Castles in and near Hexham

Follow in Roman footsteps by visiting Hexham‘s numerous castles and ruins. Vindolanda forms part of one of the best preserved sections of Hadrian’s Wall and this fascinating castle and ruin hoasts Hexham‘s Roman Army Museum. A collection of Roman finds is also on display at Chesters Roman Fort, another famous castle and ruin in the vicinity of Hexham.

Vindolanda

Vindolanda is a fascintating Roman fort and civilian settlement. At Vindolanda you will find the Roman Army Museum, situated next to the best preserved sections of Hadrian's Wall, which offers an insight into the garrisons of the Wall. ... more

The drawbridges are down, the portcullises are up: England's castles welcome visitors to experience their rich heritage.

Most of the castles in England were built during the Middle Ages, as a defence against threats. English castles tell fascinating stories because they often served more than one purpose. A castle in the Middle Ages was simultaneously a home for its lord and family, a place for guest to be entertained, and was strong enough to defend its occupants from attack.

When you visit castles in England, you may be interested in learning how the enduring fortifications were built, or in hearing about the sometimes grisly defence techniques: how boiling oil was poured over the ramparts onto attackers, for instance! Or you may simply be delighted by the sumptuous interiors and enjoy gaining insight into domestic life in feudal times. There are many castles dotted across England, but no two castles are the same, due to the geography, available materials and taste and ability of the designer.

Windsor Castle holds the distinction of being the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world and is also one of the official residences of Her Majesty The Queen. There has been a fortification of some type on the site for 900 years, and it now contains a royal palace as well as a beautiful chapel. You can admire the splendour of the State Apartments, which are furnished richly with valuable and famous artworks. Fortunately the Castle was superbly restored after a fire in 1992 that damaged many of the rooms. One of the highlights of a visit to Windsor is seeing Queen Mary's Dolls' House, the most famous dolls' house in the world.

London is home to a famous, imposing castle, most well known for its role as a prison: the Tower of London. The White Tower at this castle's centre was built by William the Conqueror to intimidate the rebellious Londoners into submission, and the 30 metre tower is certainly an impressive sight. The original tower was surrounded by outer defences through the ages, and it has been a treasury, menagerie and royal mint, but is most infamous as a place where important prisoners were shut up before meeting a bloody end.

Rochester Castle near Canterbury, like many castles in England, has an intriguing history of destruction and rebuilding. Its massive Norman tower-keep was built in 1127 and is an amazing 35 metres high. In 1215 the castle, occupied by rebel barons, went through an epic siege by King John. John used the fat of 40 pigs to fire a mine under the castles keep, which brought its southern corner crashing down. Even then the defenders did not surrender, until they were eventually starved out after nearly two months of resistance!

Of course since the castles were not just pretty, romantic buildings, and had a specific defence purpose, many of them were destroyed in battles, and only remain as ruins. These fortress remains are often still magnificent, however,and wandering through the ravaged remnants of ancient castles is a special, atmopsheric experience. Many ruined strongholds, unlike their 'built' counterparts, are free, and easily accessible any time of the year.

Cartington Castle in Rothbury near Alnwick in Northumberland, is one such ruin, a damaged 14th century castle with an impressive 12 metre tower. It was dismantled after the Civil Wars and the stone was used for other buildings, but it was partially rebuilt in the 19th century. Edlingham Castle, also in the same area, is the riverside ruins, mainly consisting of a tower, of a manor house which was fortified against the Scots during the 14th century. This castle is an instance of one of England's 'Peel Towers', which were square, fortified houses with extremely thick walls that were built as protection against raiding parties from Scotland.

A far cry from these romantic ruins are England's lavish palaces, breathtaking in their beauty and sumptuousness.

Of course the most famous, and a worldwide symbol of England's monarchy, is Buckingham Palace in London. This stately building serves as both the office and London residence of the Queen, and is one of the few working palaces remaining in the world today. You can visit the State Rooms in the palace at certain times of the year, when they are not being used by the Queen and the Royal Family to entertain their guests on State, ceremonial and official occasions. Great art treasures from the Royal Collection decorate these opulent rooms, and you can also see some of the finest English and French furniture.

Another famous and beautiful palace in London is Kensington Palace, with its elegant State Apartments. The palace was the home of Diana, Princess of Wales, and one of the highlights is the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, which has a unique display of royal, ceremonial and court dress including a selection of dresses worn and owned by Queen Elizabeth II and Diana.

The oldest Tudor palace in England is Hampton Court, just outside London. You can spend an entire day at this magnificent palace, admiring the historic State Apartments, visiting the Tudor Kitchens, and getting lost in the famous maze. The palace even has one of the oldest tennis courts in the world, where people still play 'Real Tennis', the 16th century version of the game.

Castles and palaces in England provide visitors with a unique window on the past - wander through their historic halls, walk along the ramparts and imagine all the intrigue and drama that went on in these magnificent buildings.