My son is Lego mad! Last year we took him for a special treat to Legoland in Windsor. At the end of the day we found ourselves in the gift shop and it a moment of madness bought him the Harry Potter Hogwarts castle, set number 4842. I can't remember exactly how much I paid but it was in the region of £100!


WHATS IN THAT LARGE BOX?
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On the front of the box it tells you that this set contains 1,290 pieces! The set contains 9 minifigures, 2 dementors and a hidden knight. The minifigures are sealed in a separate bag from so can be played with as soon as the box is opened. The figures include-

Harry Potter with his wand and broom.

Hermione Granger with wand.

Lord Voldermort and white wand.

Professor Dumbledore.

Professor Snape.

Professor McGonagall

Professor Flitwick.

Angus Filch and cat.

Mrs Norris and 2 dementors. There are also 3 owls, a rat, a bat and a hidden knight. All the figures are really detailed. I especially like the detail on Professor McGonagall's dress.

The bricks are sealed in 10 separate bags and there are 3 thick instruction booklets.

BUILDING THE CASTLE.
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This set is recommended for children from aged 8-14. My son is 9 and needed quite a bit of help to build this castle. It took us over two days to complete but the end result was well worth the effort! The instruction booklets are clearly written with each stage having a detailed diagram to help.

It does help having the bricks separated as you build one section of the castle at a time and all the bricks you need are contained in sealed bags.

The figures require minimal effort to set up. Each figure can hold a wand or broom in the case of Harry. Angus Filch has a lantern and key. The bat sits on the roof and the owls in their owlery complete with poop (small white bricks!) There is a telescope that fits on the roof outside the Astronomy tower. A rat is also included! There are stickers included to complete the castle authentic look.

I would suggest you build the castle on a base, otherwise it would be impossible to move without it breaking!

The Castle.
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This is a really impressive looking castle with lots of exciting detail. The castle is open at the back to allow imaginative play. It has a green roof, turrets and a stain glass window.

On the ground floor is the great hall. There are tables and chairs .There is food on the tables including a Lego turkey, goblets, fruit and more. On the wall are the flags of the house. I love the detailed chandelier and stained glass window in the great hall.

The common room has a fireplace with the face of Sirius Black above it. The library has a vanishing cupboard with detailed medieval knight. A copy of the Quibbler sits on the table. There is a room of requirement for Harry to enter, complete with opening doors.

There is a spiral staircase that leads to the upper floor. Here you will find Dumbledore's office. On his desk is the sorting hat featured in the books and films. There is also Gryffindor sword and the Basilisk fang. There is a treasure chest containing the sorcerer's stone. There is s secret staircase to add to the fun!

The castle connects together in sections and it is possible to change the configuration if you want to.

I haven't listed all that is included with this set as that would take too long! However I hope I have given you a taste of what to expect.

MY opinion.
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This castle takes a lot of building and you will probably need to help your child to complete it. I see this as a positive as it is good to spend quality time with my son! Once completed it looks really impressive. We build the castle on a wooden board and keep it in our playroom. This is a large structure so you will need quite a bit of space if you are going to leave it set up.

The rooms are all quite small and therefore difficult to access making play a bit fiddly. The great hall and Dumbledore's office are probably my favourites as they have so many small detailed pieces.

The minifigures are well detailed and my son often plays with these in front of the castle. It is a pity that Lego didn't include a Ron Weasley figure. The owls are really cute and I love the humour with the inclusion of droppings!

MY SON'S OPINION.
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I have asked my son for his thoughts on his castle and this is what he told me- He really loves everything to do with Harry Potter and feels that the castle looks awesome! He agrees with me that the rooms are a bit small and he does get frustrated when bits fall off when he is playing inside the castle.

Like me he likes Professor Dumbledore's office and especially the secret staircase and treasure chest.
He wishes that all the figures could sit on the chairs and points out that Professor McGonagall's skirt that I love prevents her from sitting! He would have liked a Ron Weasley figure but is hoping to get one for Christmas to complete this set (better go shopping then!)

He really enjoyed building the model and thinks that my building skills are getting better! He worries that the small pieces will get lost in the vacuum cleaner when he leaves them on the floor (he has been listening to my treats when he fails to tidy up the playroom!)

Overall.
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This is a wonderful model and although it takes time to build, I think that is part of the fun. The instructions are clearly written and easy to follow. Once completed there is no denying that this is an impressive castle with lots of clever detail.

The rooms are small and this makes playing with the castle a bit tricky especially for younger children. The figures can be played with alone and are all well, made. This is a very expensive model, but it is something that will last for many years so it is worth the layout in my book! It is widely available and Amazon is selling this model for £89.99. The R.R.P is £102.99 and as always it is worth shopping around.