Top 20 most beautiful castles in the United Kingdom

The video shows the rankings on the 1st of June 2017

England, Scotland, and Wales have a great history. That is why the first thing a lot of people think about Great Britain is castles and medieval fortresses. Explore the mysteries and secrets of Britain's most famous castles.

20.Herstmonceux Castle

Herstmonceux Castle is one of the oldest significant brick buildings still standing in England; brick was an unusual material for the time in Britain. The builders of Herstmonceux Castle concentrated more on grandeur and comfort than on defence.
Herstmonceux Castle is home to events throughout the year, including the annual England's Medieval Festival on August Bank Holiday weekend.... view details

19.Dunnottar Castle

Dunnottar Castle is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland, about 3 kilometres south of Stonehaven.
The surviving buildings are largely of the 15th and 16th centuries, but the site is believed to have been fortified in the Early Middle Ages. Dunnottar has played a prominent role in the history of Scotland through to the 18th-century, because of its strategic location and defensive strength. Dunnottar is best known as the place where the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels, were hidden from Oliver Cromwell's invading army in the 17th century.
The ruins of the castle are spread over 1.4 hectares, surrounded by steep cliffs that drop to the North Sea, 50 metres below. A narrow strip of land joins the headland to ...... view details

18.Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland.
The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs, giving it a strong defensive position.
Its strategic location, guarding what was, until the 1890s, the farthest downstream crossing of the River Forth, has made it an important fortification from the earliest times. Most of the principal buildings of the castle date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. A few structures of the fourteenth century remain, while the outer defences fronting the town date from the early eighteenth century.
Several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary, Queen of ...... view details

17.Arundel Castle

Arundel Castle is a restored and remodeled medieval castle, established by Roger de Montgomery on Christmas Day 1067. Roger became the first to hold the earldom of Arundel by the graces of William the Conqueror.
The castle was damaged in the English Civil War and then restored in the 18th and 19th centuries. From the 11th century, the castle has served as a home and has been in the ownership of the family of the Duke of Norfolk for over 400 years. It is the principal seat of the Norfolk family. It is a Grade I listed building.... view details

16.Durham Castle

Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham, which has been wholly occupied since 1840 by University College, Durham.
The castle stands on top of a hill above the River Wear on Durham's peninsula, opposite Durham Cathedral. It is open to the general public to visit, but only through guided tours, since it is in use as a working building and is home to over 100 students. ... view details

15.Warwick Castle

Warwick Castle is a medieval castle developed from an original built by William the Conqueror in 1068. During the Hundred Years War, the facade opposite the town was refortified, resulting in one of the most recognisable examples of 14th century military architecture.
In 2001, Warwick Castle was named one of Britain's "Top 10 historic houses and monuments" by the British Tourist Authority; the list included Tower of London, Stonehenge, and Edinburgh Castle. Warwick Castle was recognised as Britain's best castle by the Good Britain Guide 2003.
Around this time it was getting in excess of half a million visitors a year.... view details

14.Beaumaris Castle

Beaumaris Castle was built as part of Edward I's campaign to conquer the north of Wales after 1282.
Historian Arnold Taylor described Beaumaris Castle as Britain's "most perfect example of symmetrical concentric planning". The fortification is built of local stone, with a moated outer ward guarded by twelve towers and two gatehouses, overlooked by an inner ward with two large, D-shaped gatehouses and six massive towers.... view details

13.Alnwick Castle

Alnwick Castle is the seat of the Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman conquest, and renovated and remodelled a number of times. It is a Grade I listed building and as of 2012 received over 800,000 visitors per year.
An increase in public interest in the castle was generated by its use as a stand-in for the exterior and interior of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films. Its appearance in the films has helped shape the public imagination regarding what castles should look like.... view details

12.Castle Stalker

Castle Stalker is a four-story tower house or keep picturesquely set on a tidal islet on Loch Laich, an inlet off Loch Linnhe. The islet is accessible (with difficulty) from the shore at low tide. The name 'Stalker' comes from the Gaelic Stalcaire, meaning 'hunter' or 'falconer'.
The island castle's picturesque appearance, with its bewitching island setting against a dramatic backdrop of mountains, has made it a favourite subject for postcards and calendars, and something of a cliche image of Scottish Highland scenery. Castle Stalker is entirely authentic; it is one of the best-preserved medieval tower-houses surviving in western Scotland.
In recent times, the castle was brought to fame by the Monty Python team, appearing in their film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.... view details

11.The GateHouse

A grade II listed mini castle built c1853 as the GateHouse to the crescent of houses which were built to house the Dover garrison. Now a luxury holiday cottage sleeping 4. Pets welcome. Situated in the ley of Dover Castle, close to the iconic White Cliffs of Dover.

