Guide to Castles of Europe

New Castle - Flor da Rosa added

2007-02-07T13:00:00.000+11:00

Hi everyone to this weeks update.

I am happy to say that things are running smoothly since the start of the New Year. As you are aware, I have added a new section on Portuguese Castles.

I am happy to say that I have added to the section with a lovely castle called Flor da Rose.

This would not be possible without the help from a good friend of mine Jose Elias.

Best wishes

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-to-europe.com

New Section Added

2007-02-01T17:56:00.000+11:00

Hi and welcome to this weeks update.

As mentioned in a previous update, I am happy to say that I have been able to add a new section entitled Portuguese Castles.

This would not be possible without the support of a very good friend, Jose Elias, who has provided me with all the photos (where mentioned) for use in this section.

So sit back and enjoy, as we travel around Portugal, paying a visit to some of magnificant castles.

All the best

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

New Jewelry Section Added

2007-01-18T17:54:00.000+11:00

Hi everyone,

As promised in my last post, I have now added a new Jewelry Section which contains some lovely Medieval and Gothic inspired designs.

I hope you like what is on offer and more will be added in the future.

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

A Belated Happy New Year

2007-01-17T12:18:00.000+11:00

Hello and welcome to my first post for 2007.

Since my last post a lot has happened. I brought my first home and was able to move into it about 5 days before Christmas. My furniture and personal effects was cleared thru Australian customs and was delivered on the 23rd December.

Boy..!!!! What a Christmas it turned out to be. Boxes and packing material everywhere for nearly a month. My two sons loved it as they had been without any toys and their favourite things for nearly three motnhs whilst it was shipped from the UK. Needles to say that their Christmas was a bit more fun than normal.

The good news is that we have finaly unpacked everything. My wife and I have reclaimed the overgrown garden and all that is left to do is start on the inside.

Something to look forward to there..!!!

My website is coming along nicely and I will be adding new content in the not to distant future. I have been lucky enough to have been able to work with two great people from the Czech Repulic and Portugal. You will see the efforts of that collaboration soon.

Lastly, I have found some wonderful medieval and gothic inspired jewellery which I am putting up for sale on the site in the next few days. So look out for that.

Well that is about it for my first post of 2007.

Best wishes

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Great News..! The Dark Castle Lords have said its CHRISTMAS lets Give away another copy of each book.

2006-11-29T08:18:00.000+11:00

Guide to Castles of Europe in conjunction with The Dark Castle Lords are proud to announce that we have two copies each of the following eBooks to be given away to 12 lucky readers or visitors to Guide to Castles of Europe.

Naked Visions Silver Blue Dreams by Veronica Towers,

Dancers’ Secret by Jennifer Mueller,

How to Ruin a Season by Jennifer Mueller and

Crusader by Jennifer Mueller

All of these publications can be viewed at www.thedarkcastlelords.com/ebooks.htm

To be entered into the draw, all you need to do is answer just one simple question:

Which castle was the inspiration behind “The Sleeping Beauty Castle” at Disneyland?

Send your answer along with your name to competition@guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Competition Closes 15th December and winners will be announced on the 18th December

Good Luck

Stuart

Christmas Competition - 8 ROMANCE eBooks to be WON

2006-11-28T15:54:00.000+11:00

Guide to Castles of Europe in conjunction with The Dark Castle Lords are proud to announce that we have two copies each of the following eBooks to be given away to 8 lucky readers or visitors to Guide to Castles of Europe.

Naked Visions Silver Blue Dreams by Veronica Towers,

Dancers’ Secret by Jennifer Mueller,

How to Ruin a Season by Jennifer Mueller and

Crusader by Jennifer Mueller

All of these publications can be viewed at www.thedarkcastlelords.com/ebooks.htm

To be entered into the draw, all you need to do is answer just one simple question:

Which castle was the inspiration behind “The Sleeping Beauty Castle” at Disneyland?

Send your answer along with your name to competition@guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Competition Closes 15th December and winners will be announced on the 18th December

Good Luck

Stuart

New section added - Samlesbury Hall Tours

2006-09-11T05:58:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone,

This weeks update is a first for us at Guide to Castles Of Europe. We have a short video to watch.

