When Were Medieval Castles Built?

This is a good question and a common one for many people when they first become interested in medieval history.

Medieval times spanned several centuries so you might have an early medieval castle or a late medieval castle, both of which belong to the same definitive period in history (ie. medieval) BUT both quite different in their castle archictecture and construction.

Here are 2 examples:

Dover Castle - built in 1066

Threave Castle - built in 1370

A difference of 300 hundred years in when these castles were built, representing the passing of many generations of castle builders, architects, carpenters and stone masons.

Dover Castle in England was built on the coast whilst Threave Castle in Scotland was built inland on the river Dee. A notable point about Threave however is that it was built with its own little harbour on an island in the middle of the river - see photo which I took when visiting Threave Castle in 2009.

For more details on when medieval castles were built read the Medieval Castles Timeline.

Medieval Castle Architecture - Berkeley Castle

Having focused our last post on the reputed haunting of Berkeley Castle by the ghost of King Edward II, this next post takes a different tack and features the fine architecture that greets your eye as you approach the castle.

The castle walls are suprisingly intact and look strong and menacing. It's hard to imagine how anyone would have dared to think of attacking it successfully.

When you first approach the castle, it does not seem that big but when you venture down into the gardens and grounds, the castle walls seem to go on and on.

It is a stunning piece of architecture and design, quite unique in shape and with a courtyard reminiscent of Alnwick Castle.

You can read more about castle architecture on our dedicated web page.