Attractions in Orford

Adults as well as children can hardly fail to be impressed by the imposing Norman keep overlooking this quiet fishing village. It is a ‘motte’ and keep type, the motte being the mound on which it stands. The unusual polygonal keep has 3 rectangular towers, all built of local stone. Grassed over ditches are all that remain of the fortifications once completely surrounding it, but for Henry II the castle was worth the £1 400 it cost to build between 1165 and 1173. Although expensive at the time (he spent more only on Dover Castle), its strategic position helped Henry, the Plantagenet king, defend not only the town but access via the river to a large part of ...  Read the complete review