About the Book
A vibrant history of the castle in Britain, from the early Middle Ages to the present day
The castle has long had a pivotal place in British life, associated with lordship, landholding, and military might, and today it remains a powerful symbol of history. But castles have never been merely impressive fortresses—they were hubs of life, activity, and imagination.
John Goodall weaves together the history of the British castle across the span of a millennium, from the eleventh to the twenty-first century, through the voices of those who witnessed it. Drawing on chronicles, poems, letters, and novels, including the work of figures like Gawain Poet, Walter Scott, Evelyn Waugh, and P. G. Wodehouse, Goodall explores the importance of the castle in our culture and society.
From the medieval period to Civil War engagements, right up to modern manifestations in Harry Potter, Goodall reveals that the castle has always been put to different uses, and to this day continues to serve as a source of inspiration.
About the Author :
John Goodall is the architectural editor of Country Life magazine. He is the author of The English Castle, Parish Church Treasures, God‘s House at Ewelme, and English House Style.
Review :
“Fascinating . . . eyewitness accounts from behind the gates of fortresses from the seventh century to now bring these imposing buildings to life.”—Maev Kennedy, Art Newspaper
“Through the work of figures including Gawain Poet, Walter Scott, Evelyn Waugh, and P.G. Wodehouse, Goodall draws both on first-hand accounts and feats of imagination to build a picture of the castle’s place in our history and national consciousness.”—This England
“Explores not only the merlons and crenels, knights and damsels, towers and dungeons, but why these still resonate with us as much as they still do today.”—Hereward Corbett, Cotswold Life
“Ranges from focused vignettes of moments in the life of real castles to wider discursions on social and architectural history through the prism of fictional ones. . . . New discoveries, such as the use of cathedrals for military purposes during ‘the Anarchy’ in twelfth-century England, are delightful surprises.”—Historic House
“No one knows castles better than John Goodall. . . . The book is well-written: expert but always intelligible; conversational but never condescending.”—Marc Morris, BBC History Magazine
“John Goodall, has followed his majestic survey, The English Castle (Yale, 2011), in . . . a surprising and brilliant way. . . . A magpie reader will also find much to delight: swooping in, then out clutching a single gem or nugget. Equally, should you be planning a weekend jaunt—and here the portable size is a boon—the related entry will help to bring your chosen ancient abode to life.”—Jacqueline Riding, Country Life
“This lively, literary book illuminates each of these facets by drawing on the accounts of people who were there at the time, and also sets out to explain why castles continue to exert such a pull on our imagination today, in the 21st century.”—BBC History Revealed
“[Goodall] is persuasive that different histories, real or imagined, have been projected onto these buildings across the centuries. This insightful, engaging book allows us to better understand these complex buildings, now and in the future.”—James Sewry, Times Literary Supplement
“Looking at castles from the medieval period to Civil War engagements, right up to modern manifestations in Harry Potter, this book is well-researched and complemented by 352 fascinating illustrations.”—Countryside
“This new book by John Goodall is a fascinating and unusual take on the castles of England in that it shows the reader inside and beyond the usual descriptions of these massive buildings and fortifications.”—Sandra Callard, On: Yorkshire Magazine
“A masterful and erudite companion of the neglected heroes of British architecture.”—Simon Jenkins, author of A Short History of England
“It is a pleasure to find John Goodall moving on from his masterpiece, The English Castle, to this evocative account of all that life in them has inspired.”—Mark Girouard, author of Life in the English Country House
“Hugely powerful, this captivating triumph redefines the castle narrative. A comprehensive history, with tales from above crenelations and down dungeons—through which Goodall’s architectural expertise and passion ooze. Like the fortifications brought to life on every page, this is a landmark work, as equally ambitious as it is expertly researched.”—Emma J. Wells, author of Pilgrim Routes of the British Isles
‘Nobody is better qualified than John Goodall to chart the history of the castle across more than a thousand years. Using chronicles, letters, accounts, poems, and material culture, he reveals through the eyes of contemporaries the castle’s changing form and place in Britain’s landscape, and in its history and culture. The Castle is a tour de force of architectural history.’—Sophie Thérèse Ambler, author of The Song of Simon de Montfort
‘The Castle is the first of its kind in its wide-sweeping ambitious chronology presented in an accessible and exciting way. John Goodall uses historical evidence in conjunction with images, architecture, and literary texts to masterfully take the reader on a journey from the earliest origins of the castle to the modern magical castle of Hogwarts and beyond. This book is a must for anyone interested in over 1000 years of castle history in Britain.’—Audrey Thorstad, author of The Culture of Castles in Tudor England and Wales