I have added a new section to my website called Samlesbury Hall Tours. It contains a short 8 minute video which features an introduction by King Henry VIII who invites everyone from America to join him on a guided tour around the 15th century Hall. This is then followed by a short tour around Samlesbury Hall in Lancashire, England.

Until my next update,

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

One New Castle Photo - Schloss Anholt by Zeneta Emini

2006-08-28T02:06:00.000+10:00

Hello again to another weekly update.

I have been lucky this week in that one of my readers, Zeneta Emini, has sent in a photo she took of Schloss Anholt in Germany.

It has been added to my Castle Pictures Section for your viewing pleasure.

Until my next update, I would like to wish you all well for the coming week.

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

One New European Castle Added

2006-08-21T01:27:00.000+10:00

Hi and welcome to this weeks update.

It has been a busy week this week as my two boys are still on school holidays and the weather hasn't been that good. It doesn't take long to run out of ideas to try and keep them occupied.

Well...! On to this weeks update. I have added a new castle to my European Castles section - Schonbrunn Palace, which is located just outside Vienna, Austria.

That's it for this week. Short and sweet.

So until my next update,

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Cochem Castle, Germany added

2006-08-06T20:48:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone,

Once again I must apologise for the lack of input on my behalf. I have been busy setting up a new website with some very good friends and organising my move back to Australia.

The name of the site is The Dark Castle Lords and is dedicated to the romance industry. We have bios on some of americas top romance cover models, jewelry and clothing for sale as well as books. We are also on the look out for buding or established authors as well.

Why not pay us a vist at www.thedarkcastlelords.com and let meknow wht you think of the site so fr or even what you think we shuld add or change?

So...! onto this weeks update. I have added one new catle, Cochem Castle to my German Castles section. Cochem Castle dtes from around the 11th century and is situated in the Mosel valley.

Its short and seet this week.

So until my next update

Best wishes and have a geat week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Catherine Parr/Sudeley Castle & David Deslandes

2006-07-14T01:46:00.000+10:00

As promised last week, here is Pam's latest interview and article on Henry VIII.

So..! Please enjoy your read.

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

After his fifth wife, Catherine Howard, was beheaded on February 13, 1542, Henry VIII waited a little over a year for his sixth and final wife, Catherine Parr.

A mature, good-natured widow of 31, Catherine had been married twice before. Catherine was neither a beauty nor a coquette, but had a lively pleasing appearance. She was a serious, thoughtful woman whose intellectual tastes matched Henry's. Catherine's goodness was unmistakable. She paid loving attention to everyday things like decorating her chamber with fresh flowers daily and tending to her greyhounds. She was well dressed (French gowns, Venetian Sleeves) and she saw to it that her stepchildren were equally well dressed.

She married Henry VIII on July 12, 1543. Another man had already won her heart when the king approached her, Thomas Seymour, Henry's third wife's, Jane Seymour's attractive brother. He had proposed to Catherine and if not for Henry's intervention, she would have accepted Thomas.

Catherine served as Regent in Henry's absence. She was kept busy with the business of government as Henry was with the business of war. Catherine missed Henry and they kept up correspondence in his absence from England.

Catherine's dedication to purifying the church was as persistent as it was sincere. Henry enjoyed debates with Catherine. Her very dedication almost cost her life. It was rumoured that Henry was looking yet again for a new wife and may use a charge of Heresy to rid himself of Catherine. When she learned of this she fainted, then went to the king and proclaimed her devout obedience to him.

Catherine was the last of Henry's six wives, becoming his widow 28 January 1547. Catherine quickly married her fourth husband, Thomas Seymour, in June 1547.

In June 1548 she went to Sudeley Castle to give birth to her child. Sudeley Castle is set up against the beautiful backdrop of Cotswold Hills. Catherine Parr died in childbirth at Sudeley Castle, 5 September 1548, after giving Thomas Seymour a daughter. Her marble tomb rests at St. Mary's church which is situated within the castle's grounds. Sudeley Castle is now the family home of the Dent-Brocklehursts and Lord and Lady Ashcombe.

Today many romance novels feature castles as the back drop for their stories. Castles brings us our dark but tormented heroes with mystery.

I have interviewed, David Deslandes, a Mr. Romance winner and cover model. Who also headlines at mediaeval Times in Toronto to get his take on why women find castles and the dark heroes that are portrayed in them fascinating.

Why do you think that castles are an interest to many? And what if anything intrigues you about them?

