Medieval Castles

Medieval Castles by Oliver Creighton and Robert Higham. Soft back, 72 pages, Illustrated B&W, 15cm x 21cm.

This book offers an accessible and portable guide to the archaeology and architecture of castles in England and Wales. An area whose castles had some common developments in the medieval period providing numerous and rich sites for both study and visiting.

Contents:

• Introduction: Castes and Castle studies
• Castles: Status and Society
• Castles at War
• The Contribution of Archaeology
• The contribution of architectural studies
• The wider contexts: Castles, landscapes, and townscapes
• Past present and future
• Sites to visit
• Further reading

On the back cover:

Castles were among the most dramatic features of the medieval landscapes of Europe and are still often dominant elements of our surroundings. They have been an enduring subject of fascination for professional and amateur alike for well over a century. This book offers an accessible and portable guide to the archaeology and architecture of castles in England and Wales, an area whose castles had some common developments in the medieval period and which now provides numerous and rich sites for both study and visit. A particular quality of the book is that it approaches the subject from a variety of perspectives. Architectural aspects of masonty castles are examined, as are the remains of earth and timber sites. Throughout, attention is given to the social and domstic, as well as to the military significance of castles and the aspirations of their builders. The authors explore many recent and exciting developments in the field of castle studies. The contribution of landscape history to the study of castles in their wider context is highlighted, as are innovative ways of analysing the fabric of masonry castles and the social messages which they contain. Finally, emphasis is given to the new light cast by archaeological excavation on the enigmatic timber castles that were such common features of the medieval world.