Visiting London? The Museum of London, is one of the best museums in the UK and is free. (Part 1)

/ Museum of London/

Visiting London? The Museum of London, is one of the best museums in the UK and is free. You can see amazing objects from thousands of years of life in London, from a Mammoth tusk to a pilgrims badge representing a visit to St Thomas Becket’s tomb. You can get up close to those objects and see their little details. The displays are bright and informative. There are rooms set out as though they were from a Roman villa placing Roman finds in context. Several models are on display such as London’s Roman forum and Basilica as well as the original gothic St Paul’s Cathedral

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Restormel Castle; Situated in beautiful Cornish countryside and seen as, "one of the most remarkable castles in Britain", English Heritage.

/ Restormel castle/

Restormel Castle is situated in beautiful Cornish countryside and is seen as, "one of the most remarkable castles in Britain", according to English Heritage. It is virtually unique in its design and therefore is rather special in my opinion. There aren’t many shell keeps around and this is one of the best. It is very different from the magnificent castles of North Wales, the amazing Warwick Castle, Dover castle and the beautiful Bodiam Castle.Standing on the wall walk you can see the wonderful curved wall in front and behind you. The skill of the builders to create such curves is impressive. It is quietly tucked away in the glorious Cornish countryside with wonderful views in all directions. Standing on the wall walk you can see the wonderful curved wall in front and behind you. The skill of the builders to create such curves is impressive.

  • It is quietly tucked away in the glorious Cornish countryside with wonderful views in all directions.

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St Michael's Mount; a castle, a monastery and first beacon in the chain to alert Elizabeth I that the Armada was coming.

/ St Michael's Mount/

Why visit St Michael’s Mount? Getting there is an adventure. You can walk at low tide across a causeway or go on a short boat trip. On landing, you then have the challenge of getting to the top. From the mainland it cries out to be visited and from the top you get some great views. Pilgrims have visited it for centuries. It has survived a variety of historic events such as the Wars of the Roses, Spanish Armada and the Napoleonic Wars. It has been altered so many times over the years that each room in the mix takes you to a new part of its history. It has a unique and fascinating collection of artefacts. There is no guessing what you will see in the next room.

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Tintagel Castle and our quest for King Arthur.

/ Tintagel Castle/

This blog will unravel the mysteries of the stories of King Arthur and Tintagel. It describes and explains how the story grew over time and sheds light on the truth about King Arthur. It suggests why you should visit Tintagel Castle. It is the mythical birthplace and home of King Arthur, allegedly the greatest King of Britain. There are an awful lot of legends associated with this place that are outlined below. It is a fascinating ruined to explore. It has beautiful views of the rocky coastline. It is in English Heritage’s top five of most visited places.

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Launceston Castle, an unusual castle once owned by some fascinating people.

/ Launceston Castle/

Launceston Castle, a “must visit” for all castle fans. Originally a “motte and bailey” type of castle, it is almost unique in design. The shell keep sits on top of a motte with a central tower rising up above it. Standing on the staircase and looking over at the motte, it is easy to see why this style of castle was built. It is almost impossible to attack it by riding up the motte because it is far too steep for horses. It is also very steep for foot soldiers to charge up trying to defend themselves and attack with appropriate weapons. It is easy to see how such a design can be defended by shooting arrows at the enemy trying to clamber up the steep motte and making rather indefensible targets. Looking from the top of the tower gives an amazing view of the surrounding town and countryside. Such a view would give an early warning of an advancing army. The masonry of the keep, thin pieces of local shale stone is very different from most castles which are usually made of large oblong blocks of limestone or sandstone. Building with this thin stone seems to me to be a lot harder than using big stone that make up the Tower of London or Bodium Castle.

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Hever Castle, the home of Anne Boleyn; victim or "gold-digger"?

/ Hever Castle/

Why visit Hever Castle? You can walk around and go inside a beautiful medieval castle built in 1271. See the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife and queen for only 1000 days. Visit the place where Henry VIII made frequent visits, at first to see his mistress, Mary, Anne’s sister and later to “court” Anne herself. Wander through rooms that would have been familiar to Anne as well as restored rooms that have been furnished sympathetically according to the wishes of the Aster family from America. Marvel at one of the best collections of Tudor Portraits in the country after the National Portrait Gallery according to the renowned historian, Dr David Starkey.

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Explore Salisbury Cathedral and also see the best preserved copy of Magna Carta.

/ Salisbury Cathedral/

See a beautiful, gothic cathedral with the tallest spire in the country and see the best preserved of the four surviving original copies of Magna Carta, one of the most important documents in the world. The cathedral stands alone in its own beautiful grounds so that you can have an unimpeded view all the way around and even enjoy a picnic. The cathedral that John Constable loved to paint. Go on a tower tour and climb stairs to over 200 feet above ground level. Stroll around the biggest cloisters in Britain. See a beautiful interior and, as it lacks an interior screen, you can see from one end to the other. See the oldest working medieval clock in the world. If you are there when the choir is rehearsing, you will experience mindfulness and be at peace with the world.

