Medieval Castle Blog

Eleanor of Aquitaine

2009-07-21T04:24:00.000-07:00

It is not often that we get the chance to talk about powerful women in the Middle ages.However Eleanor of Aquitaine had more power and influence than most nobles during the 12th century.She would be married to two kings and have as sons three more kings. On top of this she ruled with her second husband from the Scottish borders down to the Pyrenees.

Her inheritance was the Angevin Empire. Back in the 12th century there was no France as we know it today. The King of France basically ruled the area around Paris and the rest of France was in practice largely outside his control. Sure, the Lords who ran the dominions spread throughout France might look on the King as their overlord but this was a relationship which could be challenged.

The Angevin empire ran from Normandy southwards to Gascony and the border with Spain.

( interestingly it excluded Brittany to the west).

Anyway the broad outline of her life is as follows

Dates

1122 to 1204

Marriages

Louise VII of France

and Henry II of England

Offspring

10 children overall, 5 boys and 5 girls

2 daughters to Louise, 5 boys and 3 girls to Henry.

Other interesting highlights

Second crusade

Revolt against Henry II

and in popular fiction

The Lion in Winter

plus many appearances in stories of Ivan Hoe and Robin Hood.

For further details on Eleanor's life the Wikipedia entry is quite good.

Anyway more blogs on this amazing woman to come!

Dracula , Whitby and the Black Death

2009-06-28T04:50:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting post for all you Dracula fans. Written by one of our Admin Team who recently came back from a trip to England's 'Dracula country'. He writes ....

For the May Bank holiday we booked a week down in North Yorkshire, just outside the old harbour town of Whitby. Those of you who have read Bram Stoker's Dracula will of course immediately recognise the town!

Anyway ... more about our trip.

We stayed in a small house in Iburndale, just below Sleights and maybe 4 miles from the harbour. Given the number of people who had descended upon Whitby this turned out to be a good idea. You can see from the picture the beautiful valley just round the corner from us. Buttercups covered the whole valley and most of the time we had it to ourselves.

Now a little history. Whitby was really founded when the Abbey of Saint Hilda was built in 657 AD.You can see the Abbey up on the headland overlooking the harbour, dramatic indeed.

In 867 AD the Danes sacked the town and the Abbey was burnt to the ground.However it was rebuilt in 1078 AD as a Benedictine Priory and then all was relatively quiet until Henry VIII disolved the monasteries in 1539. Since then it has gradually deteriorated to the skeleton it now is. The Abbey is tied to the town as if by an umbilical cord. There are 199 stone steps leading down to Church Street (originally wooden steps) and it is this stairway which was used to carry the coffins up to the Abbey (note coffin rests and seats along the stairway).

Less well known to the general tourist but equally important for fans of Dracula is of course St Mary's Church. It dates back to 1110 AD and was built to help look after the workers at the Abbey.

So this is where Dracula comes in ... for Bram Stoker talks very evocatively of the dying sunlight striking the windows of the church and seeing Dracula's red eyes in the church windows.

Anyway we decided to walk the coastal path between Whitby and Robin Hood's Bay. Just 6 1/2 miles there and back.The weather was beautiful , the cliffs very dramatic and off we set.

As we left Whitby and headed south a two masted schooner was plying its tourist trade around the bay. Ok a purist might say that the sails were furled and the ship was driven by diesel engines but if you half closed your eyes could it have been a century and more ago.

On the walk down to Robin Hood's bay I started to think why had Whitby been chosen? Was not Robin Hood's bay with it's dramatic sea defences more appropriate? Well, the answer was probably two-fold. On a practical level the chances are that in a smuggling village everyone knew each other so the chances of Dracula being unnoticed would be less .... and of course the Abbey and the graveyard were essential for Dracula.

Coming back towards Whitby we were reminded that, although the sea was calm and serene just how dangerous it could be. Look at these rocks just outside the harbour. But as we approached the harbour again our thoughts went to another one many years earlier and many miles away. Sometime between June and December 1348 a sailor had landed from France, probably coming into Weymouth harbour and he brought with him the Black Death that swept north and left over 1/3rd of the population dead.

We will talk more about this later but for the moment we just knew that Dracula's arrival by sea wasn't the first time that terror had been brought to England.

Stunning Brougham Castle Keep

2009-06-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

One of the most stunning parts of a medieval castle is the castle keep. Essentially a fortress within a fortress, the keep was built to be the last line of defence within a castle. Many medieval castles were able to withstand aggressive attack sometimes suffering an outer wall breach, only to resist and finally repel the attackers from within the confines of their castle keep.

