Castles and Palaces and fortifications
Merdon Castle
Between Standon and Hursley just off the A3090 sits Merdon Castle This little known ancient monument is now in private hands and so getting sight of it is tricky. If you drive along Castle Merdon Lane you can stop and take a look over the wall and you will see the earthworks on which this…
Read MoreBentley and The Anarchy
Bentley and the Anarchy. Hidden in the landscape around the village of Bentley lies evidence that connects Bentley with The Anarchy, a time when law and order were abandoned and the common man was caught up in war not of their own making. So what was The Anarchy? The Anarchy was the fight for the…
Read MoreOdiham and the Vernacular Magna Carta
The vernacular Magna Carta was produced at Odiham Castle in Hampshire within two weeks of the original document being sealed. A writ was attached and the charter then sent out across England.
Read MoreKing Henry V Bishop’s Waltham and Agincourt
Bishop’s Waltham Palace was the setting for King Henry V’s last night in England before setting sail from Southampton to engage the French in battle at Agincourt.
Read MoreWinchester Palace Southwark
Winchester Palace in Southwark was the London home of the Bishops of Winchester from the 12th to the 17th century.
Read MoreWilliam of Wykeham
William of Wykeham, born a humble man in the market town of Wickham Hampshire, he became Chancellor of England twice and Bishop of Winchester. He founded Winchester College and New College Oxford.
Read MorePortchester Castle
Portchester Castle is breathtakingly beautiful, sitting on the northern shore of Portsmouth Harbour. Its Roman walls and bastions are as imposing today as they must have appeared seventeen hundred years ago.
Read MoreSite of William the Conqueror’s Palace
Stroll up a tiny alley way in Winchester to see a vestige of what once was the site of William the Conqueror’s palace and a little way along the church of St Lawrence where his chapel once stood.
Read MoreThe Tudor Queen in Winchester
Winchester Cathedral was the backdrop to the wedding of Mary Tudor and Philip of Spain. It was a ceremony set to impress the Spanish and the wonderful architecture of the cathedral did just that
Read MoreAshley Castle
Henry de Blois built Ashley Castle during the period of the Anarchy as part of his support for his brother King Stephen. Built in 1138, it was destroyed in 1155 before being rebuilt during the reign of King John.
Read MorePortsmouth Harbour
The fortifications of Portsmouth Harbour still look immensely commanding when seen from the deck of one of the many ferries that sail in and out of the harbour on a daily basis.
Read MoreBeaulieu Abbey
Beaulieu Abbey, in the New Forest was founded by Cistercian monks on land gifted to them by King John in 1204. The ruins and the house are a historical gem that capture the essence of Hampshire history during the turbulent Medieval period.
Read MoreNetley Castle
Netley Castle faces out across Southampton Water, its back turned on nearby Netley Abbey and looking out for signs of a possible French invasion Netley Castle started life as the gatehouse to the Cistercian Netley Abbey. The early grounds of the abbey spilled outside of its present day boundaries and road, down to the shore…
Read MoreHurst Castle
A Bracing walk along Hurst Spit is rewarded with the chance to explore one of King Henry VIII’s strategically built castles, Hurst Castle Hurst Castle was built in the perfect location from which to defend the western approach to the Solent. The castle was just one of a chain of castles built to defend the…
Read MoreBishop’s Waltham Palace
Bishop’s Waltham Palace, the name itself conjurers up the magnificent place it must have been 900 years ago. Bishop’s Waltham Palace lies just ten miles away from Winchester Cathedral and was the noble palace of its Bishop’s who built a splendid residence for themselves and a 1000 acre park. Henry de Blois, that inveterate builder,…
Read MoreBasing House Before the Civil War
Basing House is a marvelous ruin, filled with five hundred years of history and intrigue, its history prior to the English Civil War is as fascinating as what followed.
Read MorePortchester Castle As A Prison
Portchester Castle has undertaken many roles in its 1500 year history but none more colourful than when, in the C18th, it held prisoners of war.
Read MoreSouthsea Castle and The Battle of the Solent
Southsea Castle owes its existence to the French and King Henry VIII, as he set about building a series of fortifications to defend the southern coasts
Read MoreSouthampton Castle
When Winchester was the royal capital of England, Southampton, close by on the southern coast of England, was its chief port and trading centre. It was an obvious magnet for Danish and French raiding party’s and its defense became an issue. The castle was constructed first out of timber and then stone and its great city walls threw up a considerable obstacle to attack
Read MoreIntriguing Odiham Castle
Odiham Castle in Hampshire is one of those ruins where you wish the walls could talk, with connections to King John and Simon de Montfort, decisions about England were made here
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