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Salisbury has the best doom painting in Britain. A mind blowing piece of medieval art in the Church of St Thomas a Becket.

/ St Thomas's church/

St Thomas’s houses the largest, most complete and best preserved Doom painting in the UK. It is a great representation about what was going on in the Medieval mind, especially with regard to religious views and teachings. The painting is huge and probably totally different from what you would expect to be on a church wall. It is absolutely stunning or to use a modern overused phrase, awesome. To put it simply, it is a wonderful piece of medieval art and is in excellent condition. The detail and story will entice you to stay studying it for quite some time.

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Bones, stones , pots and relics, one of the best museums to get close to your ancestors at Corinium museum in the Cotswolds.

/ Corinium museum/

Bones, stones , pots and relics, one of the best museums to get close to your ancestors at Corinium museum in the Cotswolds. It is , by far, one of the best museums to get see prehistoric, Roman and Saxon remains. There are so many things to see and so many information boards that it is impossible not to learn a huge amount about our ancestors. It gives visitors an opportunity to handle replicas such as in the two photos above. You will be able to get a close look at archaeological discoveries that are regularly discovered with great excitement on tv programmes but then are taken off to be studied in private at universities. The Neolithic and Beaker people pottery are good examples of this, whilst at this museum, you can see all the decoration on their pots and begin to see how different decorations show different periods of prehistory. You can see various graves that have been reconstructed and appreciate the work of archaeologists carefully uncovering such finds to get the full picture and maximum information from their dig.

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Castles in North Wales

/ Caernarfon Castle/

Here you will find the best 4 castles in rank order, that you should visit North Wales. A short stay in North Wales can be a castle hunter’s dream. Short car rides from a central location such as Bangor can present you with four of the best preserved medieval castles in the country.North Wales is a very special area for anyone with an interest in medieval history, and the four we’ve mentioned here were described by UNESCO as “the finest examples of late 13th and early 14th century military architecture in Europe.These castles remain in remarkable condition and they give you the opportunity to see the work of one of the greatest castle builders in history: Master James of St George. The castles here are unlike any you will see anywhere else and the Iron Ring of Castles in North Wales are the lasting legacy of Edward I - one of the greatest castle building kings in history.

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Is "The Dig" true?

/ British Museum/

Is “The Dig” true?Netflix has recently released a brilliant film called “the Dig” where a rather rich English lady hires a self taught amateur archaeologist to excavate some mounds on her land only to discover in a rather short period of time, an Anglo-Saxon ship burial together with 263 items which can only be described as “treasure”. Some archaeologists have described the discovery as Britain’s version of the discovery of Tutanhamon’s tomb! The film is set in the year 1939 just before Nazi Germany invaded Poland and the whole of Europe embarked on World War Two. Questions immediately arise, did such an event happen? How could an amateur discover such an amazing find and was it really on the eve of World War Two. Were the main characters based on real people and did they really act according to the script. The core of the story is just as it is portrayed in the film but to add interest and excitement, the story has been tweaked! How much is under the heading “dramatic license”.

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Sutton Hoo, “One of the most spectacular and important discoveries of British archaeology”', according to the British museum.

/ British Museum/

The Sutton Hoo treasure, one of the greatest hoards of treasure found in Britain. See a window into the Anglo-Saxon world after the Romans had left and before the Vikings arrived. The ship burial of a mighty warrior.

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Why did people build castles?

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Why did people build castles in England? Did the reasons for building later versions of castles change and when did they begin building castles are all key questions to be answered in this blog.The story of castles in England really begins with William the Conqueror and his victory in the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Before 1066, a couple of Normans living in England and friends of the English King, Edward the Confessor had built castles but on the whole, castles were not part of the English landscape. When William won the battle, he only had about 8 000 men but unfortunately for him, there were 2.5 million Saxons who loathed him and were prepared to take him on despite him defeating Harold Godwinson, the former king of England. This conquest by a foreigner was not to be tolerated. William knew this and so the main reason for building castles was for his protection and control of the English. William was not only a foreigner, he had a terrible reputation. On arrival in England his men destroyed property in Sussex, pillaging, raping and killing as they went. His cruel reputation was created before he arrived however, with stories of “skinning people alive” and putting out men’s eyes! Protective castles were therefore needed to safeguard a man and his Norman followers from rebellious and vengeful Saxons.

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The lowdown on English castles. What to look out for in a castle?

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The lowdown on English castles. What to look out for in a castle? Many people wander around a castle and complete their visit in a matter of minutes, sadly not knowing about what they have just looked at. This guide will help you to recognise castle features and why the castle builders constructed them. Have this guide ready on your phone and have a quick look at it before you step inside these amazing buildings. You will get a lot of enjoyment out of recognising features and your visit to the castle will be far more rewarding and worth the journey. If you plan to visit a castle with your children, use the guide on your phone and make a discovery game trying to find examples of my top 19. The person who finds the most wins. You can even devise your own points competition.

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The Weald and Downland Museum; a wonderful journey back in time to get a taste medieval life.

/ Weald and Downland Living Museum/
The Weald and Downland Museum; a wonderful journey back in time to get a taste medieval life.

