Exploring Britain's Castles: Celebrating Britain's Magnificent Legacy

by Automobile Association

More than 120 of Britain's finest castles are showcased in this fabulous celebration of some of its most beautiful and historically significant buildings    Britain's turbulent civil history has left it with a magnificent legacy of castles, built to intimidate and designed for defense, many now in ruin—yet they continue to hold their auras of power and mystery. Here, their stories are told, from the mighty fortress of Dover to the picturesque moated ruin of Caerlaverock. Edward I's famous castles at Caernarfon and Harlech are covered, as well as more humble landmarks such as the island tower of Castle Stalker and the legendary stones of Tintagel. This guide includes clear regional and locator maps produced by the AA's cartographic department and practical information such as contact details, opening times, and facilities. This is an essential purchase for all those interested in discovering more about Britain's unique history and the imposing structures that still dominate many areas of the landscape.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2012

About the author

Automobile Association AA (Great Britain) was founded in 1905 to provide vehicle insurance, driving lessons, motoring advice, travel guides & road maps.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal read!

This book is divided geographically into six (6) sections. At the beginning of each section is a brief history of the geographical area along with a map showing many towns in the area and the locations of the castles that will be discussed in the section.

Within each section, castles and towers are given in alphabetical order. The name of each castle or tower is given along with the location (including the # miles (km in parentheses), when the castle is open, the telephone number and website. There is also a brief history and captioned beautiful, gorgeous color photographs!

At the end of the book, there is an index of castles, towers and key figures such as Queen Elizabeth I, Robert the Bruce, etc. that are tied to these delightful places.

In a country (the US) where historical homes, battlefields, and other places are often torn down or destroyed to make way for "progress", it is most impressive to see these castles, some of which are still inhabited today and, to learn a little bit about their history -- most dating back to the 1200 - 1400's.

The thing that I most appreciated is that as I was reading and SAVORING the last half of this book during the first few days of the Olympics, some of the castles and towers showcased in this book, including the Tower of London, were displayed in the opening sequences for the Olympics. Also, while this book provided a brief intro to the Tower of London, Brian Williams (NBC) narrated a very nice piece that provided a bit more depth during coverage of the Olympics.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Britain was divided into six areas (five England, one Scotland). A short synopsis of each castle. Learned a lot of history in a short period. Great photographs and writing to wet your appetite on seeing them in person!