UK Castle questions

[Tim Regan]

Hi All,

--- "Richelle Votaw" <rvotaw at i...> wrote:
> I've begun planning my trip to the UK (which if everything goes 
according to plan will begin one year from today) and have questions 
already.  I've been looking through loads of books and magazines, 
and two particular castles have caught my eye. Arundel and Warwick.  
<

I spent two years living in ArUNdel, while I was doing my doctorate 
at Sussex and Kate was teaching in Bognor. So you've set me off 
reminiscing. Arundel is a truly beautiful place. Kate and I moved 
there after two years in Brighton, which is a hip seaside town in 
East Sussex. Too hip in fact, it was starting to make us feel stodgy.

Arundel was the opposite. So picture perfect but not very hip. We 
were renting a cottage built by Napoleonic prisoners of war. The 
landlady had it left furnished with amazing antique furniture and 
works of art. We had a great time. If you do go to Arundel I would 
also recommend the Cathedral, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust bird 
reserve, and Betty's Tea shop down Tarrant Street. Betty (the 
proprietor) is really grumpy, but the woman who makes the cakes, 
ohhhh, ahhhhh, especially her bakewell tart. I can almost taste it 
now. There are loads of good pubs too. The Black Rabbit's very well 
located on the River Arun. Definitely drink Harveys - it's the local 
beer. Brewed in Lewes. Lewes is good to. It was the seat for Simon 
DeMontfort, who founded the English parliament.

Arundel Castle is the seat of the Duke of Norfolk (actually he's 
dead now so it was his wife). They are Britian's premier Catholic 
family (if such an accolade exists) which explains the huge Catholic 
Cathedral - jointly dedicated to Our Lady and St Philip Howard, who 
is an ancestor of the Duke of Norfolk. A saint for a reli' must be 
cool. It's Victorian mock Gothic, but a really fine example. Set 
next to the Castle on the hill it makes the town look amazing, 
especially from the train down from London.

The castle itself is mainly flint built (many of the old buildings 
in Suffolk are faced with flint) but includes a really old Norman 
stone keep (1068) through to some Victorian parts. Peake stayed 
there (he was riends with the Duke) and it's one of the contenders 
as an inspiration for Gormenghast. I recommend a long loop around 
the grounds too. Beautiful rolling Sussex downs. You could start at 
St Mary's Gate (the pub next to the Cathedral) do a big loop and end 
up at the Black Rabbit, which is on route back to the castle 
entrance.

If you do do Sussex – Bodiam Castle, Alfriston, Chichester Cathedral 
(real gothic, wisteria draped over mediaeval stone buildings form 
the tea shop there, first death by train buried there, and Holst, 
and a lovely Chagall stained glass window), Singleton Open Air 
museum, Pagham Harbour, etc are all worth a visit. Oh, and Bosham. 
It's near Arundel. Cute little place. The thing that stuck in my 
mind from there is the groves in the church door lintel from where 
the crusaders sharpened their swords before leaving on the crusades. 
I think it's on the Beyeaux Tapestry.

I must stop this reminiscing now – it's doing my head in.

Warwick Castle is a more developed tourist attraction though (I 
believe), so it may be a safer bet. 

Actually, Kate has just walked in and is telling me I should be 
recommending Warwick. "The beez neez, old castle through and 
through". She's right in a way. Arundel Castle has more of a stately 
home feel. Kate's other suggestion – just to spoil your binary 
choice – is to do North Wales instead. Edward I built some 
spectacular castles there in the 1200s. Carnaevon, Conwy, and 
Harlech near Snowdon are amazing. Really old and atmospheric. Well 
preserved rooms. Prince Charles was inaugurated the Prince of Wales 
at Carnaevon. I have to say though (and this could start a worse 
flame war than the HP Haters debate) that Welsh tea shops aren't as 
good as English ones and nor is their beer.

So now that I've completely deserted your original call for 
information, can I instead recommend you ditch castles all together, 
and instead do the ruined abbeys of North Yorkshire. Check out 
Fountains and Rievaulx on the web. Yorkshire also has amazing tea 
shops and amazing beer.

Eek – I have to get back to working.

Cheers,

Dumbledad.