Castles: a Very Peculiar History

by Jacqueline Morley

From building a moat to planning a this fascinating book is filled with stories about castle life.
 
How were castles built, fought over, lived in? This engaging book tells all! Learn the difference between donjeons and dungeons (it's important), the best time of year for a siege, and how 40 pigs managed to bring down a fortress. See how the lord and lady, their knights, and their workers ate, kept clean, and entertained themselves. From the ravens in the Tower of London to household tips on food, fire, and bedding, A Very Peculiar History is filled with fascinating facts and stories.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published February 13, 2012

About the author

Jacqueline Morley studied English at Oxford University and has taught English and History. She is the author of numerous books, including award-winning historical nonfiction titles for children. Her books have won several TES Senior Information book awards.

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot of information in this little book, especially the Crusaders.

[Lucy-May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot fault this teeny tiny book of all things castles; I came across the book at work after someone had returned it & instead of shelving it, I decided to borrow it myself! I love this particular edition of the book as it’s pocket-sized & the cover is beautiful, but all of the facts within its pages are just as enticing.

As someone with an interest in late medieval history, a book like this was always going to go down well with me, & I learnt so many unusual & amusing things (as well as a few awful details too). It’s been a long time since I last did any kind of historical study so this was a nice way to dip my toe back in for a bit & I’d love to know how Jacqueline Morley decided which facts to include & which to leave out! I read the book a chapter at a time over several weeks, which was nice because it meant I had something to read even when my brain was fried.

Definitely recommend this fab little book to anyone who has interest in castles, young & old, although beware of some of the grizzly details of wars & sieges!

⚠️ This book contains references to light violence, historical war weapons, mild gore, death & general war battle but it’s not overly graphic ⚠️

[Mary Tufts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. If you ever wondered about castles--mechanics, conquests, building, terms, etc. then this book is for you. It's quick, it's comical, and it really provides a great foundation to any trip where there even might be a PICTURE of a castle.

[Christian Cederberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little read about castles

[Michell Karnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but interesting book on castles.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to read the Peculiar History books.

[G. Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book, a fun, informative read.

[Coffee Witch . · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked up as a cheeky easy read in the Pembroke Castle gift shop. Entertaining and informative. Suitable for all ages ☕🏰📖

[Brooke Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Castles: a Very Peculiar History is a non-fiction book about the history behind castles. The book details the history behind castles, different locations of popular castles, siege stories, and many other things. It is filled with many fun facts that many students would get a kick out of. I decided to pair Tuesdays at the Castle with my non-fiction story. Tuesdays at the Castle is a fiction story about Princess Ceile and her fight against time to save her family and their kingdom after they are ambushed. Most fiction stories use building as settings and they do not necessarily play a role in the overall plot of the story, this is what makes Tuesdays at the Castle different from those other stories. This story places a large emphasis on the castle and the many locations inside of it. It makes a great pairing with the non-fiction text because they can compare and contrast the two stories about the castles.

[Sandy123 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well-written account of the history of castles for children. Yet, as an adult reader I enjoyed learning why and how castles were built. There were a lot of fun illustrations and interesting facts. Best for ages 10 and older.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love children's history books.