Castles and forts

A 17th century residence (possibly the original Maxwell House?!), built inside a forbidding triangular medieval fortress, surrounded by a romantic moat, besieged by the English, ruined by religion. Plus a colony of Natterjack toads AND the site of an earlier castle.

What more could you ask?

It is about 6 miles south of Dumfries off the B725.  Follow the A75 west from the M6/M74.

Caerphilly Castle is simply enormous. Huge. It is the largest castle in Wales and the second-largest in Britain, after Windsor. It covers a 30-acre site and is a mass of concentric defensive walls, surrounded by moats and artificial lakes. It was built by the Norman Gilbert de Clare, known as Gilbert the Red for his red hair, mainly between 1268 and 1271, in order to subdue the Welsh - and it still dominates the area. The castle declined as it became redundant and it was rescued from total ruin by the Bute family in the 19th century.

Cardigan Castle (Castell Aberteifi) began as an earth and timber Norman fortress in the early 12th century. It was captured by The Lord Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1171 and rebuilt in stone – the first stone castle built by a Welshman.  To mark the achievement, he held the first national Eisteddfod there in 1176.  The castle changed hands various times through the years.  It was slighted by the Parliamentary Forces during the Civil War of the 17th century and converted to peaceful use in the 18th, when large parts of it were demolished to build an elegant house and garden inside its walls.  A pillbox was added in the Second World War.

Sadly, the last owner of Cardigan Castle, Barbara Wood, could not afford the upkeep and ended up living in a caravan in the grounds. The property crumbled, decayed and became overgrown.  A successful public campaign saw Cardigan Castle purchased by Ceredigion Council, be gradually restored and, finally, opened to the public in 2015.  What little remains of the medieval building is incorporated into the mansion, where there are temporary and permanent exhibitions.  To be fair, it's not much of a castle, but the small, attractive, gardens are nicely tended, it is pleasant to walk round the walls, there is a decent café and regular events and functions are held there.

Sometimes events necessitate closure of the castle to the public, so check before making a special journey

There has been a fortress at Carisbrooke since Saxon times, at least, though the present castle dates from the 12th century. Carisbrooke Castle was besieged once, by the French, but is probably best known as the place where Charles I was imprisoned, as well as for the donkeys that turn the treadmill to pull water from the castle's well. It was also home to Princess Beatrice, the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The castle is largely ruined, but there is loads to see, inside and outside, including a fascinating museum, beautiful chapel, battlement walks - and, of course, the donkeys.

Castle Menzies was the ancestral stronghold of the Menzies clan from the 16th - 19th centuries. It was occupied by Jacobite rebels in 1715 and 1745 and, in 1746, Charles Edward Stuart - Bonnie Prince Charlie - the Young Pretender - stayed at Castle Menzies on his way to defeat at Culloden. 4 days later, the Duke of Cumberland, commander of the Government forces in hot pursuit of the rebels, stopped by too.

In 1957, the castle was purchased as a ruin for just £300 by the Menzies Clan Society who have proceeded to, very gradually, restore it. It is somewhere between a mansion and a fortress. It has a walled garden too, though the website suggests this may not be particularly well kept. It is also possible to visit the Old Kirk of Weem - the Menzies Mausoleum - in the nearby village of Weem.