Synopses & Reviews
This fascinating volume is the most comprehensive illustrated guide to the castles of
Britain and Ireland ever published.
As ancient examples of the intersection of architecture and history, castles remain
awe-inspiring today, centuries after they were built. This volume is an expanded and
revised comprehensive edition of Plantagenet Somerset Fry's classic study on this
subject. Fry adds recent historical and archaeological research to his definitive history
of life in and around the castles of the British Isles, including evocative descriptions
of everyday life, war and weapons, and sieges. How the castles were designed and built,
and how this reflects changes in politics and society, is fully explained in an engaging
text enhanced by spectacular photographs and plans of the castles.
The first part of the book is made up of thematic chapters ranging in subject from ÒWhat
Is a Castle?Ó to ÒThe End of the Castle.Ó The second part is a gazetteerÑby far the most
comprehensive ever published in a single bookÑthat describes in great detail more than
1,350 castles in Britain and Ireland. For the tourist, scholar, or armchair explorer of
castles, this is the ultimate reference book.
Plantagenet Somerset Fry is the author of 50 historical books, including the bestselling
History of the World for children. Other titles include 2000 Years of British Life and
Roman Britain: History and Sites.
450 illustrations, 200 in full color
Synopsis
As ancient examples of the intersection of architecture and history, castles remain awe-inspiring today, centuries after they were built. This volume is an expanded and revised comprehensive edition of Plantagenet Somerset Fry's classic study on this subject. Fry adds recent historical and archaeological research to his definitive history of life in and around the castles of the British Isles, including evocative descriptions of everyday life, war and weapons, and sieges. How the castles were designed and built, and how this reflects changes in politics and society, is fully explained in engaging text enhanced by spectacular photographs and plans of the castles.
The first part of the book is made up of thematic chapters ranging in subject from "What Is a Castle?" to "The End of the Castle". The second part is a gazetteer -- by far the most comprehensive ever published in a single book -- that describes in great detail more than 1,350 castles in Britain and Ireland. For the tourist, scholar, or armchair explorer of castles, this is the ultimate reference book.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 331-332) and index.