Castle: A History of the Buildings that Shaped Medieval Britain

by Marc Morris

As Marc Morris shows, there is more to castles than drawbridges and battlements, portcullises and arrow-loops. Be it ever so grand or ever so humble, a castle is first and foremost a home. It may look tough and defensible on the outside, but on the inside, a castle is all about luxury and creature comforts. To understand castles—who built them, who lived in them, and why—is to understand the forces that shaped medieval Britain.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medieval, Medieval History, Architecture, Historical, Reference

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Marc Morris, PhD, is an historian and broadcaster, specializing in the Middle Ages. An expert on medieval monarchy and aristocracy, Marc has written numerous articles for History Today, BBC History Magazine and Heritage Today; he speaks regularly to schools, historical societies, and literary festivals, and also leads specialist tours of UK castles. He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and lives in England.

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

A terrific overview of castles, from their arrival in England at the Norman conquest to the end of the castle building trend after the Civil War. This is really informative about design and utility, as well as revelatory about the cultural exchange going on: the architect of Caenarfon in Wales came from the Savoy (Switzerland basically) and this was under Edward I.

Really interesting with lots of human stories, and also extremely funny. I didn't expect laugh out loud lines in a book on medieval architecture.

Also, turns out that the castle in the boring market town where I grew up was the place where the English finally surrendered to William the Conqueror. I mean, we just used to hang around there for underage drinking.

[T.O. Munro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this as a christmas present, but only recently got down to the starting it and then finished it fairly quickly. It is divided into six chunky chapters which make for comfortable reading portions. I also suspect that - since it was tied into a BBC series - that each chapter corresponds to an episode in the TV show.

I have a fondness for castles having dragged my long suffering family around quite a few (but not as many as I'd like to have). The cover illustration is a view of Rochester Castle I used to drive by everyday on my way to work, (EDIT - my edition must be a different one to the cover uploaded to Goodreads - which looks more like Bodiam though I hesitate to identify it as positively as I know Rochester) while later illustrations of Conwy, Caenarfon and Beaumaris harked back to an early holiday in Wales. They are places imbued with so much history and - as Marc Morris observes - in the process of being restored and represented for a modern audience. I have walked with the talking handsets around Rochester's Keep and engaged with re-enactment actors portraying Henry II and Prince John and the incomparable William the Marshall in teh retored keep of Dover Castle.

Marc Morris's book does a similar service in bringing the castle to life through the stories of the people who built them and lived in them, be it Edward I that great and terrible king, or Sir Edward Dallingridge - the kind of man who Shakespeare's Henry V would have hanged for metrcilessly using the excuse of war to pillaging the french countryside - save that Dallingridge lived and died a generation earlier and used his ill-gotten gains to set himself up with a home and a castle. There is nowhere better than Bodiam to bring reality to the phrase an Englishman';s home is his castle.

Morris sets and solves entertaining mysteries along the way eg who was Master James the master stonemason of Edward I's Welsh monuments and all in all makes what could be a dull and dusty tale of crumbing architecture into a book as lively and entertaining as many a work of fiction.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book employs a type of historical overview that I find very interesting. It tells the history of British castles by telling the story of how a handful of castles came to be. I listened to the audio version on Scribd (Loved the narrator a lot).
This book was easy to read and even funny at parts, but also fairly informative.

[Jacob Stelling · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable history of Castles in medieval Britain, from their introduction in the 11th century from France, to their abandonment following the English Civil War, Marc Morris blends narrative history with the history of the castle.

This combined approach allows the reader to learn more about the relative importance of castles in the events of the high Middle Ages in particular, and the focus on particular individuals and castles as a point of reference proved useful in keeping the reader engaged throughout.

On the whole, I enjoyed this book immensely as it provided an alternative way of looking at history and the role that castles played. Highly recommend.

[Vicky Tazzyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly readable history.

[Tom Oldale · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone fascinated by Castles as I am this book is a fantastic summary of the role these buildings played throughout history and how their usefulness and purpose changed.

The book mainly focuses on the UK with vague mentions of European castles also. It basically outlines the history from the first castles, right up to the ultimate abandonment of most of them.

Marc Morris has a way of weaving human stories into the history of castles with such ease and the result is a book in which the words spring to life from the pages.

Some chapters are not as interesting as most and I would have appreciated a few finer details on other aspects of the castles as well as their military uses (which is the main focus), but overall this book is a must for any castle or history lovers.

I guarantee you will be eager to visit the castles mentioned like I am, even if you have already been. This book will allow you to see them in a completely new exciting light.

[Nicholas George Setford · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is aimed at a younger audience but that does not stop it from being good for adults! Also Morris is a bit opinionated, but he readily points that out and it works well with his case studies of the various castles even if you don't fully agree with his point of view! I really enjoyed it, especially with google beside the book to further the research. I will at the next opportunity will retrace my youthful steps and revisit many of the castles he mentions and again I could see that a a child I would have loved that book even more, but it was sadly not around then - which is why he wrote it, I guess?

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

By looking at a selection of individual castles from different periods, Marc Morris attempts to wrestle with the question of "What is a Castle?" By looking at different castles and their different uses (from defence to stately home), and the history of those specific castles, he really brings them to life.

