[just seen a teeny tiny Union Jack in the bottom left hand corner]
I know 'castling' is a chess term, but I like the idea of using it in the context of visiting castles. 'To go castling' sounds, and is, a good way to spend a day. I've always loved castles and used to get very excited as a child when we visted Peveril Castle and rolled down the steep hill , and my ambition was always to see the classic motte and bailey design of Clifford's Tower in York (ambition achieved). I have several other favourites including Corfe, Urquhart, Kenilworth, Skipton and Orford but no castle will ever be better than Conway (now Conwy) Castle in the 1970s. My brother and I ran up to the top of two different towers each with a little brother/sister in tow and, with no concern for health and safety, leaned over and waved to our vertigo-suffering Mum sitting below, frightening the living daylights out of her.
[the Round Tower]
There is no such freedom in Windsor Castle where security is tight and there's no shouting from towers, chasing siblings around the wards, or rolling hilariously down the motte of the Round Tower. This time, I stayed with Mum (though I would have loved to wave from her from the top of the tower) and we were suitably astonished by the scale and history, as well as the price of entry.
It's an incredible place with its very enclosed garden in the dry moat (below), the greatest expanse of gilding we've ever seen, the most amazing collection of paintings vying for space in the state apartments ('oh, surely not another Rembrandt - where should we put it?'), and the most impressive use of scarlet and emerald in drawing room decoration.
[moat garden]
Plus, the lamps are crowned by little crowns and there's some very pretty forsythia.
All in all, not a bad castle to castle. But next time I go castling, I'll try to remember my proper camera.
Hello Jane - oh you need a trip to Northumberland - now that's really where the best castles are! (and coincidentally where I grew up!) - Alnwick, Bambrough, Lindisfarne, Dunstanbrough, endless wonderful, wonderful castles in magnificent locations!! Now you've gone and made me feel all homesick!!
Loved the post and I'm right with you in the castle fan club!
Posted by: Helen in Switzerland | March 10, 2011 at 17:39
Castling sounds great - not much opportunity for that here (New England) although there is a small stone castle here in town. People live in it, so I've not been inside.
This is the 2nd view of forsythia I've seen in a day, so that's good! And as for Rembrandt, I love him dearly.
Posted by: Lisa | March 10, 2011 at 18:18
I haven't been to Windsor Castle for years, but every time we visit London I enjoy seeing it on the horizon, usually in silhouette and looking like an ocean liner. The views are particularly good at this time of year because it is not obscured by trees. The girls always like to check whether or not the flag is flying and I always promise them that we'll visit one day - I want them to see Queen Mary's Doll's house, if it's still there and I am remembering correctly.
Posted by: Charlotte | March 10, 2011 at 19:53
Jane, thank you for loving Kenilworth Castle - Kenilworth is my home town and I LOVE the castle. Whenever we visit my parents we all race up there and my children know every stone by heart !
Posted by: christine | March 10, 2011 at 21:42
Totally jealous of your forsythia. Ours has not even started to think about blooming yet. Sigh.
Posted by: Virginia | March 10, 2011 at 22:30
Also, you know, the castles. Very jealous of those. And the ability to visit them.
Posted by: Virginia | March 10, 2011 at 22:31
As an American, and a girl, I've always loved castles from afar. I have always been afraid that people lucky enough to live within range of castles would just be bored with the history of it all. Also, I have this long-distance affinity for Kenilworth. I read an historical novel where it was mentioned several times, and I kept thinking it sounded familiar. When I got off the couch, I happened to look at a pair of framed postcards I had on the wall... of the ruins of Kenilworth. Ever since, its always seemed like "my" castle. Glad to share though :)
Posted by: KateMet | March 11, 2011 at 01:06
Love Windsor castle very grand. And Queen Mary's dolls house is still there and worth the visit!
I'm glad you like Urquhart castle on Loch Ness if we are thinking of the same one. Scotland has several castles - Stirling, Edinburgh and Eilean Donan are several I have enjoyed. But have you been to Bodiam in East Sussex and Leeds castle surprisingly in Kent. Especially love Bodiam - part ruined and just the castle to run, climb around and scare your mother on! :D
Posted by: Nicky Eglinton | March 11, 2011 at 07:31
Oh thank you for sharing. I love castles and alas we have none here in the States.
Posted by: Milly | March 11, 2011 at 12:46
Oh my gosh, I love this post!! Castling is a past time we just don't have where I live unfortunately. My kids would go nuts!!!
Posted by: wasabi honey bee | March 11, 2011 at 15:41
Oh how I wish we had castles in abundance to visit here! Windsor Castle was one of my favourite places to explore on two separate trips across the pond. I regret not buying a bar of scented soap in a floral fragrance from the gift shop that was divine.
Posted by: Darlene | March 11, 2011 at 15:48
Great photos, Jane! I just spent quite a bit of time researching at the Round Tower. What a special place.
Posted by: Jenny | March 11, 2011 at 18:36
So now I've got "here we come [a-castling] among the leaves so green," running through my head.
Loved this post---especially the dry moat photo. Thank you.
Posted by: Laura | March 11, 2011 at 20:04
Castl(e)ling must be in the air. Lucy in Attic 24 also posted about castle-ing last week when she visited her local one in Skipton.I have visited that one myself lots of times and later when my son was going though a serious castling phase I visited many more - Pontefract ruins with its brilliant medieval fair each year, Knaresborough with its sallyports but mostly I remember Sandal Castle near to where I grew up. Not very well known except for the hill leading up to it.This was the one the Grand Old Duke of York had serious problems with!But a visit to that castle as a child myself meant that lots of running,clambering and rolling down moats was to be had.As for Conwy my one and only visit was when I was 6 months pregnant so no running about there.Though there is a photo of myself stood outside with my huge belly stuffed into my pink stripey Andy Pandy dungarees!Where does the time go?
Posted by: Gill | March 12, 2011 at 11:26
Oh, you should see Arundel Castle! My daughter and I were there 2 years ago when I was visiting from Nevada. We loved it. And tea at Belinda's Tea Room.
Posted by: DiAskew | March 14, 2011 at 01:19