Can You Identify These British Castles From a Photo?

Alnwick Castle, pronounced "annick" is the ancestral seat of the Dukes of Northumberland. It is a magnificent fortified manor where these powerful dukes controlled the North and kept out the Scots. It features in "Harry Potter" and "Downton Abbey," and is noted for its exceptional water gardens.

Dover Castle is on the south coast overlooking the town with the same name. As this was the port that is closest to France, it was considered a key invasion point throughout history. As a result, Dover Castle has always been well fortified. Even during World War II, it was home to a unit tasked with protecting the coast. With the nearby White Cliffs, it is well worth a visit!

Belvoir Castle is pronounced "beaver," and it is a relatively young castle compared to some; it is only a couple hundred years old. It is the residence of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland, which is the title of the Manners family. The 4th duke built the fairytale castle for his wife, and the place is not a "proper" castle as it has no real defenses; it was made in a time of peace just to look beautiful.

A knight of Richard II, Sir Edward Dalyngrigge built this castle, probably to defend against French invasion. You may recognize Bodiam Castle from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." It is the property of the National Trust and thus not inhabited by a family at present.

Leeds Castle is not actually in Leeds. It is in Kent, the wealthiest county in the UK. It belongs to itself; the late Lady Baillie left it in public trust. It is 900 years old but very easy to get to as it is right off the major train routes between London and Dover.

Carlisle Castle is in the town on the Scottish border that is just across from Gretna Green, where couples could marry without parental consent. It has been an active castle most of its almost thousand years in operation and was briefly home to its most famous prisoner: Mary, Queen of Scots.

Edinburgh Castle is in the heart of the city and sits on an old volcanic "plug" — that is, a remnant of the core of a dormant volcano. It was built in the 12th century by David I of Scotland and was home to many Scottish monarchs.

Bamburgh Castle is in Northumberland, the northern county whose duke was tasked with keeping the Scottish out of England. It is on an outcrop and fully reachable by public transport, and is still inhabited. It is also said to have several ghosts!

Colchester Castle features several Roman coins and a gladiator vase in its collection. It is not the biggest castle of all, but it is exceptional for having a roof on its battlements, and a very large keep. Visit to find out about its history with Matthew Hopkins, the sinister Witchfinder General!

Warkworth Castle is a ruin, but a very impressive one. It's near Newcastle, so easy to reach by public transport. It's also near the coast of the North Sea, for a blustery day at the beach!

Lincoln Castle is home to one of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta, the document that served as the precursor to British democracy. It was a small but necessary step. The castle goes back to 1068, though the site has been inhabited since the Roman age.

Peel Castle is a charming 15th-century castle in the little town of Peel, on the Isle of Man. The original building was built by Norse settlers who invaded in 1098. The castle is on St. Patrick's Isle and joined to the mainland by a causeway, making it highly defensible.

This castle inspired Sir Walter Scott's bestselling novel "Ivanhoe." It was built by William de Warenne in the 11th century and was later lived in by Hamelin Plantagenet, the half-brother of Henry II.

Lindisfarne was once home to a monastery where some absolutely gorgeous medieval manuscripts were created. The Lindisfarne Gospels now live in London at the British museum, but Lindisfarne is still worth a visit. It's on an island in the North Sea, near the town of Berwick, and is reachable by a causeway.

This 14th-century fortress was built by the Nevill family, who were mostly based at Warwick as the family title is Earl of Warwick. The family is currently home to the Vane family, and the current heir, 12th Lord Barnard, is still in residence. It is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in England.

Rochester Castle is a Norman building that has a thousand-year history dating back to its construction by Gundulf, Bishop of Rochester, during the 1080s. It has survived being besieged multiple times, including by King John himself.

Durham Castle is in the city center and thus very easy to reach, including by train. Like the nearby cathedral, it is nearly 1,000 years old. Currently, students of Durham University live in it, as they have for 180 years!

This castle was built in the 1060s by Robert, Count of Mortain. In the 16th century, it was a prison called "Castle Terrible," and it was also once home to a mint. However, all the coins have since been removed!

This castle is a World Heritage Site, as it is considered exceptionally well-preserved. It stands on the site of an earlier Norman castle, and before that, a Roman one. Unlike older castles, Caernarfon Castle was built with polygonal towers, designed to deflect cannonballs.

