Beginning with their introduction in the eleventh century, and ending with their widespread abandonment in the seventeenth, Marc Morris explores many of the country’s most famous castles, as well as some spectacular lesser-known examples. At times this is an epic tale, driven by characters like William the Conqueror, King John and Edward I, full of sieges and conquest on an awesome scale. But it is also by turns an intimate story of less eminent individuals, whose adventures, struggles and ambitions were reflected in the fortified residences they constructed. Be it ever so grand or ever so humble, a castle was first and foremost a home.
To understand castles – who built them, who lived in them, and why – is to understand the forces that shaped medieval Britain.
**
Review
"Captivating and entertaining... More than just a study of architecture, weaponry and personalities, Castle pieces together a comprehensive overview that gives a fresh take on medieval and early modern Britain and the forces that shaped it. Whether ruined or intact, castles still have the power to fire the imagination, and Marc Morris leave you in no doubt why." BBC History Magazine
From the Publisher
Beginning in the 11th century, when castles were first introduced to Britain, and ending in the 17th century, when they were largely abandoned, Castle charts an epic history, driven by figures like William the Conqueror, who, by building and besieging castles, shaped the fate of the nation. At the same time, it is a homely story of lesser–known individuals and how their lives were consumed by the castles they built. As historian Marc Morris shows us, there is more to castles than drawbridges and battlements. Grand or humble, a castle is first and foremost a home. It may look inhospitable from the outside, but the interior is all about luxury and comfort: grand halls, massive kitchens, and lavish private chambers—all of which made these buildings ideal homes for their owners. To understand castles—who built them, who lived in them, and why—is to understand the forces that shaped medieval Britain.

Memory of the World Librarian: Quintus

2025-02-18