Being a stronghold within a stronghold, the keep was often used for important food storage and also to retain prisoners. Within the keep of Carlisle Castle for example, the very bottom part of the keep was used to house prisoners from the Jacobite rebellion; you can still visit the keep and see the medieval dungeons today. (Quick nod to Dave at garage doors cumbria for reminding us about Carlisle Castle which is just round the corner from him!)

One particularly outstanding example of a castle keep is that at Brougham Castle in Cumbria, England close to the border with Scotland. Although a ruin, the bulk of the keep is still intact and makes for a wonderful sight on a summer's day. It is a great example of medieval castle architecture and well worth including on your itinerary should you ever be in the Border region.

Photographing castle keeps is something we make a point of every time we visit a medieval castle and we have compiled a stunning array of photos to date, particularly of castles in England and Scotland. Hopefully we'll find the time to upload a gallery on medieval-castle.com soon. Alas, not enough hours in the day .... but we'll get there! In the meantime, I will keep (pardon the pun!) writing about them within our castle blog so please revisit soon for more on great castle keeps, including those within haunted castles!

Medieval Castle Bed Breakfast

2009-05-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

There was a fascinating tv series aired recently called "Grand Designs" and one particular episode was dedicated to a 14th century, medieval castle restoration. It told the story of how it had been the dream of an English couple, Francis and Karen Shaw, to one day own and live in a castle. The cameras must have been with them on and off for a long time as it showed what they had initially purchased - just crumbling ruins with no roof and trees growing inside it - through the process of acquiring planning permission for the restoration and then finally to the building works actually taking place with the help of six, specialist stonemasons.

It offered a great insight not only into the difficulties and costs associated with a castle restoration project but also into what the original medieval stonemasons worked with and how they achieved their goals.

Despite setbacks and taking much longer to complete than originally anticipated, Peel castle which stands in a wonderfully secluded and picturesque part of West Yorkshire is now the Shaw's family home. However, in order to cope with their mortgage and the high maintenance costs, the family also offer part of the castle's accommodation as luxury bed and breakfast.

So if you are ever in that part of the world you can enjoy a unique 'medieval' stayover courtesy of the determination of Francis and Karen Shaw to make their dream come true.

Read more on this amazing story of medieval castle restoration.

Best Of The Web On The BBC - medieval-castle.com

2009-05-10T13:32:00.000-07:00

This last week has been incredibly exciting for us here at medieval-castle.com. We have received many complimentary emails from medieval history fans as well as requests from castle owners to be considered for inclusion in the site - and all because of the BBC.

On 1 May the BBC's flagship technology program 'Click' did a review of "Best Of The Web". Their reviewer Kate Russell selected 4 websites .... just 4 from the 1 trillion unique URLs* that currently exist on the Web. Out of those 4, one was on medieval castles - and it was medieval-castle.com! If you missed the tv show just follow the link to watch the tv clip.

Kate was very flattering to the site and gave it the kind of review that money cannot buy. Here's a line extracted from her comments:
"This site is a must for architecture and history fans alike"

All we can say is 'Thank you Kate' - your endorsement restores our faith in reviewers. (Well, let's face it there are some real cynics out there when it comes to reviewing websites!) The reaction from the public too has been equally strong. There are clearly many, many people out there who love medieval history and in particular medieval castles and that's great news in this day and age. History is truly alive and kicking!

For our part we take all of this as a thumbs up for the further development of the site. So please keep revisiting to see what's next on the agenda.

* = this is according to Google who in July 2008 claimed to have seen a trillion unique URLs. Moreover, the number of web pages is, they claim, growing by several billion per day! Read more:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/we-knew-web-was-big.html

Winter Home For A Medieval King - Lanercost Priory

2009-04-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

Many medieval priories bear witness to a turbulent history and none more so than Lanercost Priory.

Dating from the mid 12th century, Lanercost was an Augustinian Priory built close to Hadrian's Wall. It was therefore en route from England to Scotland when King Edward I of England journeyed once again to do battle with the Scots, this time in 1306. Suffering from poor health and with a cold, bleak winter on the horizon, the King decided to make Lanercost Priory his home, and that of his 200 strong retinue, for several months. When he left in the Spring of 1307 he left behind him a rural community drained of resources which took a long time to recover. Ironically, after all they had done for their King, he died only 5 months later.

Just 5 years later it was another king, this time Robert The Bruce, King of Scotland who came to Lanercost Priory, leading an army up to its very doors.

Today Lanercost Priory is a beautiful church open to the public where services are still held. Its colourful history echoes in every piece of stone and even in the air as you walk around its grounds. However, if you cannot get there to see it for yourself, we have something that might help as the next best thing - a video of Lanercost Priory set to beautiful music (courtesy of Stephen Caudel).