Windsor Castle is just a short train ride and then a little walk from London. It's a particularly beautiful castle and the second-largest inhabited castle in the world! Fortunately, it was not too badly damaged by a severe fire in 1992 and has since been restored.

Ludlow Castle was first built by the Lacy family, who were in service to a lord in William the Conqueror's army. The castle was where the elder brother of Henry VIII, Prince Arthur, passed away, an event that altered the course of British history.

Restormel Castle is an unusual round fortress that was built in the 11th century. It didn't spend very long in use, by normal castle standards, falling into disrepair for a period before it was owned by The Black Prince, son of Edward III. Once he passed away, the castle was left to ruin, and except for a period of use during the English Civil War, it has been thus ever since.

This castle was huge but is now a ruin that features on one of the most popular hiking routes in Britain. It is on the coast of Northumberland. One of the walking options includes the official Dunstanburgh ghost walk, where you can potentially see some of the castle's restless spirits.

This castle is one of the oldest stone keeps in the UK. It was built right after the Norman invasion and designed to send a message to rowdy Saxons that rising up was not permitted. Construction began in 1067 under the auspices of Odo, Bishop of Bayeux (as in the tapestry).

Richmond Castle is a thousand years old and in exceptional shape. It was constructed by a Norman lord known as Alan the Red and is unusual for being a Norman keep as far north as Yorkshire that was still built soon after the Conquest.

Pendennis Castle was constructed by Henry VIII, but it has been in military use as recently as World War II when it was a secret base. It defends Falmouth, a Cornish town. It was an artillery fort, meaning it has substantial battlements where Tudor guns were placed.

Castle Howard is home of the Howard family, and it is an unusual castle because it is actually a stately home. Typically a castle is fortified, but this one is not, as it began construction in 1699, in a time of peace. It is one of the Treasure Houses, the 10 stately homes in England laying claim to the finest art collections.

Canterbury Castle was built very quickly after the Norman Conquest. Originally a wooden castle was built, later replaced by stone. Canterbury is in a key strategic position guarding the Wantsum Channel, which means that it controls access to London by ship. The keep is the third-largest in England.

This castle is the second on the site; the previous one was a wooden one. It was built to protect the English from Welsh raiders, during the 11th century. The baron in charge of constructing it was one Walter de Lacy, though he decided to waste not and reused earthworks left over from an earlier Roman fortification.

Prudhoe Castle is a thousand years old and was built to stop the Scots invading England. It was besieged twice but did not fall. From 1381, it was the property of the Dukes of Northumberland.

Built by Robert de Romille, this castle is very well-preserved for its age. It was built after the Harrying of the North, a period of retribution against rebels against Norman rule. The castle was in trouble in the 17th century, but Lady Anne Clifford renovated it.

Records about Lancaster Castle's history are unclear. It is probably an 11th-century castle. Some notorious trials occurred there, including those of the Pendle Witches. Until 2011, it was a working prison. George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, was locked up there!

Considering how old and beautiful most of central Oxford is, this castle fits right in. It began life in 1071, though the main tower may be older. After its life as a military castle, it became an administrative center and a prison.

This castle is on the site of a Roman fort, on a spot that has been fortified for 2,000 years! It has been constantly updated and includes the old Norman construction and a Gothic revival mansion.

Architecturally, Conwy Castle is the platonic ideal of a castle. It was built under Edward I during the conquest of Wales, and is simply flawless as an example of castles of the period.

This castle in Lincolnshire shares its name with a floating pub in London. Property of the National Trust, Tattershall Castle is a single tower made out of brick, making it that rare thing: a castle that is not fortified.

This is a real place, built by an eccentric millionaire, Julius Drewe, in the early 1900s. It's named for a probably mythical Norman baron of the name of Drogo de Teign, which Drewe claimed was an ancestor. It is known as "the last castle built in England."

Nottingham Castle has undergone a very pricey restoration and is now in particularly great shape. It's not the castle from the time of Robin Hood and is instead a more recent construction that is nonetheless worth a visit.

Pontefract Castle has a somewhat dark history, as a lot of people have been executed there. It is also the location of Catherine Howard's affair with Thomas Culpepper. The fifth wife of Henry VIII, Catherine was 30 years younger than her husband and was beheaded for cheating on him. Pontefract is also where Richard II was killed.

Wallingford is a little town near Oxford, and its castle is in disrepair these days. The Normans built Wallingford Castle on the site of a Saxon fortress, and it was home to the Black Prince himself.