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Telegraph
10-05-2025
- Telegraph
The UK's best castles, and how to visit them
Castles come in all shapes and sizes – castellated or moated, ruined or repurposed, fantasy or bouncy – and they've been a feature of the UK's landscape since 1066. One definition might be a battle-station crossed with a domestic abode: the Tower of London, for example, one of Britain's earliest castles, was a fortress and working palace, with a handy private mooring that we now call Traitors' Gate. Castles defended borders and fiefdoms and evolved according to the weapons technology they faced. All this makes them both fun to clamber over and fascinating to find out about. Here's a list of our favourites across the UK. Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight A motte-and-bailey structure built on older earthwork, King Charles I was imprisoned here for 14 months before his execution and allegedly once got stuck in a window trying to escape. Walk the walls, see the former King's private room, then explore the contemporary garden inspired by Queen Victoria's daughter, Princess Beatrice, who was also the island's Governor for 48 years. Insider tip: Meet the castle's much-loved resident donkeys, who help to demonstrate how water was once drawn from the well house. Price: Admission from Visit Isle of Wight; £13.10, adult; £8.10, child; £11.80, concession Where to stay: The Bowling Green Apartment in the grounds of Carisbrooke Castle (0370 333 1181) sleeps four from £435 for three nights, excluding breakfast. Warwick Castle, Warwickshire Warwick Castle delivers a hectic schedule of commercial events, from siege engine demonstrations to birds of prey shows. It's great fun (over-10s: risk the immersive Castle Dungeon show if you dare) but there's plenty of serious history on offer, too – this is, after all, a 1,000-year-old powerhouse with pioneering landscaping courtesy of the 18th-century gardener Lancelot 'Capability' Brown. Castle accommodation ranges from glamping to tower suites. Insider tip: Climb the ancient Mound for views over the town of Warwick. Where to stay: The Warwick Castle Hotel (01926 406610) has double rooms from £99, including breakfast. Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeenshire Dunnottar crouches on a promontory between two bays, glaring at the North Sea. St Ninian built a chapel here in 400, the Vikings invaded in 900, William Wallace attacked 400 years later, and the Honours of Scotland were kept safe here. Later, stripped bare, it was rescued by the Cowdrays, who still own it. Insider tip: Walk from Stonehaven via the Black Hill War Memorial and get the X7 back from near Dunnottar. Allow 90 minutes each way. Where to stay: Ship Inn, Stonehaven (01569 762617) has sea views and 11 rooms. Doubles from £130, including breakfast. Leeds Castle, Kent This beauty, reflected in its own moat, rose on older foundations in the 13th century and has been much altered, most notably in the 1820s. Associated with many queens, it became a glamorous home in the 1920s under chatelaine Olive, Lady Baillie. Children love the obstacle course and yew maze with a grotto at its heart. Insider tip: 1) It's not in Yorkshire. 2) See the original Norman cellars, used for salted meat, dry goods, wines and candle wax. Where to stay: There's plenty of places to stay in the castle itself, but book early. Doubles from £145, including breakfast. Enniskillen Castle, Co Fermanagh For 600 years, Enniskillen Castle has dominated the waterways south of Lough Erne. Built by the Maguires, it was in English hands by 1609, and its distinctive gatehouse symbolises the Plantation of Ulster. Six buildings include a local history museum and a military museum for not one but two famous local regiments. Insider tip: Ulster ancestry? Book a free 30-minute session at the Fermanagh Genealogy Centre in the former castle barracks. Where to stay: Killyhelvin Lakeside Lodges & Hotel has double rooms from £130 per night, including breakfast. Chepstow Castle, Monmouthshire Earl William FitzOsbern built Chepstow Castle in 1067, just pipping the Tower of London to the post. Now ruined, it crowns a ridge with the town of Chepstow on one side and the River Wye on the other. It was owned by a series of magnates keeping a watchful eye on Wales; what survives is the remains of a rare triple bailey, an 11th- century Great Hall and magnificent walls, mostly walkable. Insider tip: Europe's oldest castle doors, thought to be 12th century, are on display inside (today's gatehouse doors are replicas.) Price: Admission to Chepstow Castle is £10, adult; £7, child; £9, concession Where to stay: The St Pierre Marriott Country Club (01291 625261) occupies a 14th-century manor house in parkland, with spa, pool and two golf courses. Doubles from £164, including breakfast. Middleham Castle, North Yorkshire Middleham sits on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales and in 1260, via marriage, became a stronghold of the powerful Neville family. Edward IV stayed here with Warwick 'the Kingmaker' and the future Richard III grew up in his household and wed his daughter. See the replica gold and sapphire Middleham Jewel, found here in 1985 (the original is in the Yorkshire Museum). Insider tip: The castle is just near the Middleham Gallops; stop to watch the racehorses and jockeys fly past in training. Where to stay: The Priory Hotel opposite (01969 623279) has double rooms from £155 per night, including breakfast (minimum two-night stay). Burgh Castle Roman Fort, Norfolk