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Castles of England
In 1051, a monk of Canterbury Cathedral made a bizarre observation in what would eventually form part of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. In his chronicling of the year’s events, he described the establishment of a new fortification in Herefordshire by French members of the king’s party. More sophisticated than the typical Saxon burh, the word provided was alien to his vocabulary. In Latin, its builders had christened it: castellum. Little did anyone at the time know, this unique building would mark a drastic change in the direction of England’s history.
For almost a thousand years, the castles of England have stood proudly over her landscape. While many bear the scars of centuries of warfare, others continue to enjoy a far more comfortable existence. They are the sites of bloody sieges. The windswept ruin. The royal palace. The home of knights and nobility. The local museum. The posh hotel. Though we all recognise a castle when we see one, no two are ever exactly alike.
By digging deep into the history of England’s mighty castles, the purpose of this book is to throw light on those who lived there. For as long as there have been castles in England, there have been mysteries within their walls: murders that were never solved, treasures that remain unfound, prisoners left to rot in the ghastliest pits or executions worthy of lasting infamy.
From unfortunate victims to long lost legends, infamous owners to ladies in grey, Castles of England offers a fresh investigation into many of those tales that will forever be the cause of intrigue for visitors. To understand who they were is to understand the story of the castle in England. To understand the castle in England is to understand England.
For almost a thousand years, the castles of England have stood proudly over her landscape. While many bear the scars of centuries of warfare, others continue to enjoy a far more comfortable existence. They are the sites of bloody sieges. The windswept ruin. The royal palace. The home of knights and nobility. The local museum. The posh hotel. Though we all recognise a castle when we see one, no two are ever exactly alike.
By digging deep into the history of England’s mighty castles, the purpose of this book is to throw light on those who lived there. For as long as there have been castles in England, there have been mysteries within their walls: murders that were never solved, treasures that remain unfound, prisoners left to rot in the ghastliest pits or executions worthy of lasting infamy.
From unfortunate victims to long lost legends, infamous owners to ladies in grey, Castles of England offers a fresh investigation into many of those tales that will forever be the cause of intrigue for visitors. To understand who they were is to understand the story of the castle in England. To understand the castle in England is to understand England.
- GenresHistory
248 pages, Hardcover
Published October 22, 2021
1 person is currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
John Paul Davis
31 books69 followers📚 John Paul Davis is the international bestselling author of fourteen thriller novels. His debut, The Templar Agenda, cracked the UK Top 20 and claimed the #1 spot in Historical Thrillers. Since then, he has continued to keep readers on the edge of their seats, with hits like The Cortés Trilogy, which reached the UK Top 40 and US Top 20, and the White Hart series, starring a secret black ops group with origins dating back to the Middle Ages.
🖊 In addition to thrillers, JPD has authored seven works of nonfiction. His debut work, Robin Hood: The Unknown Templar, sparked international press interest, while Pity For The Guy, the first full-length biography of Guy Fawkes, was featured on ITV’s The Alan Titchmarsh Show.
🏠 JPD is an active member of International Thriller Writers (ITW) and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He holds a BSc from Loughborough University and resides in Warwickshire, where he enjoys sports, history, reading, contemplating the meaning of life, planning book-related travels and pondering plot twists.
Checkout his official Website: www.johnpauldavis.com
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 9 reviews
August 30, 2021
The Castles of England have always evoked a sense of wonder - and of course, their local haunts. Everyone loves a good ghost story - but there is much more to these castles than just ghosts.
The English countryside is steeped in history, and the dotting of castles that dominate the landscape have stories and histories.
This book was amazing, and I absolutely loved reading about all the different castles and stories that are associated with them. The information is not overwhelming, and for those who are not familiar with some of the castles, this is a great starting point for those who are wanting to get a deeper understanding of England, their castles, and history.
The English countryside is steeped in history, and the dotting of castles that dominate the landscape have stories and histories.
This book was amazing, and I absolutely loved reading about all the different castles and stories that are associated with them. The information is not overwhelming, and for those who are not familiar with some of the castles, this is a great starting point for those who are wanting to get a deeper understanding of England, their castles, and history.
September 27, 2021
Fascinating look at the many, many castles to be found in England. I had no idea there were so many! I enjoyed reading the histories, the descriptions, and the stories about them. I will definitely be bringing a copy of this book on my next visit!
August 3, 2021
Every castle teems with secrets, some more than others, all of them fascinating whether they are true or legend. In this book the author describes many castles in England, some well known, others less so. The focus is on the people who lived in these castles. As a castle fiend, exploring those intact or ruined gives me such joy as my imagination goes wild as I learn about history and life in that particular region and era. What could be better than engaging all your senses and getting enveloped in curiosity?
The author explains what a castle is. Most were homes and/or strongholds but over the years have also been monasteries, WWII hospitals, schools, hunting lodges. and prisons Some are now hotels and museums. Even those with only one or two walls still standing are atmospheric. Many are achingly beautiful and picturesque, some have spectacular gardens and spellbinding fairytale qualities. Skeletons have been discovered, conjuring up a host of questions and mysteries. The castles are riddled with hauntings, said to be ghosts of those who have mysteries attached to them such as unexplained disappearances or deaths. Not just humans, either.
