Castle
Editorial Reviews Book Description A unique look at the history of some of most treasured castles in Britain. Castle is an enlightening look at the origins, development and decline of castles in Britain. A real castle is a fortress and a stately home all rolled into one. This is part of what makes these extraordinary structures so fascinating-they are a product of two contradictory impulses-to be warlike and homely at the same time. The castle occupies an easily definable place in British history-introduced to Britain as a result of the Norman Conquest in 1066, it was not until the middle of the seventeenth century, as a result of the English Civil War, that castles were destroyed and abandoned on a large scale and the story draws to a close. Medieval historian and presenter Marc Morris focuses on a range of castles across England, Scotland and Wales, and explores their humble origins as timber buildings to the development of stone towers and keeps used in siege warfare. Among the castles featured are the tower of London, Dover, Rochester, Caerphilly, Caernarfon, Rhuddlan, Bodiam, Threave, Borthwick, Urquhart, Raglan and Pontefract. He also uncovers the lives of the inhabitants, examining the peculiarities of domestic life in a castle and the workings of an aristocratic household. Castle brings back to life the kings and queens, damsels and knights, sieges and tournaments that were once a part of these magical buildings. - Simon Schama's History of Britain books have sold over 150,000 copies. From the Publisher Beginning in the 11th century, when castles were first introduced to Britain, and ending in the 17th century, when they were largely abandoned, Castle charts an epic history, driven by figures like William the Conqueror, who, by building and besieging castles, shaped the fate of the nation. At the same time, it is a homely story of lesser–known individuals and how their lives were consumed by the castles they built. As historian Marc Morris shows us, there is more to castles than drawbridges and battlements. Grand or humble, a castle is first and foremost a home. It may look inhospitable from the outside, but the interior is all about luxury and comfort: grand halls, massive kitchens, and lavish private chambers—all of which made these buildings ideal homes for their owners. To understand castles—who built them, who lived in them, and why—is to understand the forces that shaped medieval Britain.
Castle,Marc Morris,Pan Books (UK),033043246X,Architecture,Architecture Of Specific Structures,Europe - Great Britain - General,General,History - General,History - General History,Medieval,Medieval World History (Circa 450 - Circa 1450)
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