That Burgh Castle's flint walls are still guarding the 'Saxon Shore' after 1,700 years is a tribute to Roman builders. It overlooks Breydon Water, which divides the southern and northern Norfolk Broads; three rivers join here on route to the sea at Great Yarmouth and wading birds stalk the tidal mud flats. Perfect for a picnic or a jaunt to the nearby pub. Insider tip: Walk the Angles Way from Great Yarmouth and get the X11 Coastlink bus back. Where to stay: Fritton Lake (01493 484008), four miles south on the Somerleyton estate, has double rooms from £180, room only. Castell Harlech, Snowdonia This hulking beast, standing foursquare over the sand dunes in Harlech (and caravan park) that now separate it from the Irish sea, is an essay in mediaeval aggression. It is one of four Welsh castles built for King Edward I that share Unesco World Heritage status, and at one time was taken by the Welsh prince Owain Glyndwr. Insider tip: Board a train for a coastal journey on the scenic Cambrian Line from Barmouth to Harlech from £6.80, adult; £1.45 child (Anytime Day Return). Where to stay: Penmaenuchaf Hall Hotel (01341 422129) is a cosy, 14-room Victorian country house, 35 minutes' drive away. Doubles from £191, including breakfast. Old Sarum, Wiltshire Talk about value for money: Old Sarum is a perfect Norman castle mound sitting on the perfect ramparts of a 400 BCE Iron Age fort, with the perfect outline of the original cathedral and perfect views of Salisbury Cathedral below. The cathedral moved to Salisbury in 1220, due to friction with the castle's garrison. Insider tip: The loos in the car park occupy a Second World War pillbox and wireless station. Where to stay: The Riverside Salisbury (01722 338388), by the River Nadder, has plenty of parking and doubles from £120, including breakfast.
Telegraph
11-04-2025
- Telegraph
St James's Palace has finally opened its doors, and I was on the first tour
I've always found St James's Palace quite mysterious. As you travel up the Mall from Trafalgar Square, your vision is set so blindly on the glistening pile at the end of the road that it's easy to miss the old red-brick palace, hiding in plain sight behind the high hedges and sycamore trees to the right. Well, the most secretive royal building just got a bit less secretive. As of this week, the 500-year-old palace – for centuries the residence of the reigning monarch – opened its doors to the general public. And I was on the first tour of the season. The tour begins Our 30-strong group, gathered outside the side entrance on Marlborough Road, gave off the aura of the lucky families who had found golden tickets in their chocolate bars. Only, instead of a chocolate factory, we were about to embark on a tour of a royal palace older than ancient oaks. Instead of a flamboyant, tin-whistle-blowing chocolatier, our guide was a royal expert named Sarah who described St James's as something of an 'unknown gem' despite being the principal royal residence. For many centuries, St James's Palace has been closed off to the public, its courtyards and ornate staircases the stuff of the imagination. But then the palace quietly ran small-scale trial tours to Royal Collection newsletter subscribers in the autumn of 2022 and 2023. This year, the opening is on a much bigger scale and has been publicised widely: 2,500 members of the public will pass through the doors in April and May. On entry, we were put through a security check and briefing. Photographs and videos would not be allowed during the tour, we were told. No touching anything, of course. And, somewhat disconcertingly, there would be no toilet stops during the 90-minute walk-around. After passing through the lower corridor, past a very defiant-looking King Charles I (painted while things weren't going too well for him), we entered the Colour Court, half-washed in sunshine. Here, we had a first glimpse of the Great Gatehouse, positioned rather unusually off to the side of the courtyard. Why? Because the architects used the original medieval foundations. The palace, I was learning, is very much a product of the gradual march of change. And fires. Next, we reached the Grand Staircase. Here, the first thing that first grabbed my attention was a wonderful portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Richard Stone, gifted to the Royal Collection in 2015 when she became Britain's oldest monarch. As we ascended the steps, it dawned on me that I was walking in the footsteps of royals spanning from the Tudors to the current era. From Henry VIII to Prince Louis. The rooms where history is made Up the stairs, we reached the Royal Apartments, the rooms where history is made. In the Armoury, part of the old Tudor part of the building, the floorboards creak beneath thick red carpets. 'I always think there's a distinctive smell in here,' Sarah muses, pointing out the geometric displays of guns, spears and swords that adorn the walls. 