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About This Quiz
Britain is particularly famous for its beautiful stately homes, but these are mostly relatively recent in their construction. Before the stately home, the dominant way for a lord to impose himself on his manor was far more imposing — they would build a castle.
The shift from the one to the other is attributable to two reasons. Firstly, the rise of gunpowder and more modern weaponry made castles less and less relevant. Before this, castles were a great way to dominate a landscape, as they could generally hold out against sieges for years. However, there's not much point putting up an incredibly expensive and high-maintenance stone construction when someone can easily knock it down. After all, in a cloudy and chilly climate, large windows are far more preferable, and once the weapons outstripped the castles, there was simply no reason to build new ones. The other reason for the shift is that Great Britain has been internally peaceful since the Battle of Culloden in 1743, and peaceful within England, Wales and much of Scotland since 1660. This means that there is no need for a fortified manor, as there is nobody to fight!
The upshot of this is that castles inherently represent a more violent and primitive time. This means they are all replete with history, and much of it is bloody indeed. While they were not built primarily to be beautiful, they are also mostly stunning, and despite their age, many are in very good shape. Let's find out how many you can identify from a picture!
Lincoln Castle
Colchester Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Alnwick Castle
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.
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Carlisle Castle
Peel Castle
Dover Castle
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!
Castle Drogo
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Lincoln Castle
Belvoir Castle
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.
Conisbrough Castle
Rochester Castle
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Bodiam Castle
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.
Windsor Castle
Cardiff Castle
Nottingham Castle
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Canterbury Castle
Alnwick Castle
Leeds Castle
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.
Tattershall Castle
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Longtown Castle
Lindisfarne Castle
Restormel Castle
Carlisle Castle
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.
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Edinburgh Castle
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.
Skipton Castle
Castle Howard
Lancaster Castle
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Pendennis Castle
Caernarfon Castle
Carrickfergus Castle
Bamburgh Castle
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!
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Skipton Castle
Prudhoe Castle
Colchester Castle
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!
Belvoir Castle
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Peel Castle
Warkworth Castle
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!
Castle Howard
Dover Castle
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Lincoln Castle
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.
Wallingford Castle
Castle Drogo
Longtown Castle
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Restormel Castle
Warkworth Castle
Peel Castle
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.
Tattershall Castle
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Oxford Castle
Cardiff Castle
Lincoln Castle
Conisbrough Castle
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.
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Skipton Castle
Alnwick Castle
Lindisfarne Castle
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.
Bodiam Castle
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Dudley Castle
Raby Castle
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.
Lindisfarne Castle
Belvoir Castle
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Lancaster Castle
Canterbury Castle
Rochester Castle
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.
Nottingham Castle
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Durham Castle
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!
Leeds Castle
Colchester Castle
Castle Howard
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Conisbrough Castle
Conwy Castle
Alnwick Castle
Launceston Castle
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!
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Tattershall Castle
Prudhoe Castle
Caernarfon Castle
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.
Bamburgh Castle
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Dover Castle
Windsor Castle
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.
Wallingford Castle
Castle Drogo
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Ludlow Castle
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.
Prudhoe Castle
Carlisle Castle
Pontefract Castle
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Peel Castle
Skipton Castle
Restormel Castle
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.
Bodiam Castle
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Cardiff Castle
Lancaster Castle
Rochester Castle
Dunstanburgh Castle
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.
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Oxford Castle
Belvoir Castle
Caernarfon Castle
Lewes Castle
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).
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Glamis Castle
Richmond Castle
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.
Lindisfarne Castle
Dudley Castle
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Pendennis Castle
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.
Tattershall Castle
Conisbrough Castle
Dover Castle
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Raby Castle
Conwy Castle
Colchester Castle
Castle Howard
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.
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Canterbury Castle
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.
Castle Drogo
Leeds Castle
Carlisle Castle
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Alnwick Castle
Longtown Castle
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.
Nottingham Castle
Wallingford Castle
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Pontefract Castle
Prudhoe Castle
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.
Oxford Castle
Raby Castle
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Bamburgh Castle
Ludlow Castle
Skipton Castle
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.
Lincoln Castle
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Lancaster Castle
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!
Caernarfon Castle
Warkworth Castle
Dunstanburgh Castle
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Lindisfarne Castle
Peel Castle
Belvoir Castle
Oxford Castle
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.
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Cardiff Castle
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.
Conisbrough Castle
Rochester Castle
Longtown Castle
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Leeds Castle
Ludlow Castle
Conwy Castle
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.
Bamburgh Castle
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Pendennis Castle
Bamburgh Castle
Raby Castle
Tattershall Castle
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.
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Carrickfergus Castle
Castle Drogo
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."
Glamis Castle
Pendennis Castle
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Ludlow Castle
Dunstanburgh Castle
Colchester Castle
Nottingham Castle
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.
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Pontefract Castle
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.
Dover Castle
Bodiam Castle
Canterbury Castle
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Wallingford Castle
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.
London Castle
Oxford Castle
Nottingham Castle
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