Photo gallery: Castles of England

Unless otherwise noted, these are reachable without a car. The date in the headings refer to the year the photos were taken. There are many photos of English castles on the web, so I have not added to the total here, with two exceptions.

Orford Castle, Suffolk (1987)

Orford Castle front

This unusual polygonal keep was built 1165–1173 by Henry II. The rest of the castle is gone. The external staircase leads, as usual, to the entry on the second level.

Orford Castle back

One of the three attached towers contains stairs, the others have chambers.

Portchester Castle, Hampshire (2013)

Begun probably in the late 11th century, Portchester was added to by various kings over several centuries (as usual with castles). The encompassing Roman walls (late third century) are reasonably intact, and the castle shares the enclosed area of nine acres with a Norman parish church.

Portchester Castle keep

An external wall of the keep, with buttresses and several putlog holes visible. The unusual triangular holes on the second floor of the middle buttress are smoke holes for a large fireplace.


Norman door to parish church

Typical Normal chevrons surround the parish church door.


Portchester Castle, inside the keep

The roof line made during a pause in the construction of the keep is still visible internally.

There are lots of photos of Portchester Castle on the web.

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