that rises 300ft above the sea. There is evidence of Iron Age settlements and the remains of a Roman signal station on the site, but the first medieval castle was built by William le Gros, Count of Aumale, in the 1130's. Image cannot be loaded
Arundel Castle
© Sarah Dawson (view gallery)
There are nearly 1,000 years of history at this great Castle, situated in magnificent grounds overlooking the River Arun in West Sussex and built at the end of the 11th century by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel.
The oldest feature is the motte, an artificial mound, over 100 feet high from the dry moat, and constructed in 1068: followed by the gatehouse in 1070. Under his will, King Henry I (1068-1135) settled the Castle and lands in dower on his second wife, Adeliza of Louvain. Three years after his death she married William d'Albini II, who built the stone shell keep on the motte. King Henry II (1133-89), who built much of the oldest part of the stone Castle, in 1155 confirmed William d'Albini II as Earl of Arundel, with the Honour and Castle of Arundel. Image cannot be loaded
Corfe Castle in the winter sun
© Graham Rains (view gallery)
'One of the ruins that Cromwell knocked about a bit' Apart from the destruction of the castle by Oliver Cromwell in 1646AD it is said that many of the old cottages in the village were built from stone 'salvaged' from the ruins over the centuries. The National Trust now ensures that what is left of the castle is preserved for posterity. Image cannot be loaded
Keep and Castle Grounds, Rochester
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
The public gardens here are part of the Castle grounds and the Keep takes pride of place. The steps up, about three dozen, take you to the entrance and gift shop. This is not at all wheelchair friendly, but that is the nature of castles. Also in the shot is part of Rochester Cathedral. Rochester Castle is famous for the siege in which the Rebel Barons held out against King John. The siege was broken by King John's men tunneling under the castle and burning 40 pigs, the flames burning away the props and allowing the a corner of the keep to collapse. Image cannot be loaded
Corfe Castle
© Rod Burkey (view gallery)
Taken on a very cold February day. Recall losing all sensation in my ears! It was however well worth the effort. I decided to add a little impact by turning the image into monochrome. That 3rd day of February really did make me shudder. Image cannot be loaded
An Englishman's Home
© Geoff Stamp (view gallery)
Taken during Autumn 2008, this picturesque venue was awash with families during the half term break. This made things a little tricky as I didn't want anyone in the shot. After about 20 minutes I was rewarded with this image. Image cannot be loaded
Fotheringhay
© Zbigniew Siwik (view gallery)
Fotheringhay is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire . It is most noted for being the site of Fotheringhay (or Fotheringay) Castle which was razed in 1627. There is nothing left of the castle to be seen today other than the motte on which it was built that provides excellent views of the River Nene.On February 8, 1587, an event that forever changed the course of this country’s history took place. Mary, Queen of Scots, a cousin of and rival to Queen Elizabeth I for the English throne, was beheaded after 19 years in custody . The power play between Elizabeth and Mary is infamous. Less well-known though is that its finale was acted out in what is now a very quiet, tiny and unassuming village just a few miles to the south west of Peterborough. The Queen of Scots spent the final months of her life at Fotheringhay, in the impassive motte-and-bailey castle that once stood there beside the River Nene. Months later, her coffin was taken by torchlight procession to Peterborough Cathedral where it was entombed until King James I had her moved to Westminster Abbey in 1612. Her grave there is, incongruously, just 30 feet away from Queen Elizabeth’s. Image cannot be loaded
A Country garden window
© Ian Dinmore (view gallery)
The gardens in The National Trust Castle in Sissinghurst are a wonderful picture, but a few features always seem to pass the camera by.This image is quite timeless and has an almost 1930's feel about it with the old photograph in the window. Image cannot be loaded
Lindisfarne, Holy Island.
© James Carter (view gallery)
I composed this picture of Lindisfarne Castle with most of this bright coloured lichen, which covered the rock. It was the orange colour that grabbed my attention. Perhaps I over composed it? This was scanned from a photo which was taken about 12yrs ago. Would like to go there again sometime in the future? Image cannot be loaded
Oakham
© Zbigniew Siwik (view gallery)
Oakham Castle does not represent the traditional image of a castle due to its small size. The Great Hall is all that remains of an early medieval fortified manor house. It did, however, have many of the traditional features of a castle such as a curtain wall, a gatehouse and a drawbridge with iron chains. There is also historical and archaeological evidence to suggest that Oakham Castle possessed towers at strategic points along the walls as well as a moat.The Great Hall is one of the finest examples of late 12th century domestic architecture in England. Image cannot be loaded
Castle Of Queens
© Sarah Dawson (view gallery)
Leeds Castle passed into Royal hands in 1278 and became part of the Queen of England’s dower - the settlement widowed queens received upon the death of their husbands. Over the course of 150 years it was held by six mediaeval queens: Eleanor of Castile; Margaret of France; Isabella of France, Joan of Navarre; Anne of Bohemia and Catherine de Valois. Image cannot be loaded
A Slideshow of English Castles