Stone Carvings & Medieval Graffiti

2009-04-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

If you visit a medieval castle, medieval church or medieval priory, you will often come across stone carvings both inside and outside the buildings.

The carvings can vary in size and style and, indeed, the purpose for which they were made. Some medieval stone carvings are of strange-looking faces such as can be seen inside Caerlaverock Castle in South West Scotland. We took this photograph (left) on the ground floor of the castle in what had once been a room with a fireplace. The carvings were quite small and in vertical blocks so obviously served as some kind of ornamentation.

Others carvings you might find elsewere are of creatures or flowers though some are the marks left behind by men who were captive there - either imprisoned or who lived and worked there.

Such is the case with a most unusual set of medieval carvings in a stone wall within the keep of Carlisle Castle, one of the finest medieval fortresses in all England. We were lucky enough to see these first hand and here is one of our photographs (right). Now protected behind a glass door, it is not known exactly who made the carvings though some believe they were made by prisoners. What is known is that they were made in the late 1400's. Some of the carvings are detailed and ornate having been done with great care and skill whilst others are extremely basic with little skill having been employed. Essentially the whole wall is a wonderful piece of medieval graffiti.

The Lanercost Cross is an entirely different piece of medieval stone carving. Located within Lanercost Priory (its stump remains in the grounds outside), is the shaft of a stone cross with an inscription in Latin dating back to 1214. To learn more just visit our Lanercost Priory page where you can also enjoy an exclusive piece of video featuring music by Stephen Caudel.

Medieval Easter Eggs

2009-04-10T01:09:00.000-07:00

In today's world, most Christians celebrate Christmas as the most important of the religious festivals in the year. After that comes Easter. However, it was not always the case for in medieval times people treated Easter with equal importance. In fact, they positively relished the coming of Easter because it followed 6 weeks of fasting (Lent), going without what were deemed pleasures such as eggs and meat.

So what happened to the eggs that were laid during Lent? Were they thrown away? No, they were boiled and preserved until Easter came; then children would be set the task of finding them (their parents having hidden them to represent the apostles who found Christ risen). Egg rolling competitions were also commonplace. Both traditions continue today of course - my own son at primary school used to look forward to egg rolling every Easter, even though he never won!

What medieval people did on East Sunday was, however, very different to today. When the day finally arrived, many would get up before dawn in order to watch the sun rise - literally bearing witness to the dawning of Easter Day itself. Then they would go to church, singing hymns in celebration on the way. Sometimes the local priest would lead them a group and village and town churches would toll their bells in celebration. Those who could afford it would also dress up in new clothes to mark the special celebration and after church, people would look forward to enjoying a day of no work and once again tucking into a hearty meal.

Wealthy landowners, usually the owners of medieval castles, were often happy to lay on a special feast for their friends, families and also their servants. Whether people were rich or poor, Easter was a time that everyone looked forward to and enjoyed in some way or other.

Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire holds an annual Easter Egg hunt within the castle grounds. Open to the general public, this year the hunt is called 'The Eggs Factor'. The challenge? To find the elusive Eastnor Easter Bunnies and Chickens who have escaped. Not only that but they have dressed up as their favourite pop stars. Sounds great fun!

From Medieval Mercenaries To Da Vinci

2009-04-01T02:25:00.000-07:00

It's so strange how time and again medieval history and modern life come together.

Recently we have been reading "The Gargoyle" by Andrew Davidson. The story is enchanting and covers 700 years of history. So not much different than many romances? Oh, but this book introduced us to a very interesting term - "Condotta". In the book it's used to refer to bands of 14th century mercenary soldiers, principally Italian (with cross bows), who were available for hire across the fledgling German states.

So what can we find out about this term? Well, Wikipedia uses the term "Condottieri" as opposed to "Condotta". This is because the condottieri were the actual leaders of the condotta bands of mercenaries. The Wiki page in itself is fascinating reading - full of historical notes and very well written.

So where to next? Well, bizarrely we found this page which talks about toy soldiers recreating the Condotta but it as at the bottom of this page that the real surprise comes ... for this links takes you to a page about Leonardo da Vinci and how he might have created a Condotta. It is a wonderful piece of fantasy, essentially dealing with the idea of what could have happened if the Duke of Milan had developed some of Leonardo's ideas for warfare machines. The wonderful sketches that Leonardo left to posterity are evidence enough of his genius for invention - designs for tanks, assault chariots, flying machines and even helicopters!

Incredibly interesting how spotting an unusual term can take you on a journey through history, across different countries and from war through to great art. Such is the true power of language!

Castle Priest Hole

2009-03-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

Here at medieval-castle.com we try hard to find new and interesting things to write about for our readers. The problem is that our 'to do' list is huge and there are simply not enough hours in a day to get down it quickly. However, we are resolved to tackle a variety of subjects in depth and over time - so if you love medieval history and castles, please keep revisiting the site!

