Guess Where?

  1. What is unusual about Richard’s Castle on the Shropshire/Hereford border?
  2. What was significant about the fall of Bamburgh Castle in 1464?
  3. What do Deal, Pendennis, Hurst and Walmer Castles have in common?
  4. Which English castle underwent a major siege in 1266?
  5. Of what type of castle is Beaumaris an example?
  6. What did Sir Walter Scott call Norham Castle, which overlooks the Scottish border?
  7. Which English king died in Pontefract Castle?
  8. Name the castle in the picture above.

Questions (apart from No. 8 ) courtesy BBC History mag. Highlight below for answers:

1) It is one of only 3 or 4 English castles to have been built before the Norman Conquest. 2) It was the first castle in England to fall to gunpowder artillery. 3) They were all built in the reign of Henry VIII to guard against invasion. 4) Kenilworth. 5) A concentric castle. 6) The most dangerous place in England. 7) Richard II. 8 ) Alnwick.

23 Comments CherryPie on Sep 5th 2009

23 Responses to “Do You Know Your Castles?”

  1. Bernard says:

    As I have a copy of the NT “Book of British Castles” by Paul Johnson, I got them all right except No 8. Is this cheating?

    • CherryPie says:

      No because I didn’t know them all without looking at the answers ;-) I really wanted to post a picture of Dover castle, but when I looked I haven’t got a picture of the whole castle. I only have bits of it.

      The book sounds interesting, I have the NT book on gardens.

  2. jameshigham says:

    Only one. Why did N6 call it that?

  3. Ah I already did teh test when I got BBC History and did fairly dismally at teh time. I got 4 f the questions right

  4. Interesting quiz, Cherie. I knew done of them – oh, the shame of it!

  5. -eve- says:

    Interesting! I like the ‘invisible answers’ effect – much more convenient than clicking to another page :-)

  6. Cherrypie: Is this what you were looking for?

    Photo of Dover Castle

  7. Fun and interesting. I was quite impressed by the architecture of a few that I visited when over your way. (…to think of building a castle in those times, not to mention living in one…)

    Only was able to get two of the answers

  8. ubermouth says:

    I’ve always wanted to sleep in a castle, preferrably in Scotland.
    I must do that.
    They would be great places to hold murder mystery dinners.

  9. Claudia says:

    Interesting post. Don’t know any of those castles, of course. We have none in Canada. Yet, I’m fascinated by castles and have many books depicting them. Mostly on the outside of course. Long ago, when I told my young son that my dream was to live in a Castle for a year, he went to bookstores and found a marvellous 16×10 book called: “Cross-Sections Castle (See inside an amazing 14th Century Castle).” Then I was able to picture what life had been everyday, in every room of the Castle, for different people. I still enjoy holding the book, and living in MY castle.

    • CherryPie says:

      That sounds a wonderful book and what a lovely dream to have :-)

      I suppose we are really lucky here have so many different ones to be able to visit.

  10. Phidelm says:

    Hands up to knowing all but one; but I’m not telling! Thanks for the fun, Cherie. Old family friends in Ireland actually live in a castle (or what’s left of it, mostly rebuilt after destroyed by fire during the ‘Troubles’), and frankly I wouldn’t wish such a residence on my worst enemy ;-) !

  11. We have a very small castle here on Vancouver Island – Craigdarroch Castle – not at all as imposing as the ones in your country. :) Unfortunately I was unable to answer any of questions :( I would love to visit one or two castles though.

  12. [...] was taken near one of the castles mentioned in my recent castle quiz.