Castle and cathedral stand close together beside the River Medway.
For once, it is the castle, which dominates, the squat cathedral tower seeming insignificant alongside the magnificent keep.
This is the tallest of the Norman keeps, rising 115 feet to the top of its corner turrets.
Archbishop Corbeil’s keep is intact save for the [...]
Windsor Castle is one of England’s largest, containing thirteen acres within its walls.
It has enjoyed favor as a royal residence from Norman times to the present and is the only royal castle to have made the transition to palace.
Most monarchs have contributed in some way to its splendor and every century [...]
Cooling Castle, a mile east of Cliffe, was built for Sir John de Cobham, a license to crenellate being granted in 1381.
Two years before, French raiders had caused devastation on the Hoo peninsula, so Cooling was built at least partly with coastal defense in mind.
Ironically, but not uncommonly where English coastal fortifications are [...]
Guarding a crossing over the River Medway, the important castle of Tonbridge was founded by Richard Fitz Gilbert.
It existed by 1088, when Rufus stormed the castle with the help of a native English army raised to quell the rebellion of Bishop Odo of Bayeux.
Despite his involvement in this revolt, Fitz Gilbert [...]
Dartmouth, on the beautiful estuary of the River Dart, was a flourishing port from the twelfth century.
When the Hundred Year War made legitimate trading difficult, the inhabitants turned to piracy to boost their profits.
Their unfortunate targets were the ports across the Channel.
In 1404, the Bretons land in force and [...]
Dover Castle rises high above the town and harbor, crowning a hill, which ends at the White Cliffs.
This site was first fortified in the Iron Age and the medieval castle fills the area defined by the ancient hill fort - thirty-five acres.
The castle, therefore, is of extraordinary size and exceptional strength.
The [...]
Saltwood Castle is part ruined and part restored and sits upon a hill above the old Clinque Port of Huthe.
Henry de Essex, Constable of England and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, is credited with the construction of the castle, at least in its stone form, at some point during the Anarchy.
The inner [...]
Lancaster Castle and its distinguished neighbor, the priory church, crown the summit of a hill overlooking the River Lune.
A Roman fort occupied the site.
Following the arrival of the Normans, Lancaster became part of the vast estate granted to Roger de Poitou and the first castle is very likely to have been [...]
Tattershall Castle posses one of the most splendid of later medieval tower houses.
It has justly been described as the finest piece of medieval brickwork in England.
Ralph, Lord Cromwell, erected this tower in the years 1434046.
Rising over a hundred feet to the top of its corner turrets, with a view stretching [...]
The historic town of Wallingford lies within an earth rampart first thrown up in the reign of Alfred the Great or Edward the Elder, as a precaution against Danish attack.
Wallingford was once believed to be a Roman town because the rampart encloses a rectangular area and the streets follow a grid pattern.
[...]