Today we can report that one of the items on our 'to do' list has had its box ticked - and a BIG tick it is too! Some time ago we decided to write a section on medieval worship and how it affected not only the way people lived their medieval lives but also had a bearing on medieval archictecture and design. Admittedly it is a broad subject and we have only just begun to scratch the surface with our first content in the section which went live this week.

We have started to dedicate pages to individual places of worship which date back to medieval times as well including St Etheldreda's Church in London, the oldest Catholic church in all England dating back to the era of King Edward I. When you read the page take a close look at the photograph - towards the bottom right hand corner there is a wonderful orb clearly visible!

Perhaps the most powerful impact made upon medieval worship in England was that of The Reformation. As a result many people were imprisoned, tortured and executed and many were forced into holding religious ceremonies in secret. The priest hole was born out of this.

Priest holes were generally built in homes and castles of wealthy and aristocratic Catholic families and we have been privileged to be able to visit a medieval castle with a priest hole as well as actually film it. Our priest hole video is now live and, we believe. is the first of its kind published on the Internet. Certainly as of this moment in time there is nothing to compare to it on youtube! So please visit the page, watch the video, read the accompanying account of its history and then pass the link on to others for their enjoyment.

Medieval English: A Poke - For the Pig or Ice Cream?

2009-03-12T03:41:00.000-07:00

When you love medieval castles as much as we do, you get distracted into all manner of side issues - from medieval life to medieval music, medieval poetry and lots more. One of the most interesting aspects of medieval history is perhaps that of medieval English. Take one look at our medieval glossary and you will see a wide variety of words - some familiar and still in use today and others that have long since died away in popularity.

Here's a word, not currently in our glossary to be honest, whose use appears to date back to medieval Britain - the word: poke. Now many of us have heard the expression 'a pig in a poke' but what does it really mean? Well, I had never stopped to think about this until I read a great little post on an ice cream blog yesterday entitled: Ice Cream Poke & Ice Cream Slider.

How can a pig and an ice cream both share a poke?! What does it all mean?!

Well, as that little ice cream blog post explains, a poke is a bag or sack. OK so that makes the expression 'a pig in a poke' somewhat self-explanatory but ice cream ....? Well an ice cream poke is a favored expression in Ireland for an ice cream cone. So I learned something there. However, what I perhaps enjoyed learning the most is the fact that the word poke dates back to medieval times. It must go into the glossary at the next update!

Dracula - Medieval & Modern!

2009-02-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a post from one of our admin team here at medieval-castle.com who doesn't often share his thoughts - so enjoy!

Sitting round the fire when all outside was covered by the recent snow storms, we felt rather like Mary Shelley when she started "Frankenstein"at the Villa Diodati overlooking Lake Geneva. The winds howled outside and the clouds blew quickly across the skies. We had a group of friends with us. One family were staying at a luxury B&B in Carlisle (Willowbeck Lodge) and the other family, being in the area for a longer period were self catering in the Eden Valley (Heather Glen Country House).

Conversation turned towards the articles on medieval-castle.com about Dracula and what he would be doing now - other than being a vampire! Well, what we didn't know was that an American lady had already dreamed of this - Elizabeth Kostova. Out of these dreams came her 1 book: "The Historian".

It took her 10 years to write and, like Bram Stoker's book, is written as correspondence. Basically it envisages Dracula living on across the years with his disciples by his side but the novel twist is that he has an academic bent, collects books to make a great library and is something of a scholar.

The book is based mainly in Bulgaria and neighboring Transylvania. However, time in Istanbul is also important to the plot as well as, intriguingly, the South of France.

Now this is where it gets even more interesting. Let me first quote from the book:

"Helen wanted to visit the ancient monastery of Saint-Matthieu-des-Pyrenees-Orientales .... the monastery had been built in the year 1,000 and was the oldest surviving example of Romanesque architecture in Europe"

"We climbed the road from Les Bains on foot, like pilgrims .... two monks showed us around the exquisite cloisters"

What became apparent was that one of our group had actually been to this monastery! They had started off by staying in the ancient city of Carcassonne but had then travelled down to Vernet les Bains and from there up to the Abbey St Martin du Canigou. It is exactly like described in the book - winding road, cloisters, sheer drops and a crypt.

So perhaps Dracula is closer than we think!

PHOTOGRAPHS:
Taken on the visit to Saint-Matthieu-des-Pyrenees-Orientales in Southern France.

A Medieval Valentine's Day

2009-02-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

Here's something different to contemplate for Valentine's Day - make it medieval!

