History of and gazetteer to all surviving Welsh castles - the majority 13c - arranged by county, with full OS details. The medieval castles of Wales are an imposing group of monuments. Although there are examples from the Norman period, the vast majority of the surviving castles date from the thirteenth century, a dramatic and turbulent period when Wales was nearly united under native rule before succumbing to Edward I's conquest: Caernarfon, Conway, Harlech and Beaumaris are justly famous, but equally fine examples can be found elsewhere, including Pembroke, Kidwelly andChepstow in south Wales; native Welsh castles feature prominently. This book provides a brief account and complete gazetteer of every surviving castle in Wales, from the impressive earthworks raised by the Norman invaders to the castle-palaces of the later middle ages, and including the remarkable town fortifications of Wales; it is arranged by county for convenience of reference, and offers full Ordnance Survey details. Lavishly illustrated. ADRIAN PETTIFER gained his degree in ancient and medieval history from Birmingham University.

A comprehensive and concise guide to all medieval English castles of which something can still be seen today, ranging from the massive keeps which still dominate the landscape to grassy earthworks and Border pele towers, and spanning the centuries from the Norman Conquest to the accession of the Tudors A well-written contribution to the literature on the subject, and will interest both the historically minded tourist and, as a reference book, the scholar. WAR IN HISTORY A comprehensive and concise guide to all medieval English castles of which something can still be seen today, ranging from the massive keeps which still dominate the landscape to grassy earthworks and Border pele towers, and spanning the centuries from the Norman Conquest to the accession of the Tudors. English Castles contains over five hundred main entries in county order, each giving a brief history and description of the castle. A short introduction supplies the historical background to the explosion of castle-building in the middle ages, and there is a glossary covering all aspects of castles in some detail. There are also full Ordnance Survey map references.