Northwest Wales In an effort to maintain English control over Northern Wales, King Edward I and his successors littered the Snowdonia region with a series of enormous castles.  Collectively these became known as the Iron Ring of Snowdonia, and form one of Wales’ most impressive architectural legacies.  Edward’s main castles were Conwy, Harlech and Caernarfon.  All of these, as … [Read more...]

Boyne Valley, Ireland Trim Castle is the largest fortification in Europe left behind by the Normans.  When one considers the vast extent of the Norman Empire, and the huge number of castles that they constructed, it is impressive, if not strange, that their greatest one wound up in the middle of Ireland on the fringe of their territory.  Now half in ruins, Trim Castle is one … [Read more...]

Windsor, England While Windsor Castle has never been first among the many castles and palaces located around London, no other royal residence has withstood the test of time so well.  As home to the royal family it has long surpassed its earliest contemporary, the Tower of London.  As a country getaway it has outlived the primary residences at Westminster, Whitehall and St. … [Read more...]

London, England The Tower of London is arguably the world’s most famous castle.  It is certainly the largest and best-preserved medieval castle in Britain.  It is also one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.  Thousands of visitors flock to the Tower of London on a daily basis, to marvel at its impressive battlements and brood over its fascinating history.  The … [Read more...]

Stratford, England For nearly a thousand years Warwick has been one of the most important and influential aristocratic estates in Central England.  The Earls and Dukes of Warwick played a role in almost every important event in medieval English history.  Because of this, Warwick has been one of England’s most prized castles.  The property is now privately owned by the … [Read more...]

Dover, England From earliest times, Dover was the gateway between England and the European continent.  Dover Castle is one of England’s most castle-like castles, partially because no monarch or artistocrat ever endeavored to transform it into a plush residence, but also because its strategic location made it militarily vital as late as the 20th century, long after every other … [Read more...]

Northern England Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England was among the greatest strategic fortifications constructed by the Roman Empire and one of the greatest military architectural endeavors of ancient times.  Stretching from the coast of the North Sea in the east to the coast of the Irish Sea in the west, this 75-mile long wall on the northwestern frontier of the empire … [Read more...]