Medieval Castles of England and Wales

Description

Designed to dominate the surrounding area, to house powerful garrisons, offer sumptuous quarters for local nobility, and to discourage and repel enemy attacks, castles dominated England and Wales for more than half a millennium. Though some were built before 1066, the Norman Conquest left a lasting legacy in the form of fortifications ranging from small earthworks now barely discernible, to mighty and dominating stone fortresses. This book examines why castles were so essential to medieval warfare, their importance in domestic politics, and the day-to-day lives of those who lived and worked within them. It also shows how the development of new technologies affected their construction and design, and why they eventually fell into disrepair in the late Middle Ages. Beautifully illustrated with stunning photographs, this is the perfect guide for any castle enthusiast seeking to discover more about medieval fortifications and their inhabitants.

For Bernard Lowry, childhood visits to North Wales led to an early fascination for fortifications and to later travels seeking out the major fortifications of Britain and Europe. He is a founder-member of the Castles Study Group and ex-Honorary Secretary of the Fortress Study Group, for whom he has written many articles. In addition he is the author of several books on modern fortifications.