There are many people who love all things medieval - from medieval style jewelry to medieval clothing and costumes to medieval architecture and medieval music. And why not? Medieval history is an era which evokes strong, unique atmospheres - from the heroics of medieval knights through to the harshness of medieval life with little medicine and few home comforts. Not that we're suggesting you try and emulate some of that harshness for Valentine's Day! No, what we have in mind is to 'go medieval' in a fun way that will make the day extra special.

For example, you could:

Plan a day trip to visit a medieval castle and learn more about a particular, historical place and its role in centuries of history. A day out to somewhere like Alnwick Castle

Go to a medieval banquet for dinner and an evening's entertainment. There are venues specialising in medieval entertainment such as:

In the UK - The Medieval Banquet in London which is not far from the wonderful medieval fortress of The Tower of London

In the USA - Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament venues in the USA and Canada

Buy your 'Valentine' a piece of medieval style jewelry such as this beautiful pendant (5 star rating on amazon.com)

Buy your 'Valentine' a subscription to one of the best history magazines out today - BBC History Magazine

There are even medieval recipes you can try out! None of us have yet tried these but on reading them they sound delicious, especially the spinach tart and chicken with orange and lemon!

Medieval Heraldry

2009-01-20T02:12:00.000-08:00

Let's face it, we humans love symbolism. All aspects of life seem to carry symbols - from football teams to political parties to hobby groups and more. Representing our beliefs and our culture is very important and it was in medieval times that symbols used for family identities came about. More precisely it was in England in the 12th century that medieval heraldry was born.

Heraldry in medieval families was important for a number of reasons and passing on a family coat of arms soon became the thing to do if a family held good social and political standing. Choosing the symbols used in heraldry was quite complex with the most popular being animals - real or mythical. Medieval unicorns are a good example.

Even today, heraldry plays a part in many people's lives. You might be fortunate to have inherited a family coat of arms but if not you can have one made up for you when you get married! Read our page on this great idea for a medieval style gift.

Medieval Castles Today

2009-01-01T01:13:00.000-08:00

Most people interested in medieval history spend time looking back into the past, into historical records and books but there is a wonderful, medieval experience they can enjoy today in the 'here and now', the present day - visiting a genuine medieval castle that is still maintained and open to the public.

Medieval castles today enjoy a wide variety of uses and having visited many of them myself I speak from experience.

Take for example Naworth Castle in Cumbria - crenalated in 1335 it is still lived in by the castle's owners who are happy to occasionally allow couples to hold their wedding reception there or for business people to hold a corporate event there. Read more about Castle Weddings.

Then there is Eastnor Castle in England's beautiful Hereforshire countryside (only 2.5 hours from central London). Although not medieval by date of construction, it was built in a mock medieval style and is a stunning piece of architecture. Once again, the castle is still lived in by its owners but for several months of the year it is also open for public visits both to its interiors as well as its grounds and gardens. The arboretum is a particularly special attraction. In the deer park many special events are held each summer including the annual Big Chill Festival which attracts thousands of people from all over Britain and Europe. This year Leonard Cohen was one of the special guests at the 3 day festival.

At the other end of the spectrum you can visit medieval castle ruins. This is an entirely different experience as you have to use your imagination to fill in the gaps of what was once there. However, thanks to the likes of English Heritage, The National Trust and Historic Scotland, many of the medieval castle ruins open to the public today have excellent information facilities on site. So it's possible to learn a great deal about the castles, their owners and the medieval life that went on in them. Great examples of this are Scarborough Castle and Brougham Castle.

There are so many fantastic medieval castles to see that a lot of people consider doing castle tours. Whether you are in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales or France, Germany and even further afield, there is a castle tour itinerary waiting for you! I once went to Bavaria and did my own little castle tour taking in the fantasy castles of Ludwig II including Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace. Incredible memories that will stay with me forever! Read more about the greatest castles in Europe.

Whatever your plans are for 2009, if you love anything about history then try and visit a medieval castle or go on a castle tour. Promising yourself to do something like this at this time of year may be just what you need to re-stimulate your, and possibly your family's, interest in history. There's so much tangible history to enjoy after all!

A Medieval Christmas

2008-12-23T15:14:00.000-08:00

So what about a medieval Christmas? How different was it to the Christmas we celebrate today? What did they eat for Christmas dinner in medieval times? So many questions! Well, here is a quick insight which might reveal at least a few answers ....

First of all, Christmas in medieval Europe, especially in medieval England was entirely different to anything we might be familiar with today.

According to research the term "Cristes Maesse" was first seen in print in England in 1038 just before the Norman Conquest. When in 1066 William the Conqueror was crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey London, he chose Christmas Day for the ceremony.

