Castles

Conservationists have renewed a bid to save the oldest surviving building Durham from decay. Believed to date from around 1080, the atmospheric Norman Chapel has survived “remarkably intact” from the original foundation of Durham Castle, and is one of the site’s most important spaces. But Durham University say the 1,000 year old monument has a … Continue reading »

English Heritage is on track to welcome a record-breaking 1.9 million visitors to its castles, palaces and forts this summer due to what it believes has been the “perfect temperature”. The average maximum temperature in England for July and the first half of August was 21C (70F), according to the Met Office. This was described … Continue reading »

Campaigners have vowed to bring a legal challenge against a decision by Fingal County Council to approve planning for a forest adventure facility in the woodlands of the Malahide Demesne in Co Dublin. The development is to include a car park extension as well as the installation of tree-top zip-lines in a five-hectare area of … Continue reading »

Comments (2) Nottingham Castle’s transformation has taken a significant step forward as the second round of the funding bid is submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund. Earlier this year, plans were put in for the £24 million revamp of the tourist attraction, with the aim of to establishing the castle as a world-class visitor centre. Money … Continue reading »

PHOTO: Incredible Bamburgh Castle (Courtesy Flickr) Near the northernmost part of England sits Northumberland, a rugged bit of landscape known for its sweeping moors, sparsely populated landscape and as the site of numerous battles. There, on the coast, sits Bamburgh Castle, which was once the historic capital of the region and today represents one of … Continue reading »

Wales’s impressive castles, abbeys and historic sites have released a programme of more than 100 adventurous family events coming up next Bank Holiday weekend (from Friday, August 26 through to Monday, August 29). Cadw has launched the programme as part of its Historic Adventures campaign, which brings visitors one-of- a-kind experiences at Cadw sites during … Continue reading »

HAVE you ever seen a better photograph of Clifford’s Tower than this? From this angle, with trees clustering on the castle mound, it looks wonderfully rural and peaceful. Yet the photograph was taken from inside the old Victorian prison which once stood where the Eye of York now is. To the left of Clifford’s Tower … Continue reading »

An 800-year-old castle in Khon Buri district, Nakhon Ratchasima province is going to become a new tourist attraction after undergoing a 10-month restoration. South Khon Buri sub-district Mayor, Somchart Dejdon complimented the restorers on the beauty of the ancient castle during a follow-up inspection. The renovation was carried out by the Department of Fine Arts. … Continue reading »

As a child New Zealander Dot Smith dreamed of living in a castle. Growing up on an isolated farm in the 1960s entertainment was scarce – so Dot read, and planned her escape. “We grew up with no money, nothing. It was boring. We read all the time. All we had were our imaginations.” said … Continue reading »

Image copyright Val Vannet/Geograph One of the “finest” portraits of the Jacobean era has been bought so it can remain at its home in mid Wales. The 17th Century miniature painting of Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Cherbury, was painted in watercolour on vellum by Isaac Oliver. It will be restored before going back … Continue reading »