Of those castles mentioned in this book Tintagel, Arundel, Bodiam and Bamburgh are some of my personal favourites. Their surroundings and mighty character as well as myths are intriguing. Ghosts of cats and dogs, naughty children, a lady in pink, a merman, monks and tricks of light are just some of many eerie sightings people are said to have seen/see at the castles in this book. Not just the seen but the unseen such as screams, thuds, horses' hooves, rattling chains and being watched have been common experiences through history to present. One story which stands out most to me is the young woman who, in a game of hide and seek, hid herself too well.
Castle lovers, do read this riveting book. You will learn a lot of history and insight into life in the medieval period and what each castle is known for including connections with royalty as well as ordinary folk going about their lives, its purpose, construction and surroundings. My only complaint is that though there are many pictures of the castles, there could be more. But then I'm a visual person and looked up those I didn't know about.
My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this remarkable book!
The author explains what a castle is. Most were homes and/or strongholds but over the years have also been monasteries, WWII hospitals, schools, hunting lodges. and prisons Some are now hotels and museums. Even those with only one or two walls still standing are atmospheric. Many are achingly beautiful and picturesque, some have spectacular gardens and spellbinding fairytale qualities. Skeletons have been discovered, conjuring up a host of questions and mysteries. The castles are riddled with hauntings, said to be ghosts of those who have mysteries attached to them such as unexplained disappearances or deaths. Not just humans, either.
Of those castles mentioned in this book Tintagel, Arundel, Bodiam and Bamburgh are some of my personal favourites. Their surroundings and mighty character as well as myths are intriguing. Ghosts of cats and dogs, naughty children, a lady in pink, a merman, monks and tricks of light are just some of many eerie sightings people are said to have seen/see at the castles in this book. Not just the seen but the unseen such as screams, thuds, horses' hooves, rattling chains and being watched have been common experiences through history to present. One story which stands out most to me is the young woman who, in a game of hide and seek, hid herself too well.
Castle lovers, do read this riveting book. You will learn a lot of history and insight into life in the medieval period and what each castle is known for including connections with royalty as well as ordinary folk going about their lives, its purpose, construction and surroundings. My only complaint is that though there are many pictures of the castles, there could be more. But then I'm a visual person and looked up those I didn't know about.
My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this remarkable book!
July 30, 2021
Castles of England by John Paul Davis is a great nonfiction and history of the array of English castles that I loved learning about.
This is a great, streamlined presentation of a vast array of the older and “newer” castles that are present in varying degrees within England. The author effortlessly presents them by way of breaking it all down geographically and within each section not only lists said structures, but also some of the important events and happenings that are associated and how they came to be.
It was great learning a little more about some of these fascinating, often pivotal, and historical structures that truly reflect a history that cannot, and should not, be forgotten.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Pen & Sword for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
This is a great, streamlined presentation of a vast array of the older and “newer” castles that are present in varying degrees within England. The author effortlessly presents them by way of breaking it all down geographically and within each section not only lists said structures, but also some of the important events and happenings that are associated and how they came to be.
It was great learning a little more about some of these fascinating, often pivotal, and historical structures that truly reflect a history that cannot, and should not, be forgotten.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Pen & Sword for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
August 9, 2021
This book strikes me as a labor of love on the part of the author and readers are the richer for it. Castles of England is a pieced together work of history and folklore. The history of medieval castles really is a fascinating one and reading this book as a citizen of a country still in its infancy in comparison to England, I was enthralled with the history in this book.
I would recommend this title to any castle fanatic or lover of medieval history.
My thanks to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for an advance reader copy of this novel. All opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my own reading experience.
I would recommend this title to any castle fanatic or lover of medieval history.
My thanks to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for an advance reader copy of this novel. All opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my own reading experience.
September 20, 2021
An interesting, informative and well researched book that made me discover new places and could be used as a travel guide.
I like how it's organised per area and the stories it tells.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I like how it's organised per area and the stories it tells.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
August 27, 2021
I took my time with Castles of England because I just wanted to savor the richness of the historical details provided. I grew up in Europe and have long had a love for and fascination with all castles. Admittedly, when I got this book, I thought there would be more pictures, which would have bumped it up to 5 stars for me. However, the content is so saturated with amazing details and knowledge that I found myself thoroughly enjoying it, even without pictures. It is like a virtual tour with a guide who knows each one intimately. If you are at all a lover of castles, do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of this treat. You will not be disappointed.
I received a complimentary copy, with thanks, from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own and freely given.
I received a complimentary copy, with thanks, from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own and freely given.
August 30, 2021
As an Anglophile I was thrilled to be granted my wish for this interesting book on Castles of England. The book is broken down into chapters per location. I love the legends and ghost stories that were included for the individual castles. There were several castles that I had never heard of, with interesting vignettes to whet my appetite for new locations to visit on my next trip to England, If historical architecture is an interest to you, I highly recommend this book. It has individual stories, plus a bibliography and appendixes for quick research and review.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 9 reviews