When I think of England, I think castles. The first thing a lot of people think about England is castles and medieval fortresses. Despite England’s fame for castles, there aren’t actually that many that have survived intact.

I’ve always dreamed of owning a castle. Who hasn’t? But I know that’s very unlikely with the way the British jealously protect their heritage. Not to mention the fact that a castle would cost millions upon millions of dollars to purchase!

I’ve decided to put together a list of my favorite castles in England (lists for Scotland and Wales are forthcoming). The list is completely arbitrary based on my tastes. I’ve only been to two of them myself (Windsor and Tower of London) (since publishing this in 2009, we’ve since been to several of these castles).

I must give credit where credit is due and I’d like to thank the Wikipedia for providing such fantastically interesting trivia! Save for two, all the pictures are from wonderful photographers on Flickr who were willing to share their pictures. It was a ton of fun to do the research for this post. I hope you guys enjoy it! Feel free to tell me about your favorite castles in the comments!

The Top 16 Best Castles in England

Warwick Castle

Photo From Flickr

Wikipedia Description:

Warwick Castle is a medieval castle in Warwick, the county town of Warwickshire, England. It sits on a cliff overlooking a bend in the River Avon. Warwick Castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068 within or adjacent to Anglo-Saxon burh of Warwick. It was used as a fortification until the early 17th century, when Sir Fulke Greville converted it to a country house. It was owned by the Greville family, who became earls of Warwick in 1759, until 1978. From 1088, the castle traditionally belonged to the Earl of Warwick, and it served as a symbol of his power. The castle was taken in 1153 by Henry of Anjou, later Henry II. It has been used to hold prisoners, including some from the Battle of Poitiers in the 14th century. Under the ownership of Richard Neville – also known as “Warwick the Kingmaker” – Warwick Castle was used in the 15th century to imprison the English king, Edward IV. Warwick Castle has been compared with Windsor Castle in terms of scale, cost, and status. Since its construction in the 11th century, the castle has undergone structural changes with additions of towers and redesigned residential buildings. Originally a wooden motte-and-bailey, it was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. During the Hundred Years War, the facade opposite the town was refortified, resulting in one of the most recognisable examples of 14th century military architecture. In the 17th century the grounds were turned into a garden. Warwick Castle was purchased by The Tussauds Group in 1978 and opened as a tourist attraction. It is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building.

Castle History: Read our article on the history of Warwick Castle here.

Castle Location: Warwick

Castle Website: Warwick Castle Website

Tower of London



Tower of London

Wikipedia Description:

Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically as The Tower), is a historic monument in central London, England, on the north bank of the River Thames. It is located within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and is separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. The Tower of London is often identified with the White Tower, the original stark square fortress built by William the Conqueror in 1078. However, the tower as a whole is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. The tower’s primary function was a fortress, a royal palace, and a prison (particularly for high status and royal prisoners, such as the Princes in the Tower and the future Queen Elizabeth I). This last use has led to the phrase “sent to the Tower” (meaning “imprisoned”). It has also served as a place of execution and torture, an armoury, a treasury, a zoo, the Royal Mint, a public records office, an observatory, and since 1303, the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.

Castle Location: London

Castle Website: Tower of London Website

Bodiam Castle



Photo From Flickr

Wikipedia Description:

Bodiam Castle is a quadrangular castle located near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It is said to be a perfect example of a late medieval moated castle. While not large enough to garrison many soldiers, the castle was ideally suited for defense against a militant rural populace after the English Peasants’ Revolt and for the entertainment of foreign merchants or dignitaries. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, supposedly at the request of Richard II in order to defend the surrounding area from French invasion. By 1434 Sir Edward Dalyngrigge’s nephew Richard was living in the castle.[1] Recent research suggests that the castle was built more for show than as an effective defence. There is evidence supporting that research, as the walls of Bodiam Castle are only a couple of feet thick.

Castle History: Read about our visit to Bodiam Castle here.