... view details

10.Caernarfon Castle

There was a motte-and-bailey castle in the town of Caernarfon from the late 11th century until 1283 when King Edward I of England began replacing it with the current stone structure.
The Edwardian town and castle acted as the administrative centre of north Wales and as a result the defences were built on a grand scale. During the English Civil War, Caernarfon Castle was held by Royalists, and was besieged three times by Parliamentarian forces. This was the last time the castle was used in war.
Caernarfon Castle was neglected until the 19th century when the state funded repairs. In 1911, Caernarfon Castle was used for the investiture of the Prince of Wales, and again in 1969. It is part of the World Heritage Sites.... view details

9.Caerphilly Castle

Caerphilly Castle is surrounded by extensive artificial lakes - it occupies around 30 acres (12 ha) - and is the second largest castle in Britain. It is famous for having introduced concentric castle defences to Britain and for its large gatehouses.
It is considered by historian Allen Brown to be "the most elaborate water defences in all Britain". In 1950 the castle and grounds were given to the state and the water defences were re-flooded. In the 21st century, the Welsh heritage agency Cadw manages the site as a tourist attraction. ... view details

8.Eilean Donan Castle

Eilean Donan Castle is a picturesque castle that frequently appears in photographs, film and television; it dominates the small tidal island of Eilean Donan, which lies about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from the village of Dornie.
The castle was founded in the thirteenth century, and became a stronghold of the Clan Mackenzie and their allies the Clan Macrae. Since the castle's restoration in the early 20th century, a footbridge has connected the island to the mainland.... view details

7.Lincoln Castle

Lincoln Castle is a major castle constructed in Lincoln, during the late 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress.
The castle is unusual in that it has two mottes. It is only one of two such castles in the country, the other being at Lewes in Sussex. Lincoln Castle remained in use as a prison and law court into modern times, and is one of the better preserved castles in England; the Crown Courts continue to this day. It is open to the public as a museum.
Lincoln Castle remains one of the most impressive Norman castles in the United Kingdom. It is still possible to walk around the immense Norman walls which provide a magnificent view of the castle complex, ...... view details

6.Dover Castle

Dover Castle has been described as the Key to England due to its defensive significance throughout history.
Dover Castle is one of the largest castles in England. From a height of 120 meters, it looks over the English Channel at the crossing's narrowest point.
The castle features massive defenses, topped with medieval walls, towers, and networks of tunnels beneath.
King Henry the Second began building the castle in the 12th century.
Over the next 800 years, its buildings, defenses, and tunnels were modified to address the evolving warfare needs right into the era of nuclear weapons.
This site may have been fortified even before the Romans invaded the British Isles.
Still standing at the site, a lighthouse built by the Romans soon after their conquest.... view details

5.Bodiam Castle

Bodiam Castle is one of the most picturesque and beloved castles in Great Britain. Many historians consider that Bodiam represents the popular ideal of a medieval castle.
Often portrayed as "the perfect English castle", Bodiam's pictures have been embellished on numerous books, chocolate boxes, wallpapers which are shipped all around the world.
Bodiam Castle was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, apparently to defend the area against French invasions during the Hundred Years' War.
There is a constant debate among historians whether the castle was built for military strength or as a romantic country home designed to evoke the ideas of grandeur and prestige.
Bodiam Castle was built to a simple rectangular plan, with no keep, in the middle of ...... view details

4.Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is a historic fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, from its position on the Castle Rock. There has been a royal castle on the rock since at least the reign of David I in the 12th century, and the site continued to be a royal residence until 1633.
As one of the most important strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle was involved in many historical conflicts from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century to the Jacobite Rising of 1745. Research undertaken in 2014 identified 26 sieges in its 1100-year-old history, giving it a claim to having been "the most besieged place in Great Britain and one of the most attacked in the world".
The castle, in the care of Historic Scotland, ...... view details

3.Tower of London

The Tower of London is a world-famous monument and one of England's most iconic structures.
The Tower has served as a royal palace, a notorious prison and place of execution, the home of the Royal Mint, a treasury, and the home of the Crown Jewels of England.
The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 on the banks of the River Thames.
It is an outstanding example of medieval military architecture and the most complete 11th-century fortress palace remaining in Europe.
Acting as a symbol of Norman power, the Tower served both as a fortress and a gateway to the capital.
The Tower of London, with all its later additions, was built around the White Tower.... view details

2.Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world.
Founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it has served as a royal palace for over 900 years.
William chose the site for Windsor Castle, high above the River Thames, to guard the western approach to London.
Originally, the castle was built as a motte-and-bailey, with three wards surrounding a central keep.
The walls were initially made of timber, but in the late twelfth century, Henry the Second began replacing them with stone.
The original Norman keep was rebuilt as the Round Tower, and the entire outer perimeter was renewed over the following 60 years.
Windsor Castle stands as a majestic symbol of British royalty, where centuries of history meet timeless grandeur.... view details

1.Bamburgh Castle

Bamburgh Castle has stood guard above the spectacular Northumberland coastline for over 1,400 years.
From an Anglo-Saxon citadel to an impenetrable Norman fortress, it eventually became a grand castle that served as a royal palace for successive kings.
In legend, Bamburgh was the formidable fortress of Sir Lancelot, paladin of the Round Table, and the greatest of King Arthur's champions.
The place has been used as a film location since the 1920s, featuring in movies such as Ivanhoe, El Cid, Mary Queen of Scots, or Elizabeth.
Bamburgh Castle is a Grade One listed building known as one of the finest in the country. In its extensive history, it has evolved from a wooden palisade to the formidable fortress it is today.... view details

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