What are they and what do they involve?
Castles are a specific type of historic building but can greatly vary in age and purpose; for example, many castles are still in use in modern day times while older and more ruined structures are uninhabited and are only used for sightseeing.
What are the benefits?
A trip to a castle has many educational benefits; they can be an exciting alternative look into the past, and activities such as historic re-enactments can give students the opportunity to form a physical connection with the people of long ago.
What students is it suitable for?
Students of all ages can enjoy a trip to a castle; there are often specific activities available for school groups will help with engaging pupils in the surroundings, so consult with the venue in question to see what they have on offer!
Costs?
Many uninhabited castles are free for the public to access! Buildings that are still in use may charge entry fees that go towards the upkeep of the site, so make sure to thoroughly check out the prices of castles in your area to find out what things may cost.
Safety Implications?
Older castles may have hazardous areas, but these may well be shut off from public access, so brief and monitor students not to go walkabout. The possibility of falls from unguarded heights is prevalent and staircases and walkways are often uneven. Access for the disabled may be problematic and should be thought through to ensure inclusion. The main thing to consider is making sure student groups are properly supervised as castles can be easy to get lost in!
Set amongst the magnificent scenery of Royal Deeside, in the shadows of Lochnagar is the Balmoral Estate.
In her journals Queen Victoria described Balmoral as "my dear paradise in the Highlands" - we hope you will feel the same way about Balmoral once you have visited this most special place.
Starkly impressive Brough Castle stands on a ridge commanding strategic Stainmore Pass, on the site of a Roman fort.
Frequently the target of Scots raids, its towering keep dates from about 1200, and more comfortable living quarters were later added by the Clifford family, only to be accidentally burnt following a 'great Christmas party' in 1521.
Set on a high rock above the River Tees, Barnard Castle takes its name from its 12th century founder, Bernard de Balliol. It was later developed by the Beauchamp family and then passed into the hands of Richard III.
Our magnificent historic home and garden is a venue for all seasons. The surroundings are magical, punctuated with an array of eye-catching mystical follies, temples and lakes.
The house has a timeless elegance, whether you choose to bring a picnic and attend an outdoor theatre production, or merely come to stroll through the wonderful gardens.
The distinctive and highly decorative gatehouse-tower of a castle built by the wealthy Sir William Hylton, shortly before 1400.
Originally containing four floors of self-contained family accommodation, its entrance front displays royal and family heraldry, including Richard II's white hart badge.
Durlston Castle is an extraordinary Victorian building, which with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and many others, took 8 years to transform, to provide a unique and beautiful facility for visitors to Durlston and the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.
The stunning panoramic views from the top of Clifford’s Tower, out over the historic city of York, makes it one of the most popular attractions in Yorkshire.
Set on a tall mound in the heart of Old York, this imposing tower is almost all that remains of York Castle, which was originally built by William the Conqueror.
The striking and picturesque moated castle of Nunney was built in the 1370s by Sir John de la Mere, a local knight who was beginning to enjoy royal favour.
Muster your courage and explore Framlingham Castle's towering walls behind which Mary Tudor took refuge.
Discover Framlingham Castle's vast and colourful past as it became home to some of the most powerful people in Tudor England, an Elizabethan prison for the troubled, and a sanctuary for the poor in the 17th century.
The world-famous garden, overhung with clipped yews, shelters rare and tender plants. Laid out under the influence of Italian and French styles, it retains its original lead statues and an orangery on the terraces. High on a rock above the terraces, the castle, originally built circa 1200, began life as a medieval fortress.
This picturesque fortified mansion was built for Lord Hastings, who was dramatically seized and executed by Richard III in 1483.
Hastings’ descendants still believe they have a direct line to the throne of England.
The remains of Christchurch Castle include parts of the mound-top keep, and more unusually the 12th-century riverside chamber block or 'Constable's House'. This very early example of domestic architecture includes a rare Norman chimney.
History
The construction of a castle and monastery transformed the fortified settlement of Twyneham.
Colchester Castle is the largest Norman Keep in Europe. Constructed on the foundations of the Temple of Claudius, built when Colchester was the first Roman capital of Britain, the Castle Museum today reveals many fascinating layers of history to visitors.
This enormous 19th-century neo-Norman castle sits between Snowdonia and the Menai Strait.
It's crammed with fascinating items, such as a one-ton slate bed made for Queen Victoria, elaborate carvings, plasterwork and mock-Norman furniture. It also has an outstanding collection of paintings.
Muncaster Castle is still a privately owned family home to the Penningtons and three generations of the family still live in the Castle today.
They are actively involved in the running of the business which is set up as a not-for-profit company. The estate employees 50 local people full time at the Castle and Gardens and this grows up to more than 65 in the height of summer.
As you sail up Loch Scresort towards the new landing stage on Rum, Kinloch Castle dominates the view at the head of the bay. Today it is surrounded by trees but early pictures show it in isolated splendour in open country. The Castle remains the most intact Edwardian country house in Britain.
The first Belfast Castle was built by the Normans in Belfast city centre in the late 12th century. A second castle, made of stone and timber, was later constructed by Sir Arthur Chichester, Baron of Belfast, on the same site in 1611.
Sadly, the castle burned down almost 100 years later, leaving only street names, such as Castle Place, to mark its location.
The remains of a 13th century hexagonal castle, birthplace in 1367 of the future King Henry IV, with adjacent earthworks.
Bolingbroke Castle was one of three castles built by Ranulf de Blundeville, Earl of Chester and Lincoln, in the 1220s after his return from the Crusades (the others being Beeston Castle, Cheshire, and Chartley, Staffordshire).
Situated just 10 miles away from prehistoric Stonehenge is a medieval fortress. Built in the late 11th century, today only ruins and earthworks remain.
Stanhope is the site of a motte and bailey castle, of which no remains are now visible. A fragment of the motte may have survived until the turn of the 20th century.
From a former fort to the holiday home of a wealthy Edwardian bachelor seeking a quiet retreat from London, the idyllic location of Lindisfarne Castle on Holy Island has intrigued and inspired for centuries.
Ashby de la Zouch is an outstanding example of a late medieval castle developed by a single family as its principal seat up until the Civil Wars of the 1640s. It is also significant for the unusual amount of evidence that survives for the surrounding landscape in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Discover one of England's most complete and unusual keeps as you explore every nook and cranny of this 12th century military stronghold, built by Henry II.
Lose yourself in this 800-year-old warren of passageways and secret chambers.
Once a symbol of royal power, this grand residence became home to coastal defences during the Second World War in its life as a radar station.
Fotheringhay Castle played a key role in the Tudor era, being the birthplace of a king, the site of the execution of a pretender ot the throne and then being destroyed by yet another.
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.