Castles

by Tom McNeill

Both intrepid tourists and ardent armchair travelers will find this illustrated companion to the magnificent castles of Britain and Ireland a must have. Complete with maps, photographs, and reconstructions, it offers a fascinating peek into these famous sites, and the aristocracy that once dominated them. Find out about the people who lived in these awe-inspiring buildings, why and how castles were built, what economic role they played, and what methods of defense were incorporated into the castles’ structures.  

Genres: History, Nonfiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[DavidO · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has an almost encyclopedic level of information about castles, with cross sections drawn of the interiors and a lot more information into how they were actually used than I've seen ever before. They talk about the costs paid (something like 20 pounds of old money for one of the wooden ones) to make them. Interesting stuff. If I were writing books about this time period, I would definitely consider reading this book and taking notes.

[Helene Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review - I thought that the background on castles was cleverly done, looking at the different phases of development. However, I think that the book could have done with more examples and more explanations on how the examples fitted in with what was being discussed - for example, Hever Castle isn't mentioned, and neither are Sudeley or Fotheringay. Framlingham and Ludlow are discussed, but not in great detail.

General Subject/s? - Architecture / Buildings / Castles / History

Recommend? – Yes

Rating - 16/20

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 3 out of 5]

My book blog ----> Updated review to include pictures from my travels of my favorite castles

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Not great, not terrible. Kind of dry at times. Great photos and illustrations, but seriously, no Edinburgh?? No Blarney?? Two amazing castles that deserved attention. No Windsor? No Stirling? Come on!