As for what people ate for dinner on Christmas Day, it was definitely not turkey as the bird was only introduced to Europe from America which itself was not discovered until the late 15th century. Basically, a medieval Christmas dinner was usually only enjoyed by the wealthy class, the landowners. Traditionally they ate goose and sometimes woodcock and occasionally, though rarely because of needing royal permission, they would eat swan. Most poor people did not enjoy such luxuries; if they had any money at all they might be offered a ready-cooked bird (usually goose) for a few pennies by the church. Mince pies are a tradition that dates back to medieval times in fact though real meat was used in those days - the mince pie recipe using fruit and spices as we eat today was handed down to us by the Victorians.

Read more about medieval castle food and drink in medieval times.

Whatever you do this Christmas .... we wish you a happy one!

All of us at www.medieval-castle.com would like to thank you, our readers, for visiting our blog and the website during 2008. We hope you have enjoyed the experience and will continue to revisit and enjoy our new posts and new website pages as we continue to grow and expand our coverage of all things medieval.

Christmas Gifts For Medieval Enthusiasts

2008-12-12T03:19:00.000-08:00

If you or someone you know has an interest in medieval history - anything from medieval castles to medieval architecture, medieval weapons to medieval music - there are some great ideas for Christmas gifts with a medieval theme.

Our Online Medieval Marketplace has a wide range of medieval themed gifts. Here are some of the store's main departments with notable, 5 star rating, best-sellers ....

Medieval History Books

'Marriage & The Family In The Middle Ages' - a 'compelling chronicle of medieval life'

'Castles in Medieval Society' - covering England, Ireland and France - a new insight from author Charles Coulson.

Children's History Books
Knights & Castles (insiders) by Philip Dixon - ideal for teenagers.
Picture That: Knights & Castles - for age group 5-8 years.

There are also lots of games, toys and figurines for children that carry a medieval theme such as The Carcassonne Game (age 8+), the Cult Classics Medieval Ash Action Figure and the Melissa & Doug Castle Blocks (age 3+).

Chess players will love this medieval style chess set and anyone looking for an unusual DVD for someone seriously interested in medieval history should consider the dvd called The Birth Of A Sword.

Looking for jewelry for Christmas? Again, there is a good selection of medieval style jewelry to choose from including this super sterling silver band ring.

Just about something for everyone - provided they are interested in medieval history. I know I am!

Medieval Music & Arthurian Legend

2008-11-29T11:58:00.000-08:00

What was medieval music? The truth is that little has been passed down in a tangible form such as written music because in medieval times manuscript paper was beyond the affordability of anyone outside of church and 'state' organisations. Hence what we have in written form is music that was created to support church activities such as the celebration of mass. This was not music played upon instruments but generated by the human voice - ie. chanting. Most people today have heard of the Gregorian chant and this is possibly the most well known vestige of truly medieval music still around.

Today there is a wealth of modern music which uses medieval themes and connections as its basis. A good example is that of 'The Earth in Turquoise' - an album of instrumental music based on the legend of King Arthur. A modern 'programmatical' piece, it portrays the legend with each track depicting an 'episode' of Arthur's life. You can download mp3 samples from this epic piece and also read a detailed, music critic's review.

You might argue and say that Arthur's legend was not set in medieval times which is technically correct of course but it was in the 12th century in medieval England that his legend truly became established and entered the annals of British folklore.

It was in the 1100's that both Geoffrey of Monmouth and William of Malmesbury wrote about Arthur - Monmouth did so in his Historia Regum Britanniae and Malmesbury in Gesta Regum Anglorum. It is Geoffrey of Monmouth's work that has been the cornerstone of many historians' research into the origins of the legend of King Arthur.

Part of the Arthurian legend of course is Tintagel in Cornwall, England where Arthur was born son of Uther Pendragon. It is believed that Tintagel Castle (constructed 1236) was built by the then Earl of Cornwall specifically because he wanted to associate himself with Arthur's legend. The surrounding area is deemed by many to hold no strategic value and the location is indeed difficult in which to construct such a fortress. In other words, there appears to be no real reason why Cornwall built his castle there. Testimony to the power of the Arthurian legend in 13th century Britain.

Arthur's legend lives on and will surely inspire composers, artists and writers for many generations to come and it is probably the medieval writings of Monmouth and Malmesbury that we have to thank for that continued source of inspiration.

A Medieval New Year Party

2008-11-15T12:48:00.000-08:00

New Year is a time when most people celebrate in some way. Of course not everyone celebrates in the same way but many people hold private parties with friends and family. Getting together to muse on the events of the last year and to talk with anticipation of what the year ahead holds a value that is hard to describe. It's just something many people like to do.

