"Wheres the castle" (Berkhamstead Castle (Hertfordshire))

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Berkhamstead Castle (Hertfordshire)
Date:	17/12/08 (199 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Although a ruin , interesting and good free visit

Disadvantages: None

My grandson loves his Playmobil castle so when they visited last week we said do you want to go for a walk in a real castle. He said yes so of we went to Berkhamstead castle about 5 miles away from my home.
We explained to Adrian that he castle was a ruin that there were not many brick walls left. He seemed happy with that as we explained they had been knocked down by cannons like his Playmobil castle.


Location
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The castle is OS map 165
Ref: SP grid reference SP996083). Very near the Berkhampstead train station. By car we entered Berkhampstead on the A41. When we got into the centre there were signs for the castle on white hill road.
There are some parking spaces next to the castle so we parked and put our welly boots and rain coats on. We could have taken a dog if we had one but it would have to be on a lead.

Price and opening times
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Entrance to the castle is free. Check http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server.php?show =nav.12219 for opening times I think there is a gate across it when it's closed. Winter opening 10am to 4 pm every day

The castle
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First we walked along the path on the bank of the moat around the castle. This was good as we could see that it would have made a good defence we talked to our grandson and he realized how difficult it would be to get into the castle and bash it down. There is a double moat at Berkhampstead castle. There is a little bit of water in the bottom of it

We walked past a house which was the English Heritage information centre and on to the grassy courtyard of the castle.
Granddaughter aged 3 said "where's the castle". We showed her the last remaining stones and said these were the castle walls but they got knocked down these are the only ones left.

There is enough wall left so that if you use your imagination you can get an idea of the size and outline of the castle. In some of the ruined walls we could make out windows my granddaughter still said "where's the castle." . My grandson looked through the windows and pretended to shoot out of them. (Boys)
We explored a ruined rectangular building which was possibly the chapel.

The most exciting part is the motte, the mound this is 15 metres high. We climbed up some well made steps to the top of the mound there is a muddy track too but too slippery and wet when we went. The Motte is very visible from where we entered the castle. No building on the Motte You can just about make out the circular keep. Once on the top of the mound you can see that it would make good defensive position we could see a long way also it was surrounded by a water filled ditch/moat. At the top of the mound was a well which is fenced off.
From the top of the motte you get a good view of the castle lay out.

We explained to our grandson that the castle walls were first built of wood.
The castle was built by William after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, who then gave the castle to his half brother Robert.
The stone walls were built in the 12 C additions made in the 13 C.
This was quite an important castle Thomas a Becket lived there. From 1155 to 1165.

In 1216, during King John's reign, the castle was besieged by Prince Louis of France after 2 weeks the defense fell.
The castle became home for Richard earl of Cornwall
In 1361 the castle became the prison of King John of France.
Various Queens and royal members have lived and visited this castle the last one Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, lived here from 1469 for the remainder of her life. After her death, the castle gradually fell into decay.

In 1580 Berkhamsted Place on the hill above the castle was built from stone from the ruins. By Sir Edward Carey keeper of the queens jewels
The castle is now in the care of English Heritage

The above dates are some I gleaned from Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkhamsted_Castle there are other dates and inhabitants mentioned on that site.
Also the http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/pdf/Berk hamsted_Castle.pdf site is very good for the history and gives ideas for learning opportunities.

I enjoyed our walk around the castle it was interesting. The grandchildren loved it. Grandson could get some idea of castles from this even though there is so little left. Granddaughter well "where's the castle" she said. Difficult for a 3 year old to understand, but she enjoyed the walk and splashing in puddles.
If you live fairly near or are visiting this area then yes I would recommend a visit. There is no food available on site but loads of pubs in Berklhampstead and Waitrose is nearby a picnic at the castle would be great in the summer; I just has an idea in the summer I might make a medieval picnic and take the grandkids there again.

Hope you enjoyed exploring Berkhamstead castle with me

The photo on this page is of the motte for more photos see http://www.berkhamsted.info/gallerycastle.htm

Summary: A ruined castle in Berkhampstead