Seeingthepast.com gives you tons of information to help you plan a very successful visit to the Weald and Downland Living Museum. The museum is large and spread out and so planning your visit will improve your day. At the museum you can discover numerous historic buildings set in forty acres of the beautiful South Down’s National Park surroundings. Explore a collection of over 50 restored and replica buildings from a time period stretching from Anglo-Saxon to Edwardian times (approximately 950 AD to 1910 AD). Visitors can have a friendly and informative chat to numerous guides waiting to enthral you with the stories of these incredible structures. You can go inside and see the different kitchens, bedrooms and heating arrangements. Watch various demonstrations taking place and discuss with some highly skilled craftsmen and women what they are doing.

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Stokesay Castle; "The finest and best preserved fortified medieval manor house in England",-English Heritage

/ Stokesay Castle/
Stokesay Castle; "The finest and best preserved fortified medieval manor house in England",-English Heritage

English Heritage states on its website, Stokesay Castle is the finest and best preserved manor house in England and they are the experts. English Heritage also states ,” it remains a treasure by-passed by time, one of the best places to visiting England to experience what medieval life was like.” They own a huge amount of properties and so they would not make this claim lightly. There is an air of tranquility when wandering around Stokesay Castle on a summer’s day. Very little has changed over the past 700 years and it is easy to imagine life in the medieval world especially festivities in the amazing great hall.

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Beaumaris Castle; possibly the greatest British Castle if only it had been finished.

/ Beaumaris Castle/
Beaumaris Castle; possibly the greatest British Castle if only it had been finished.

Beaumaris castle is possibly the greatest British Castle if only it had been finished. It is a brilliant example of a concentric castle, ie, a castle with walls within walls , loads of round towers, a moat, barbicans and no keep. It was built by one of the greatest castle builders, Master James of St George, at a time just before cannons put an end to the first phase of castle building. He attempted to create the ultimate castle. Master James was given a clean canvas on which to design and construct there best ever castle. There is good access to both sets of wall walks and so plenty to explore. It is easy to see all the defensive features and how they added to the overall effectiveness of castles. This was Edward I’s last Welsh castle in his iron ring and initially, money was no object.

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Harlech castle; a fascinating castle with an awesome view

/ Harlech Castle/
Harlech castle; a fascinating castle with an awesome view

Harlech castle; a fascinating castle with an awesome view. Harlech is a beautiful castle and very different from castles nearby and elsewhere in Britain. Approaching the entrance with four majestic round towers in front of you creates an awesome medieval scene. You can walk nearly a whole circuit around the wall walk and get spectacular views of Snowdonia, the sea and the interior of the castle. Harlech has an amazing twin towered gatehouse and is concentric in design. Looking at Harlech from the shore, Harlech is at the top of a rocky promontory and towers over everything. It can be seen for miles. It is one of Edward I’s “Iron Ring” of castles in his quest for the English to control Wales in perpetuity.

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Caernarfon Castle: one of the best preserved medieval castles in Britain and a world heritage site.

/ Caernarfon Castle/
Caernarfon Castle: one of the best preserved medieval castles in Britain and a world heritage site.

Caernarfon Castle: one of the best preserved medieval castles in Britain and a world heritage site. The famous diarist, Dr Samuel Johnson described it as, “an edifice of stupendous majesty and strength”. Walking around the outside of the castle, you will see just how big a castle’s wall can be and how it appears, even today, to be totally impregnable. There is not a castle like it in Britain, with twelve, stunning, polygonal towers. It is described by Malcolm Hislop as Edward’s definitive castle and his most ambitious project when considering its sheer size and its elaborate town walls. There are lots of things to explore inside the castle and so many battlements to walk around and spiral staircases to climb. If you have been to other castles built in the 11th and 12th centuries you will notice how much had transformed in castle design of the 13th century. At Caernarfon there are loads of innovations. Caernarfon cost £27 000 to build which was a vast sum in the 13th century and lets you know what to expect. (By comparison, Harlech Castle, built at the same time cost £10 000, still a lot of money but small in comparison) The Treasury less than this in taxation in a whole year!

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Conwy Castle; a stunning castle with a fascinating history.

/ Conwy castle/
Conwy Castle; a stunning castle with a fascinating history.

Conwy is simply, a stunning castle with six massive round towers that dominate the area for miles around. If you are coming by road, your first sight will take your breath away. The Cadw guidebook states, “Conwy is exceptional not only for the grandeur of its high towers and curtain walls but also for its excellent state of preservation. Visitors can ascend one of the towers and then make a complete circuit of the battlements. Built by Edward I and his brilliant assistant, Master James St George, it is one of four castles that make up Edward’s “iron ring” of defence. Conwy, together with Caernarfon, Harlech and Beaumaris are on the World Heritage List, as a historic site of outstanding universal value. If you want to discover medieval castles or wish to inspire a child with medieval history, this is a good one to visit. Even better if, over the course of a few days, you visit all four mentioned above. They are all fairly close to each other. Edward’s aim was to have each one a day’s ride from the next one for mutual aid in case of attack.

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