A New Year's Party at home is the most popular choice but there are occasions when a group of people, perhaps no more than 20 in number, decide to get together and hold an extra special New Year's Eve party. This is where they might look for unusual ideas of a venue or a theme. For example, they might want to book a hotel package where they check in, enjoy dinner and drinks and then attend the hotel's party (possibly fancy dress or themed in another way) at which there is live music and dancing.

But what if you wanted and (more to the point) could afford something extra special? Perhaps a private party in a medieval castle that you have all to yourselves for the day/night? Well, it's entirely possible these days. The atmosphere, surroundings and comfort that a well appointed medieval castle can offer a private party make for an unrivalled option for a New Year's Eve celebration. Take for example, Eastnor Castle - though not strictly medieval by construction date, it is a 'mock' medieval castle. The famous architect Robert Smirke came up with the idea of constructing a castle in"Norman Revival" style, creating the impression of a medieval fortress which guarded the Welsh Borders (Eastnor Castle is in Herefordshire close to the border of England/Wales). Having visited Eastnor Castle I know that it does indeed convey that 'medieval' impression very well and if I could hold a private party in a wonderfully, astmospheric place this castle would be at the top of the list. In fact, at the time of writing this post I understand there is still the possibility of an exclusive private hire of the castle for a New Year celebration!

Carlisle Castle - A Medieval & Military Fortress

2008-11-06T02:14:00.000-08:00

I recently went with my family to visit Carlisle Castle. What a surprise it was. Almost 900 years of history packed into one place - and what a history! Carlisle Castle has played a role in some of the most colourful and significant periods in British history.

These include:

being at the frontline of Anglo-Scottish border warfare for many years including 1315 when it repelled a particularly fierce attack by the Scots

acting as a prison for Mary Queen of Scots in 1568

being besieged for eight months by Parliament's Scots allies during the English Civil War with its Royalist garrison only surrendering after eating rats and dogs (1645)

being the last English fortress ever to suffer a siege - in 1746 during the Jacobite Rising. Bonnie Prince Charlie's garrison of men were unable to hold off the Duke of Cumberland's army only to become prisoners there themselves. Many of them died in the castle.

Taking a tour of the castle was both interesting and enjoyable. The architectural features were very notable as one would imagine of a truly medieval castle and there were some particularly fascinating things such as the stone carvings in the great Keep believed to have been made by prisoners in 1480. I am saving that topic for a more detailed blog with photos later on.

The exhibitions are really well presented with many artefacts on display. Walking around the castle walls offers fantastic views over the city of Carlisle and the wonderful black cannons were really impressive! (See photo) The military history of the castle is reflected in the wonderful Border Regiment & King's Own Royal Border Regimental Museum which is housed within the castle walls and to which you get free entry when you purchase a ticket to tour the castle.

There is so much to Carlisle Castle that a single blog post just can't do it justice!

You have to go there to believe it and if you can't get there then revisit this Blog and medieval-castle.com where we will be developing further content on what must surely be one of the best medieval fortresses in England, possibly second only to the Tower of London.

Haunted Castles On Halloween

2008-10-31T02:40:00.000-07:00

For some people Halloween is just another day; for others it's a special occasion when they might go to a Halloween party or watch a scary movie with friends. For some people though it's the opportunity to try and witness first hand the 'paranormal'. According to many websites there are special haunted castle trips available in Britain and of course Halloween is a popular time for booking these.

I can't say I would ever go on such a trip but apparently many people do and they really enjoy it. They don't all get to see ghosts of course but at the very least they can say they've visited a castle that's reputed to be haunted.

Chillingham Castle is one of Britain's most haunted castles and offers public tours of 'haunted areas of the castle and grounds'. It's also in one of Britain's most notable counties - Northumberland. If you're ever in the area it's well worth considering. For more information go to the castle's own official website and page.

Haunted Castles: Glamis Castle, Skibo Castle

2008-10-29T15:49:00.000-07:00

There are many haunted castles in the world and perhaps no more so than in Scotland.

Scottish castles are numerous and all with their own story to tell. Centuries of feuding both amongst the clans themselves and against the English provide an amazing and colourful backdrop to the profile of so many castles in Scotland. No wonder many of them are haunted!

Take Glamis Castle for instance which is reported to be haunted by more than one ghost. These include the Grey Lady and the White Lady have both been seen at Glamis Castle. The White Lady has been seen the least but is thought to possibly be the ghost of Janet Douglas. She was wife to the 6th Lord Glamis (John) back in the 16th century and after his death became wife to Archibald Campbell; she was imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle by King James V and later burnt at the stake on Castle Hill. Another ghost is believed to be that of Earl Beardie, a gambler and card player whose strange story is well worth reading in full on our Glamis Castle page.