'Must be the gunpowder.' It is from this room that the proclamation of the Accession Council was made in September 2022: 'The Queen is Dead, Long Live the King.' But, in the absence of a balcony, the glass pane of the window was removed and a makeshift balcony installed. Such improvisation is required of a building that began its life as a leprosy hospital, before being repurposed as a hunting lodge and, only later, a royal palace. In the Tapestry Room, we marvelled at the Mortlake-designed works that tell the stories of Venus and Mars and a fireplace engraved with 'H' and 'A' – Henry and Anne (Boleyn). Then, through to the Queen Anne Room, things get bigger and brighter, and more golden, as the influence of John Nash begins. The room is perhaps best known, in recent popular imagination, as the place where King Charles was invited to join a celebratory Samoan dance with a visiting dignitary during a Commonwealth reception – and obliged. Through the Entree Room, where a Take That tribute band recently performed at a Christmas do (a fact that temporarily dissolved the mystique of the whole affair), we entered the Throne Room. While this is not the throne used during the coronations, when we speak of 'the Throne' in the general sense, this is it. 'It has a touch of immortality to it,' said Sarah, as the group gazed on in silence. Through the Picture Gallery, perhaps one of the more interesting rooms on the tour given the quantity of artworks hanging on the walls, including a fascinating scene including a lion tamer (see below), we reached a balcony overlooking the Chapel Royal. I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to imagine Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, standing, austerely, hand in hand, on the day of their marriage 185 years ago. 'Rumour has it that Queen Mary's heart is buried just over there, beneath the choir stalls,' said Sarah. The notion was, over time, accepted as little more than folklore, until recent X-rays carried out during plumbing work showed that there is, indeed, a casket down there. Even today, mysteries of the last 500 years continue to be uncloaked. A new open era for the royal residences Sadly, inevitably, the St James's Palace tours have already sold out. However, I have it on good authority that there will be more in the future. And if you are interested in taking a behind-the-scenes look at a royal abode, there are more options now than ever before. In 2024, the East Wing of Buckingham Palace, including the room adjoining the famous royal balcony, opened to the public for the first time. And Balmoral Castle, understood to be Queen Elizabeth II's favourite residence, opened previously off-limits parts of the castle for the first time last year. There are also now £1 tickets available to Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Buckingham Palace for those on universal credit. It feels very much as if King Charles has made it his personal mission to close the gap between the royal family and its subjects. What an enlightened decision this is. And what a privilege it is to be able to turn the imagination into reality, if for just 90 minutes or so. Highlights of the tour The Grand Staircase The Grand Staircase forms a key part of a ceremonial route through the state apartments. It is up these steps that esteemed guests ascended, for more than two centuries, to be met with a royal audience. The Grand Staircase looks rather different today from the stone steps built by Henry VIII in the 16th century. In 2025, the Grand Staircase reflects the tastes of Edward VII, who, at the turn of the 20th century, stripped out the floral wallpapers favoured by Queen Victoria with lighter white-and-gold tones. The Colour Court and Great Gatehouse The Colour Court is one of four courtyards at St James's Palace, named after the flag that was once raised to show which regiment of the Household Division of the British Army was on duty at the time. A prominent feature of the Colour Court is Henry VIII's Great Gatehouse, whose clock tower is topped with a bell tower and weather vane, partially hidden by the parapet at the top of the structure. The Tapestry Room On entering the Tapestry Room, your eyes immediately turn to the grand fireplace, which dates from Henry VIII's reign and is inscribed with the initials 'H' and 'A' for Henry and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. The room is decorated with tapestries that tell the story of Vulcan and Venus from Homer's Odyssey. Charles I, when Prince of Wales, commissioned nine tapestries to be hung in this room, although after his execution in 1649 these were sold across Europe, along with many other works. Queen Victoria brought some of these back to St James's Palace in the 19th century, to be cut and hung by William Morris and his company. The Picture Gallery Built during the reign of Queen Victoria, the Picture Gallery features a series of striking portraits including Sir Edwin Landseer's Isaac van Amburgh and his Animals. Amburgh was a lion tamer from the United States, and his extravagant performances created quite the storm in Victorian London. Queen Victoria herself attended his shows seven times in six weeks in 1839. The room is used for official purposes, such as during the Accession Council: it was in this room that King Charles III was proclaimed king. The Throne Room The centrepiece of the Throne Room is the exquisite, carved gilt and wood throne, which features the cypher and crown of Queen Elizabeth II. Above is a canopy of state. The silk velvet that surrounds the throne is embroidered with national emblems and Queen Victoria's coat of arms (a lion and a unicorn). After being proclaimed king on September 10, 2022, King Charles III moved through to the Throne Room to hold his first Privy Council meeting. The Chapel Royal Right next to the Great Gatehouse is the busy working chapel, Chapel Royal, built by Henry VIII in the 1530s. Within the chapel you will find a great, coffered Tudor ceiling, and some magnificent examples of silver-gilt plate, including a set of altar candlesticks engraved with the monogram of the Duke of York (later, James II). The chapel has hosted many significant royal events over the years. Most famously Queen Victoria's marriage to Prince Albert on February 10, 1840. The chapel continues to host royal milestones, including the christening of Prince Louis in 2018. How to do it Tours for the 2025 season (1hr 30m; running on Fridays and Saturdays from April 11 to May 31; £85pp) have sold out. However, the palace plans to open its doors again in the future. Check and the RCT e-newsletter for updates on future public tours.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Inside Rochdale Town Hall's new council chamber