I would imagine that unless you're a historian, that castles would hold some sense of mystery about the history of origin as well as the people and events that are/were associated with it. Perhaps the fact that "knights in shining armour" were associated with the time probably has something to do with it as well, since on some level I would imagine many ( not all) women would still find it romantic to be "rescued" from something by a knight on horse.
Personally the design or structure itself, its strength and the ingenious ways that secret passages were used and hidden is definitely interesting.

What do you know about King Henry VIII & His Six Wives?

To the best of my knowledge (without looking it up) I believe he had each wife killed (possibly beheaded I think) for not bearing him a son, or to move on with another woman because divorce was not allowed by the church. I can't recall but I think he then broke off from the church heading up his own, maybe???

Would you ever contemplate Six Wives?

HMM. . . six wives at once would definitely have some advantages . . . , however that also means having six "honey do" lists so . . . I think not.

What, so far if anything, have you learned about being the Dark Castle Lord, by being on a romance cover and working with the industry?

The cover I did was for a different time period so I can't say it really has any bearing here. I can say though that women always love the "bad" guy.

You might have not been on a castle cover yet but what have you learned about the Medieval Ages by working as a knight in shinning armour at medieval Times in Toronto?

Well . . . like I said before I think women still love the whole knight on horseback routine. Yes they definitely like a "bad" guy and long hair. I can't really say I have learned much from MT in terms of a historic point of view. Women were considered less then a man in many respects, something of a trophy or property, or in the case of marriages to solidify treaties or alliances between houses/families. So although it may seem all fun to imagine being a "princess or fair maiden", it probably wasn't all that fun during the time period for women.

Pam

One new page added - Balloch Castle, Scotland

2006-07-08T23:32:00.000+10:00

Hi and welcome to another update.

It has been a slow few weeks since my last update but we are getting there slowly.

I have added a new page to my site in the Castle Pictures section.

It is a photograph of Balloch Castle submitted by Roderic Winklehorst.

Also, Pam has her next article ready for your reading pleasure. So look out for it in the next few days.

Until then,

Best wishes and have a great wek.

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Catherine Howard/Hampton Court & CJ Hollenbach by Pam Seres

2006-06-26T04:24:00.000+10:00

Hi and welcome to this weeks update.

As mentioned last week , I have the pleasure of posting Pams latest article dealing with Henry VIII, his wives and interviews with some of Americas top Romance models.

So as we say, sit back and enjoy the read.

After getting an annulment from Anne of Cleves, King Henry VIII married his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. Where Anne of Cleves seemed dull, inexperienced, and ugly to Henry, Catherine Howard was certainly not! Just 19 days after his annulment from Anne of Cleves, the ageing and overweight King Henry married the high-spirited, sexually precocious, and very young Catherine Howard.

Henry was ecstatic with his new Queen. He showered her with many lands, jewels, and clothes. But, Henry's good mood was once again alternated with his ill-temper and depression. He soon found out after an inquiry that in 1541, Catherine renewed her relationship with Thomas Culpepper and appointed her former lover, Francis Dereham, as her secretary.

Henry was devastated and his pride had been shattered. He had Culpepper and Dereham executed on December 10, 1541. Catherine Howard was only 19 when Henry married her. She was easily used by the Duke of Norfolk and other family members to further their ambitions. It is said today that her voice can be heard shrieking in the Haunted Gallery at Hampton Court.

She begged Henry to at least listen to her side of the story and pleas. He wanted to hear none of it. In February 1542, Catherine was taken from Hampton Court to the Tower of London to be beheaded just like King Henry's second wife, Anne Boleyn, had been.
Chapel Royal at Hampton Court

Catherine was brought in a sealed barge through Traitor's Gate to the Tower of London. We can only imagine what her thoughts were and maybe understand why she still haunts Hampton Court today!

I have asked CJ Hollenbach, romance's best loved cover model next to Fabio, for his thoughts on the of castles, King Henry VIII, and being that Dark Castle Lord on many romance covers! This is what CJ had to say:

I think a lot of the same people who are interested in castles are the same people who read romance novels. So many of the novels are set in them. It's all a part of the fantasy come to life. If the castle was real, maybe the hero's and heroines were real too. It brings realism to the fantasy that makes it all the more interesting.

