This is a travel pics and not an Elite post !!!
Crikey. That’s a new one. I had a tonne of flexi credit to burn, ahead of more long days this week and thought I could take advantage of it to do a little scouting … So off over the border and bridge into Wales we go, towards :
Raglan Castle !
This is a castle that saw its peak in the 1640s, up until it found itself on the wrong side of Oliver Cromwell’s army who destroyed the fortifications after capturing it. This one is a two part castle, with the main area off to the right of that pic and a stronghold keep with a moat over to the left.
Must have been a spectacular sight in its day. That area holds the main business area of the castle, with trade areas set up inside in the courtyard and kitchens off to the right.
There’s that moat for the Keep. Also see off to the left where the walls were undermined, causing most of one side to collapse. Also see the drawbridge, I should be posting another one later, it’s not a usual drawbridge.
And another one too. That’s the internal moat from the gatehouse.
Anyway ! First room I enter past the drawbridge has …. BOOKS ! Truly a place of great civilisation.
May also contain T-Rexes. This was a cellar underneath the castle which had been closed off. I didn’t climb all the stairs and go up all the steps, my legs went NOPE at a few of them and brain didn’t argue.
That’s a view of the main courtyard, with the kitchens off to the right.
Kitchen ! With stove set into the wall and also cunning drain holes.
Lovely views through the various passageways.
Some of the treasures inside included a Medieval Snack Warmer Device. The owner of the castle was an inventor and there are a small collection of curiosities inside the castle.
Including invisible stairs ! Never seen any of those before.
Nice view out the back. Those are the tops of some decently sized trees, so you can probably guess how much the valley behind the castle dips.
That’s the remains of the Great Hall, including chair with devices for when the minstrel starts looking longingly at the bagpipes.
That’s the outer courtyard, also very defensible with steep terraces leading away from it. As in, really steep with 6 feet high walls separating the levels.
Inner Courtyard, leading up to the Keep. The base for the fountain survives in the centre of the grassy area.
One of the residents popped in to say hello.
There’s the drawbridge up into the Keep. This used to be in two parts. The wide part has been restored there but off to the right was a smaller drawbridge suitable for one person. Or one person to toss the dwarf on to the main drawbridge.
I found the treasure ! But look closer …. it’s trapped …
And that was that ! An enjoyable morning scooting around Raglan Castle. I’d recommend it. I went off season, so it was pretty quiet and peaceful.
Oh and there may have been a run into Cardiff later on where I found something shiny :
Wow. I kinda want one of these but at 113cm long, I have no idea where I’d put it.
May also have come away with many bonbons, kola kubes and sherbets.