Castle Location: East Sussex

Castle Website: Bodiam Castle Website

Windsor Castle



Windsor Castle

Wikipedia Description:

Windsor Castle, in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, is the largest inhabited castle in the world and, dating back to the time of William the Conqueror, is the oldest in continuous occupation. The castle’s floor area is approximately 484,000 square feet (44,965 square metres). Together with Buckingham Palace in London and Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, it is one of the principal official residences of the British monarch. Queen Elizabeth II spends many weekends of the year at the castle, using it for both state and private entertaining. Her other two residences, Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle, are the Royal Family’s private homes. Most of the Kings and Queens of England, later Kings and Queens of Great Britain, and later still kings and queens of the Commonwealth realms, have had a direct influence on the construction and evolution of the castle, which has been their garrison fortress, home, official palace, and sometimes their prison. The castle’s history and that of the British monarchy are inextricably linked. Chronologically the history of the castle can be traced through the reigns of the monarchs who have occupied it. When the country has been at peace, the castle has been expanded by the additions of large and grand apartments; when the country has been at war, the castle has been more heavily fortified. This pattern has continued to the present day.

Castle Location: Berkshire

Castle Website: Windsor Castle Website

St. Michael’s Mount

Photo From Flickr

Wikipedia Description:

St Michael’s Mount is a tidal island located 366 m (400 yd) off the Mount’s Bay coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is united with Marazion by a man-made causeway, passable only at mid to low tide, made of granite setts. The island exhibits a combination of slate and granite. Its Cornish language name â€” literally, “the grey rock in the wood” â€” may represent a folk memory of a time before Mount’s Bay was flooded. Certainly, the Cornish name would be an accurate description of the Mount set in woodland. Remains of trees have been seen at low tides following storms on the beach at Perranuthnoe. The Cornish legend of Lyonesse, an ancient kingdom said to have extended from Penwith toward the Isles of Scilly, also talks of land being inundated by the sea. Historically, St Michael’s Mount was a Cornish counterpart of Mont Saint Michel in Normandy, France. St Michael’s Mount is known colloquially by locals as simply the Mount. The chapel is extra-diocesan, and the castle is the official residence of Lord St Levan. Many relics, chiefly armour and antique furniture, are preserved in the castle. The chapel of St Michael, a fifteenth century building, has an embattled tower, in one angle of which is a small turret, which served for the guidance of ships. Chapel Rock, on the beach, marks the site of a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary, where pilgrims paused to worship before ascending the Mount. A few houses are built on the hillside facing Marazion, and a spring supplies them with water.

Castle History: Read about the history of St Michael’s Mount here.

Castle Location: Cornwall

Castle Website: St. Michael’s Mount Website

Stokesay Castle

Photo from Flickr

Wikipedia Description:

Stokesay Castle, located at Stokesay, a mile south of the town of Craven Arms, in South Shropshire, is the oldest fortified manor house in England, dating to the 12th century. It is currently in the hands of English Heritage. It is a Grade I listed building. The origins of this Stoke, or “dairy farm”, go back to the Conquest, when the manor was part of the vast holdings in the West of England granted to the family of Lacy. By 1115, it had been regranted to Theodoric de Say, of Sai in Normandy, and Stoke Lacy became Stokesay, but the main construction was undertaken by Laurence of Ludlow, based in Shrewsbury, the richest local wool merchant of his generation, who acquired Stokesay in 1281.

Castle Location: South Shropshire

Castle Website: Stokesay Castle Website

Skipton Castle



Photo from Flickr

Wikipedia Description:

Skipton Castle is situated within the town of Skipton, North Yorkshire, England. The castle has been preserved for over 900 years, built in 1090 by Robert de Romille, a Norman baron. The castle has stood for 900 years, first built as a Motte and Bailey castle in 1090 by Robert de Romille, a Norman baron. The castle was soon replaced with a stone keep as the old Motte and Bailey constructed was not enough to withstand the attacks from the Scots to the north.

In 1310, Edward II granted the property of the castle to Robert Clifford who was appointed Lord Clifford of Skipton and Guardian of Craven. Robert Clifford ordered many improvements to the fortifications of the castle but died in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 when the improvements were barely complete. During the English Civil War it was the only remaining Royalist stronghold in the north of England until December 1645. After a 3 year siege, a surrender was negotiated in 1645 between Oliver Cromwell and the Royalists. Oliver Cromwell ordered the removal of the castle roofs.

Skipton remained the Cliffords’ principal seat until 1676. Lady Anne Clifford (1590-1676) was the last Clifford to own Skipton castle. After the 3 year siege, she ordered repairs and as a commemoration she planted a yew tree in the central courtyard to mark the Castle’s repair from the English Civil War. Today it stands as one of the most preserved medieval castles in England and is both a tourist attraction and a private residence.

Castle Location: North Yorkshire

Castle Website: Skipton Castle Website

Carlisle Castle

Photo from Flickr

What’s your Favorite Castle in England?