Sir Walter Raleigh, who was imprisoned for 13 years at the Tower of London has been seen as a ghost as well as so many others. It’s also handily nearby Tower Bridge so you can see that after, although the bridge is not from medieval times it’s still a historic icon of London.Ĭastle legend: With so many famous people being killed in the Tower of London it has a lot of ghost stories. Technically it’s not a castle in terminology as nowadays it’s a palace but its history goes back a thousand years to the time of William the Conqueror, who built the castle, and into the heart of medieval England.Īs far as castles in England go this is a must-visit when in London. Just like Dover Castle I visited the Tower of London on a school trip, this time when I was 14. ![]() Situated in the heart of London it’s easy to get to as well. ![]() The Tower of London is famous and for good reasons. Get a Windsor Castle ticket in advance to avoid the line.Īnother good option if you want to have a great day out seeing multiple historic attractions is to do a day tour that includes Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Oxford. This is one of the easiest medieval castles near London to visit. As well as the inspiring outside of Windsor Castle, on the inside, you can see stately rooms and treasures. It’s also the home of the Queen of England. According to Windsor Castle, it is the ‘oldest and largest occupied castle in the world.’ Impressive. Windsor Castle dates back to the 11th century and is one of many castles in England founded by William The Conquerer. I’ll be totally honest and say that I haven’t been there myself (the shame) but have read up on it a lot in the past as I’m a castle buff. Who hasn’t heard of Windsor Castle? Shame on you if you haven’t (kidding) as it’s one of the most famous of the medieval castles in the UK. Always better to be on the safe side.ĭover Castle really is one of the best castles in southeast England that you can visit. Of course, if you are already in Dover it doesn’t matter just go on in! You can also book tickets for Dover castle in advance. I would only do the tour if you want everything to be arranged for you. Personally, if I were you and had the time I would rent a car in London and drive to Dover Castle and Leeds Castle. You can do an epic day trip tour to Dover Castle from London, Leeds Castle (see further down the post) and the very historic Canterbury Cathedral. It’s one of the most haunted castles in England. In the aforementioned tunnels, there have been a few experiences, with a notable one of a stretcher rushing down a corridor violently by itself as if by a strong ghostly force. It’s one of the largest castles in England.ĭuring WWII the underground tunnels were used as air-raid shelters with an astonishing 3 miles of a network.Ĭastle legend: With such a long history there are many reports of ghostly sightings and strange occurrences at Dover Castle. I went there when I was 12 years old on a school trip and was beyond impressed (what young boy wouldn’t be impressed with a massive medieval castle).ĭover Castle has been called ‘The Key to England’ due to its location at a strategic position in the English Channel and has been around since the 11th century. I have to include Dover Castle first on this list because it was the first out of all the medieval castles in England that I visited. ![]() All the castles are open to the public for a visit. I’ve added links to the official websites for the castles under each of their sections. Important: Check the castle’s website before visiting to check opening times as they can change by season or other events. Many of these castles are maintained by English Heritage and the National Trust in the UK whereas others are privately owned. The French had been building castles at least 2 centuries before the English and some of the best medieval castles in England were started by them. Quick fact: The word ‘castle’ is a French word and the first castles in England were in the 11th century built by Normans who were invited by Edward The Confessor to England, and later by more Normans after they invaded in 1066. To make this article more interesting than just naming castles and a brief history of them I have added a few short legends surrounding some of them, which I hope you will enjoy. So I narrowed it down to these 25 for some of the best medieval castles to see. If you’re wondering how many medieval castles in England there are, it’s roughly 1100. I use the phrase ‘medieval castles’ as there are a lot of castles in England that came later than the medieval times, but I have always found the medieval castles more interesting as they have a lot more legendary tales surrounding them. England is packed with castles and these are some of the best medieval castles in England you can visit.
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