Review by Booklist Review
Castle conjures notions of knights and damsels in distress or, conversely, of brutal warfare involving bows and arrows and boiling oil. Best-selling historian Morris' (The Norman Conquest, 2013; King John, 2015) dynamic history of castle building in England, Scotland, and Wales focuses on the castle's medieval heyday. Following a beautifully articulated introductory essay on what defines a castle (a more complicated definition than one would imagine), Morris discusses castle design, construction, and function, which he then broadens into a discussion of how the history of British castles reflects the history of British political life, centering on the evolving concept of who had the right to construct castles. Morris appraises major castle builders, chief among them King Edward I of England, who built a string of significant castles across Wales to hold that quasi-independent principality close to the English crown. The interdisciplinary aspect of this educational book, drawing on political, social, and architectural history, ensures wide appeal.--Hooper, Brad Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this fresh and accessible slice of medieval history, Morris (The Norman Conquest) uses the architectural history of castles in Great Britain from the time of Edward the Confessor in 1051 until the start of the Reformation in 1660 to shed light on monarchy and nobility, architecture, and technology. The author traces the development of castle conceptually and physically, describing each structure's features in great detail and then explaining the motives behind its design and the experiences of its residents. He begins with the simple motte and bailey structure, a design first seen in Normandy, and moves to the immense Welsh castles built in stone by Edward I and later by England and Scotland's powerful and wealthy landowners. He explores the defensible component of the castles and the influence of technological advances on their design. Morris's lively and accessible prose makes this a great entry point for readers new to English medieval history, though armchair travelers and readers interested in architecture will want more visuals. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Enchanting journey through feudal England in the wake of Norman castle building.Before William the Conquerer arrived in 1066, why did the English lack castles while the French had them in abundance? A historian specializing in the Middle Ages, Morris (King John: Treachery, Tyranny and the Road to Magna Carta, 2015, etc.) imparts some fascinating information in this accessible study for readers, leading us from one noted English castle to the next without an overabundance of technical construction detail. As the author defines them, castles were fortresses as well as residences. Indeed, in England, after the Viking invasions of the ninth century, the king did not permit private fortifications; rather, he was in favor of the communal burh, or borough, where everyone lived within a walled community. On the other hand, after the Viking invasions in France, specifically in Normandy, the French experienced political fragmentation, and powerful men took "the matter of defense into their own hands." The Normans brought their motte-and-bailey style to England; before the use of stone, castles were constructed with high earthen walls, ditches, and wooden buildings, as illustrated in the Bayeux Tapestry. Soon the countryside was dotted by such motte-and-bailey castles, built by William's supporters; the author estimates that around 500 castles were built by the Normans in England during his reign. William's Tower of London was the prototypical "keep," made of stone and more expensive to build but able to expand bigger, stronger, and taller. Other fine examples of keeps are the Rochester, Harlech, and Bodiam castles, appearing here in helpful photos. Edward I's invasion of Wales in the late 13th century prompted the construction of some massive, showy buildings, "tools of conquest," such as the castles of Caernarfon and Beaumaris. Morris also depicts the "castle's last stand" during the English civil war, when the doomed King Charles took refuge in the stately Raglan Castle in Wales. An engaging work that will no doubt prompt enthusiastic visits to castles around Britain. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