A section of Rochdale Town Hall closed off for years will soon reopen. The council chamber was shut down - along with the rest of the Grade-I listed building - back in 2021 as a major restoration project got underway. In March last year, the historic building reopened to the public. The completion of the chamber is the final piece of the puzzle. After the grand town hall opening in 2024, work got under way on the council chamber and adjoining room, which once served as office space and will now be used as the mayor's parlour. READ MORE: Family and five-month-old baby escape fire as smoke billows from homes and residents evacuated READ MORE: LIVE: Street closed by police amid reports of homes being 'evacuated' during ongoing incident - latest updates The chamber is an ode to the town's rich history, with ceiling panels sporting the borough's coats of arms, hanging fleeces, flora and fauna and other insignia cleaned and restored by experts from Lancashire Conservation Studios. The council chamber previously served as Rochdale's Magistrates' Court for more than a century following the opening of the town hall in 1871. Its stained glass windows depict famous legal figures and defenders of civil rights, including John Pym, who spoke against King Charles I and played a major role in the formation of what would become the modern English parliamentary system. Frescoes along the walls, which had faded away and suffered water damage, have been painstakingly repainted by hand by a team of experts. Additionally, an old featureless carpet has been replaced by one which depicts cotton plants, in a nod to the borough's major role in the global cotton trade. Beautiful mahogany thrones which depict angels, knight's helmets and lions have been repaired and cleaned using cotton buds and tiny paint brushes and reinstated into the space. Council leader, Neil Emmott, said: 'The town hall is a historic asset and one of our borough's most precious buildings. It's vital that it is protected and cared for, so that this important piece of our collective history is not lost to time and decay and can be preserved for future generations. 'I'm delighted that this space has been so lovingly brought back to life and the attention to detail has ensured that it looks very similar to how it would have looked when the town hall first opened more than a century ago. It's a masterclass in craftsmanship and skill and I can't wait for people to see it.' During the restoration, volunteers discovered that the walls had been covered in a leather material which had pomegranates etched in before it was painted over years ago. The team commissioned a heritage wallpaper company to create a lincrusta wallpaper for the space which featured pomegranates before specialists on site painted it in the original town hall colour palette of red, green and gold. Smithybridge resident Andrew Hill, who was one of the project volunteers, said: 'I lost my job and was at an incredibly low ebb when I saw an advert for a conservation training programme being run as part of the restoration project. I started in January 2024 and have been volunteering here ever since. 'I've cleaned minton tiles, restored antique furniture and helped to design the bespoke wallpaper in the mayor's parlour. It's been life changing for me because my self esteem was at an all time low after losing my job. 'I've really enjoyed being with lovely people and doing something so positive. I love walking past something I've cleaned and seeing how much better it looks.' A complementary, lottery supported project to redevelop the Broadfield Slopes behind Rochdale Town Hall into a public park and recreation area is due to get under way in April.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Authority wants help for Elizabethan mansion plan
A council is looking for advice from experts about how it could make more money from a Grade I listed Elizabethan mansion. Shaw House in Newbury is owned by West Berkshire Council and is used for weddings, conferences, events and performance rehearsals. The authority said it was also able to accommodate private bookings for "group ghost hunts and paranormal investigation nights". But it has advertised online for "preliminary market engagement" as it seeks more information over the potential "commercialisation" of the site. An event will be held at Shaw House on 12 March "to inform internal discussions around commercialisation options". The building was used as King Charles I's headquarters during the English Civil War and in October 2023 its gates were wrecked after they were hit by a coach carrying wedding guests. Originally installed in 1908, they were restored after work to rebuild brick pillars and decorative stone tops last year. It was first listed in 1952 and work in its knot garden has taken place over recent months. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Mansion gates destroyed in wedding coach crash West Berkshire Council Shaw House
