Coming out of the Quarry Garden we get a splendid view of the Castle.
The Castle was built as an extension to a manor in 1390, modified in 1614 with a Jacobean range on the west side, with a further wing added in 1711 or thereabouts, and was abandoned in 1817. It’s had it’s ups and downs since then, but English Heritage are looking after it now.
There are stairs up to the roof top of the castle’s tower house, and up we went to see the views..
There is a walled area in front of the castle and it has monkey puzzle trees in it..
and one of the walls of the castle has a carved face in the stonework. π
Finally the rear view of the castle with the imposing tower house built in 1391 by John Middleton.
Stay tooned for next time and the return through the Quarry Garden.
all pictures embiggenable by clickeration.
Further history HERE.
Looks in remarkably good condition as if it has been recently sandblasted
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They built them well back then! Cheers Denzil.
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It must have been an amazing place in its heyday, although I don’t think the buildings work together terribly well. I suppose it’s better than if they’d knocked the castle down in order to build the house, though.
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I wish there was more of the inside left. Cheers April.
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Whenever I see old castles I like to think of them as besieged by zombies. They look so defensible against the undead. Against cannon not so much.
Was the carved face original or a later addition by a skilled craftsman?
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I haven’t been able to find out about the face. Yet!
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Beautiful building…and I LOVE the carved face, smiling at us form way back when.
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Thanks Clare!
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Nice to have two fireplaces in one wall, one above the other. I must remember that when I replan my mansion. Love the monkey puzzle tree as well…
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I’d stick with central heating if I were you, fossil fuels are not PC.
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The smiley face wins for me, a stone mason happy is their work π
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You can’t help smiling back at it!
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I would not want to live in that behemoth. Looks cold!
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They had a lot of fireplaces!
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Appears to be a grand place that seems to be withstanding the test of time. ONe side of me wonders about a castle built out in the middle of nowhere. On the other hand, I also imagine a certain vibrancy back in its day. Great captures, Fraggle.
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Thanks Frank.
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I confess I had to google what and where this was. But it does look beautiful and fascinating. We just don’t have stuff this old in America!
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No but you have Cinderella’s castle which is so pretty and apparently magical, I’d swap one of ours for it!
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I’ll talk to my people and you talk to yours and we’ll make this swap happen!
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Deal! π
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Fabulous! I love ‘Smiler’.
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Thanks Jennie!
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I love seeing things this old (or older) and thinking about all the history that has passed through the centuries. Amazing place, Fraggle. And I love the “Smiler.”
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Thanks Mae!
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Ruins after the rain? everything looks so neat. Although my mother a couple of weeks said, and related to smartphone cameras, “they make things look quite neat, but we took photos of ourselves and we look like monsters!” The smiling carved face looks fantastic, very friendly. Thank you, fragglerocking.
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Thanks Francis!
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Lovely light! You have so many wonderful fixer uppers there…..
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Haha yes, cheers Steve!
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Wow! You sure brought out the glory of the castle with your camera, Fraggle
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Thanks Don!
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cool!
β¨ππβπβπͺπβΎπβ―ππ²πββοΈ
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No swapping of our real historic castles for Disney nonsense please!
That’s a nice sized castle. I can imagine myself living there, after some serious internal renovation of course. I would have a flag specialy designed, and raise it from the top battlements, to indicate when I was ‘In residence’.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Haha OK no disney π
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Love the textures and shadows in picture number 4
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Cheers Colin π
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or Valerie!
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I love this whole series! The castle is impressive and in good condition, considering there is no roof and was built in 1390! The views are spectacular. My favourite is the smiling face! πβ€οΈ
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Smiler is the winnner this week π cheers Connie, one more part to come this weekend.
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Iβm looking forward to it!
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Stunning photos of a beautiful castle!
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Thanks!
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Gorgeous photo! I like that window, I can’t imagine how many people have looked through it.
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A fair few I should think! Cheers Elizabeth!
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Cool shots. That’s a fun looking castle/manor. The face in the wall is a bit creepy π
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Hah I think he’s cute! Like a medieval emoticon π
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Very ahead of their time then!
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You captured this beautifully Fraggle. It’s in such good shape, amazing. I try and picture what it might have looked like when it was in use and it’s hard to imagine. Wish more of the interior was preserved. Love the face, I wonder when that was carved? Hugs, C
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Thanks Cheryl, I think the face was there at the beginning, but it’s been ‘kept up’.
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