{"id":40832,"date":"2024-10-09T20:30:47","date_gmt":"2024-10-09T18:30:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/0380056e-5dc4-4f11-bd52-05a27dffc60b"},"modified":"2024-10-09T21:26:39","modified_gmt":"2024-10-09T19:26:39","slug":"best-norman-castles-cathedrals-and-churches-to-visit-discover-past-relics-from-the-master-builders","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/best-norman-castles-cathedrals-and-churches-to-visit-discover-past-relics-from-the-master-builders\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Norman castles, cathedrals and churches to visit: Discover past relics from the master builders"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Normans are famed for their castles – here are some of their best <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 09 October 2024 at 18:30 PM<\/p>

\n\n

The Normans built a huge number of castles to assert control over the Anglo-Saxon <\/a> population after the Battle of Hastings. These ranged from motte-and-bailey castles of earth and wood to more permanent stone edifices. <\/strong><\/p>

Here are eight of the finest examples of Norman architecture.<\/p>

Best Norman castles<\/h2>
Berkhamsted Castle, Hertfordshire <\/strong><\/h3>By Winstainforth at the English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>
It was at Berkhamsted<\/a> that the leading English nobles made their final submission to William the Conqueror a few weeks after the Battle of Hastings<\/a>. An early Norman motte survives within the site. <\/p>
Dover Castle, Kent<\/strong><\/h3>Getty video<\/figcaption><\/figure>
William moved to secure Dover<\/a> as \u201cthe key to England\u201d immediately after his victory at Hastings. The imposing stone keep dates from a century later and is one of the oldest castles in Britain<\/a>.<\/p>
Best walks in Kent<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Durham Cathedral<\/strong><\/h3>Built in the reigns of William\u2019s successors, Durham Cathedral<\/a> stands today as perhaps the purest embodiment of Norman architecture, both in its Romanesque style and highly defensive positioning. <\/p>
Best walks in County Durham<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Kempley Church, Gloucestershire<\/strong><\/h3> $\"\"$
Getty images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
<\/strong>Norman features in this delightful church<\/a> include the oldest roof timbers in England; and its glory is the outstanding set of Romanesque paintings that cover the chancel walls.<\/p>
Pevensey Castle, Kent<\/strong><\/h3> $\"\"$
Pevensey_Castle_aerial_view.jpg: Lieven Smitsderivative work: Hchc2009, CC BY-SA 3.0 https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>
<\/strong>William\u2019s army landed in Pevensey<\/a>, and here the first Norman castle was constructed, a temporary wooden structure built within the surviving walls of a Roman<\/a> shore fort.<\/p>
Best walks in Kent<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
St Alban\u2019s Cathedral, Hertfordshire<\/strong><\/h3>Getty video<\/figcaption><\/figure>
<\/strong>St Alban’s Cathedral <\/a>is a fine example of the surge in Romanesque church building unleashed by William\u2019s Norman bishops from the 1070s. It remains less altered by later generations than many other Norman cathedrals. <\/p>
Totnes Castle, Devon<\/strong><\/h3>Getty video<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Perched above its surroundings, Totnes Castle<\/a> survives as a quintessential motte and bailey castle founded by a Norman baron to dominate the local English town. <\/p>
Best walks in Devon<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Richmond Castle, North Yorkshire <\/strong><\/h3>Getty video<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Built by one of William\u2019s barons, the dramatic ruins of Richmond Castle<\/a> preserve more original 11th-century stonework than any other English castle. <\/p>
Best walks in North Yorkshire<\/a><\/li><\/ul> <\/body><\/html>\n
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