I visited a few castles when I was in Europe. Even in the summer they seemed very cold and drafty. I couldn't imagine what they would be like in the winter. No wonder people only lived to be in their 30's back in the day.

Henry the VIII didn't like the idea of alimony, it seems he would prefer to be a widower than divorced.

Anyone who would have six wives should have their head examined. I have friends who have been married several times. I think if you've been married more than twice and it ends in divorce, you're not good at it and you should get a hobby.

I have found being on the covers of romance novel covers, that some people who meet you, expect you to be like the hero you portray. That can be difficult at times. I have met a few authors who have based their central male characters on me so it's easier. I try not to disappoint the fans.

Pam

I would also like to take this opportunity to advise that Pamela and I have started a new joint venture called Castle Fantasies. What is it all about I hear you all ask...?

Well Pamela, through her connections with the romance industry, has been able to obtain the services of four of America's top Romance models - Bill Freda, Sly Bowden, Bobby K and Jason Santiago. What does this mean to all their fans out there?

Well...! As of today, you are able to purchase T-shirts, stickers and the like of your favourite Romance model. We will be adding more models as time goes by and projects for the future will include amongst other things, Romance novels and an exclusive line of jewellery.

All this will be under our new website The Castle Dark Lords - Where Dreams and Fantasies begin.

Until then you can browse our newest site Castle Fantasies for the latest in The Dark Castle Lords range as well as items on European Castles and Henry VIII.

Please have a browse and let me know what you think as you comments and suggestions will be appreciated.

So until next week

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Two new pages added

2006-06-19T21:39:00.000+10:00

Hello and welcome to a long over due update.

I must first apologies, but as mentioned in an early post, my military career has been cut short due to a back injury. I have finished work and am on leave until my relase date in September. I have spent the last two months submitting paperwork, attending resettlement courses etc for my impending release and subsequet move bckto my native Australia and am still waiting for a date for my disk fusion and replacement. Boy...! What fun to look forward to.

I am please to say that all the clearances I require for my families visas have arrived and I can now get back down to concentrating on my website and other new projects that I have been involved with.

So with out any furthre ado on to this weeks news.

As the heading suggests, I have added two new pages to my site. The first is about the Hungarian King, Matthias Corvinus, who ruled between 1458 and 1490. The other page is about Gripsholm Castle which is situated on the shores of Lake Malaren, Sweden.

As well as the above, Pamela Seres has written another article for your enjoyment and it will be posted hee shortly. So look out for that in the coming days.

Well that is about it for this time around.

So have a great week and I look forward to your company again next week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Anne of Cleves/Richmond Palace & Peter DeCicco by Pam Seres

2006-06-05T21:38:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone,

Apologies for not having any posts or updates over the last several weeks. Things have been quite busy with me trying to sort out the required paperwork for an emigration visa for my wife in relation to our impending move back to Australia later in the Year.

Talk about slow time when you want somemthing out of your local police force, evern worse when you are trying to get the required info from overseas countries....!

Any way back to business.

Pam has kindly sent me her latest article and interview for your reading pleasure. I must apologize to Pam for the lateness in putting her article on my bloc. SORRY

So sit back and enjoy

After Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour, died after giving birth to Prince Edward, Henry began seeking another wife. In Tudor Times royal marriages had another function, besides getting heirs, political alliances. Thomas Cromwell, the king's chief minister was excited at the possibility of an alliance with the up-and-coming Protestant state in Germany.

Since Henry broke from Rome, England had been isolated from France and Spain. If they combined alliances France and Spain could be a major threat to England. King Henry VIII examined a portrait of Anne of Cleves done by Holbein. He was satisfied that she was attractive so he agreed to marry her.

But, when Anne arrived in England on New Year's Day 1540, Henry did not find her attractive at all. Henry knew that he had to go along with the marriage but was very unhappy about it. On January 6, 1540, Anne of Cleves became Henry VIII's fourth wife. In the six months that Henry and Anne of Cleves were married it was said that Henry could not bring himself to consummate the marriage. Henry blamed Thomas Cromwell for the fiasco of his marriage. The King had Thomas arrested on June 10 1540 and Thomas Cromwell was executed on July 28 1540.

Anne of Cleves was said to be staying at Richmond Palace when she heard the news of her divorce from Henry. Unlike Henry's first wife, Catherine of Aragon, Anne of Cleves didn't dispute the proceedings becoming the King's sister. Henry gave Anne a very generous settlement of manors and estates, which included Hever Castle and Richmond Palace.