Skibo Castle is another reputedly haunted castle in Scotland. Renovated by Andrew Carnegie in the early 20th century, Skibo Castle is a wonderful example of castle architecture and design and was chosen by Madonna and Guy Ritchie as their wedding venue back in 2000. The main ghost at Skibo Castle is that of a girl who is said to have disappeared there whilst on a visit. At the time it was thought she was murdered by the Castle's keeper who hid her body within the grounds. In later years during renovations, a female skeleton was found behind one of the castle walls!

For more reading on these 2 wonderful Scottish Castles ....

Wiki page on Glamis Castle

Wiki page on Skibo Castle

Haunted Castles - Featherstone Castle

2008-10-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

As the third feature in this short series of posts on haunted castles of Britain, I have chosen a little known castle in the county of Northumberland - Featherstone Castle.

Northumberland plays host to many medieval castles including some of the most famous and breathtaking castles in Britain - Alnwick Castle and Bamburgh Castle . However, at the very edge of the county close to the border with Cumbria is where you will find Featherstone Castle.

This is one of those ghost stories that makes you sit back and pause to think for a while. Essentially, it's a tragic love story but one that had devastating consequences not just for the unhappy couple but for many others around them. It's for this reason that I chose to feature Featherstone Castle in this series.

Dating back to the 1400's when its construction began under Thomas de Featherstonehaugh, the castle remained in his family for centuries. It was in the 17th century that an event occurred giving rise to the castle's claim to being haunted. The story involves young love, a pre-arranged marriage, desire for revenge and murder. To read the full story go to our Featherstone Castle page.

Northumberland has another medieval castle with a tragic love story as the basis for its haunting - read about Warkworth Castle.

Haunted Castles - Chillingham Castle

2008-10-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

The second of our features on haunted castles in the lead up to Halloween and all things ghostly is about Chillingham Castle in Northumberland. Even the castle's name has 'chilling' in it - how spooky is that?!

A 12th century monastery and Norman stronghold, Chillingham Castle only became a fortified castle some 200 hundred years later. It has a rich history tied to key events on both sides of the England/Scotland border. King Edward I of England stayed there when he was on his way to do battle with William Wallace in Scotland. Side-tracking for just a moment, anyone interested in Scottish history and particularly the life of William Wallace should pay a visit to the marvellous Wallace Monument in Stirling, Scotland. Having been there myself I can vouch for it being a worthwhile experience - you even get to see what is claimed to be Wallace's broadsword that he used in battle.

Back to Chillingham Castle ... stories abound about it being haunted. Two of the most notable ghosts claimed to have been seen at the castle are that of the 'Blue Boy' and that of Lady Mary Berkeley. Both are said to date back to events from the time of King Charles II of England. To read the full detail of both 'ghost stories' read our haunted Chillingham Castle page.

There are a number of haunted rooms in Chillingham Castle including the Great Hall, Minstrels Gallery and Chapel. Indeed, a good friend who once stayed overnight at Chillingham Castle said they were convinced the castle is haunted and that parts of the castle definitely had an eery feeling that they could not explain. Coming from the friend in question who is not given to flights of fancy and having read other accounts, I am more than a little inclined to believe that Chillingham Castle is possibly one of the most haunted places in all of Britain!

Haunted Castles - Leap Castle

2008-10-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

We're into October and of course at the end of the month is Halloween. In the run up to Halloween we're going to run a series of features on haunted castles. Here is our first - about haunted castles in Ireland.

Ireland has a long and eventful history and, in some ways, it is similar to that of Scotland. For centuries, warring clans dominated Irish history and today, much of Irish folkore and legend is based upon events from those dark times.

With territory being highly valued and much fought over, it's not surprising that Ireland has many medieval (and even pre-medieval) castles and with so much blood shed between chieftains and their clans, it's logical to assume that some of these castles might be haunted. There are a number reputedly haunted castles in Ireland but perhaps the most famous - and allegedly most haunted - is Leap Castle.

Leap Castle was built on top of an ancient rock close to Birr, a town in County Offaly. It was built for strategic reasons and is not in fact a 'medieval' castle - technically it's pre-medieval, having been built as far back as 800 AD, over 250 years before the Battle of Hastings! For anyone interested in this particular part of British history, there's a great Battle of Hastings Game courtesy of the BBC where you can opt to play the part of William or Harold.

At the time of its construction the castle was actually called "Leim ui Bhanain," or "Leap of the O'Bannons as it was the O'Bannon family who lived there. The family held considerable power in the area but were only "secondary chieftains" to the ruling clan of O'Carroll.

Leap Castle has a unique and bloody history and the claim by some that it is the most haunted castle in Ireland is based on the savage warring that took place between rival clans. Read more about the history behind haunted Leap Castle.