Fascinating and readable.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morris looks at various castles around Britain, their history and their uses. Very interesting and not at all stuffy in the way that some historians can be.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a few worries about this book: I thought it might be a bit dry and long winded, it might involve a lot of referencing to the TV show. I didn't need to worry about either as this book was well-written, informative, informal and generally a joy to read. Morris has a style that's like Dan Jones crossed with Bill Bryson.
I have read Morris' other book on Edward I but this one was a mush more general overview of castles and their history. He has included a good reading list at the end so you can find some more in-depth books if you like. The book follows the story of the first castles in the motte and bailey style, right up to the demise of the castle after the Civil War. Morris uses a couple of castles as examples of trends and so we get a more thorough look into their histories and the people who lived in them.
I am a huge fan of visiting castles and historic sites so this book was perfect for me. I loved learning about the reasons behind castle building and the chapter on Edward I was my favourite.
The colour photos are a nice touch and I enjoyed looking through them, but I really appreciated the black and white photos scattered throughout the book - sometimes it's hard to visualise the layout of a castle and Morris has included useful diagrams of some so that we can follow what he's talking about. I have seen this done is other non-fiction books and it really enhances the reading.
This is an excellent (and fairly quick) read on the subject and I'd recommend it for any history nerd like me!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable tour through highlights of six centuries of British history from the Norman Conquest to the English Civil War as reflected in the architecture, purposes, proprietors and destiny of Britain's great castles. Like Marc Morris's other works, this one is lucidly written with a quick pace that keeps the reader engaged in the cultural, military and technological tales these castles tell through the centuries. In my opinion, the chapter on Edward I's castle-building craze is the book's best.

[Red Dog · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little light, but maybe that's to be expected from a "book of the TV series" - Morris certainly deploys more of his trademark humour that he does in other of his books. If I had a criticism, it would be that perhaps as a result of being originally written for television, some of the framing arguments for the chapters, particularly the one on Scottish castles, are a little forced - I personally felt the "everyone sees Scottish history as bloodthirsty" argument to be a bit of a straw man. But overall, a good overview of the topic, and I enjoyed it.

[Geneva Henson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. As a person who has grown up with a castle on my doorstep, this really deepened my knowledge of how castles worked, how they were built and who built them! It was very easy to ready and very funny in some parts! Marc Morris is an excellent writer- it felt like I was listening to a wise grandfather tell me all the history of the local area and other significant (yet less well known) castles across the UK! I also used a lot of the information for one of my modules last year! Very enjoyable

[Darel Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book on the history of castles and castle building in England/Scotland. Because of the strength of the writer, it turns into a reasonable history of England - the ascension of the Normans and their practice of fortress/castles from France, and the continuation of the design changes necessary for the changing fortunes of the country.

Like most commentators, Cromwell comes off as a terrible villain because of his tearing down of so many of these gems.

This is a great reference for travels to the Islands , well done for what could be a pretty antiseptic topic.

[Robert Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in 2003, 'Castle - A History of the Buildings that Shaped Medieval Britain' was released to accompany a BBC series on the subject, but this 2012 edition shows that it stands on its own. It chronicles the development of castles in Britain from the 11th century until around the 15th century, and the swansong of their use in the centuries following. With my limited knowledge of Britain's castles, this was a very informative eye-opener.

[April Munday · Rating 4 out of 5]

There can't be many books about the history of the English castle that make the reader smile. Marc Morris' writing is as readable as it is informative, but it's also entertaining. I didn't even mind reading the chapters on Scottish castles and the fate of castles during the Civil Wars of the 1640s, which don't really interest me.

[Callie R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously I’m the target audience, and therefore biased, but the word that comes to mind reading this is “pleasant”: this was just a well-rounded, well-researched, enjoyable read. It’s rare that a scholar of this caliber does so well at making history accessible, but Morris accomplishes it. And there’s pictures!

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pacy and readable history of British Castles from the Norman Conquest to the slightings that followed the Civil War. Morris makes occasional deductive leaps which appear to based on limited evidence which as a historian is a bit annoying but forgiveable.

[Aurel Mihai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good history of castles in the British Isles and the stories behind them. I enjoyed reading about the particular castles selected by the author. Highly readable. A few small areas don't translate well from TV. Usually the parts that try to be humorous. This is only a minor distraction.

[Rich Gibbons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant. I love castles and this book only furthers that feeling! Full of great information and a fun writing style, it paints evocative and interesting pictures of a wide number of historical incidents and locations.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely brilliant read. So many little tidbit facts that I didn't know. The books flows well and doesn't get too bogged down with technical terminology. A great way to learn about castles and what constitutes a castle; whilst also learning a little bit of background history at the same time.

[Tom Sims · Rating 4 out of 5]

A running romp through the history of castles. With a background of the political landscape that led to the development and some particular castles at various times this is an easy, mildly amusing and informative read.

[Simon Mcleish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to the history of castles in Britain, using outstanding examples from each era of castle building which are still in existence and can be visited. Even those of us who have been reading history for decades may still find the odd new fact, or at least an entertaining exposition.

[sophus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very accessible and fun, I just wish it looked deeper into how people actually lived in these castles. Also the commentary throughout can get a bit annoying at some points, but guess that is what happens when you adapt an early 2000s tv docuseries into a book.

[Juliet Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a somewhat dry, but fairly informative book on castles, and their various purposes. There are some illustrations and photos that provide additional details.

[CW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written made the castles and their history come alive.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A insightful book of an important part of British history. Marc Morris has constructed a great book with enough information to want you to go visit all of these great castles.

[Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well styled non-fiction with great history, lively prose and tales. Learned much.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

informative and interesting. Not dry but not hugely entertaining. could wish the pictures were better matched up with the chapters where they talk about those specific castles.

[xmikerx75 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, interesting read

Brilliant, well written book.

Rekindled my interest in castles and I can see visits in the near future.

I really enjoyed this.