Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Castle Life

One of the most magical aspects of my weekend of re-enactment.......was living *inside* a castle....... walking through the grounds after closing time.....

and watching the sun rise over the ruins.......

This was taken from the West Outer Bailey looking straight up at the towers........[gulp]

Caerphilly was unique in that it had four levels of defence. In the distance lakes surrounded the moat, then there was the moat - then two full gatehouses and drawbridges - pretty much impenetrable........

The second gatehouse to the inner keep, where the re-enactment lords camped.......


Isn't it all just lush by the light of the rising sun? Being in 14C kit through the day, I didn't want to be seen prowling aorund with a camera....so I took my pictures early on Monday morning, before most people were up!

More tomorrow, still the storm and my split personality to go :-)

cq

6 comments:

Aginoth said...

Sounds like you're hooked ;o)

Tracie Nall said...

So so beautiful!!

Fizzy said...

It does sound like you are hooked. It looks so peaceful in the morning

Bobkat said...

Caerphilly castle is fab. I like visiting it very much. So glad you had a good time :-)

OldLady Of The Hills said...

These are wonderful pictures, CQ...when you think of all the protective things that were built to keep the people in the castle safe, it doesn't seem like such an odd thing that so many people in L.A. have the need for Bars on Windows and doors...Maybe nothing really does change with time...or at least, the need to protect ones own...
It sounds like you are having a good time at this reanactment...
Who comes to see these, my dear? Local people or do peope come from afar, as well?

Unknown said...

The difference of course is that those living in the castle were in fact the retinue of Gilbert de Clare, Anglo-Norman lord of Glamorgan to keep the local Welsh out and to secure the area from the Welsh leader Llywelyn the Last.

The castle was not so much designed to keep people safe but to create a base of operations in a troublesome border region (Wallia/Wales) for the ruling aristocracy. It was a very advanced castle for the age, the pinacle of military engineering and a demonstration of the superiority of Norman economics.