Richmond Palace was built on the site of the old royal residence of Sheen in Surrey along the banks of the Thames. A fire broke out at Christmas on December 21, 1498. It destroyed the old building. King Henry VIII decided to build a new palace in Sheen's place. When the new palace was ready for the royal family's use, the name of "Richmond" was given to the Palace because of the earldom Henry held when he won at Bosworth Field.

Anne of Cleves not only learned of her divorce from Henry VIII at Richmond Palace she continued to spend a lot of her time there after her divorce.

Richmond Palace is rich in Tudor history, both Henry VII and his granddaughter, Elizabeth I, died there.

Today many romance novels feature castles as the back drop for their stories. Castles bring us our dark and tormented heroes with mystery. I have interviewed Peter DeCicco, a Mr. Romance winner and cover model, to get his take on history and what he thinks about the covers he is on.

Why do you think that castles are an interest to many?

Castles are mysterious; I was just in one in Denmark

And what if anything intrigues you about them?

That they were part of history and that many are said to have ghosts in them.

What do you know about King Henry VIII & His Six Wives?

That he was a very busy man.

Would you ever contemplate Six Wives?

No. One would be as far as I could handle.

What, so far if anything, have you learned about being the Dark Castle Lord, by being on a romance cover and working with the industry?

I am not sure if I learned anything, but I had a tremendous amount of fun and met incredible people.

For more information on Peter and his work, visit his web site at: www.peterdecicco.com

Pamela Seres

A new article by Pamela Seres

2006-04-16T22:25:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone,

It has been a long time coming, now the wait is over.

I have the pleasure in posting Pams new article - An interview with Paul Sampson (Author, actor and Director of 'Night of the Templar')

Enjoy.....!!!

Castles have always brought me some sort of peace and have inspired me to seek more knowledge of the past and in turn have answered questions of the present and future.

Most “proper” castle fortifications were built during the middle ages (c 1000-1500). A castle served many purposes unlike other structures of this period, such as a church, a house, or an inn.

A castle was a home for the lord and family, a place where guests could be entertained and often the center for administration and justice.

The most important function of the castle was for it to be built strong enough to defend its occupants while acting as a base from which attacks on neighbors or more distant enemies could be launched.

When I think of castles, knights also quickly come to mind. Most knights from the Medieval times were occupied with damsels, fighting and obtaining riches.

There were spiritual knights as well. The Knights Templar (or Order of the Poor Knights of Christ) took the oath of poverty and wore a simple outfit with a red cross. Their service was to God.

But, what would happen if in a past lifetime you betrayed a righteous Templar Knight?
Night has fallen. The castle is dreary and dark; the Templar Knight is back to even the score!
I have been given a very special insight to the upcoming movie, NIGHT OF THE TEMPLAR, which tells the story of passion, loyalty, deceit, betrayal…and revenge.

The amazing and multi-talented Paul Sampson is the writer, actor, producer, and director of
NIGHT OF THE TEMPLAR.

His answers to my questions are definitely out of the box and will leave you in baited anticipation to see the movie!

Q: What was your inspiration for writing NIGHT OF THE TEMPLAR?

A: I was reviewing my Free-Mason Handbook with a friend (We are required to keep up on it you know, secret hand shakes, rituals, et cetera), and I said, "Hey, brother Xavier, let's make a movie about our secret society and divulge all our secrets to the general public." After they hung me upside down and said they would cut off my tongue and throw it into the sea, but only after removing my internal organs and tossing them over my left shoulder, I realized it wasn't a good idea. And then Brother Spencer said, "Hey, Brother Sampson, why not use the Knights Templar, it's still a "Grey Area" for most, and the Grandmaster won't mind if you sprinkle some things here and there, but make sure you use Hot Chicks in the modern day portion of the movie."

And I thought, mmm, Hot Chicks, and then one thing lead to another. And then I realized how interesting it would be for a horror movie to have its "killer" be a Templar Knight, and be the protagonist... never done before... never. Mmmmm, an original thought, how odd. . So I said, "Gee, thanks Brother Spencer, I'll do that, and do you mind untying me."

In my story the killer is basically the one you root for, not the victims. But I just didn't want some guy walking about in chain mail and a big sword slaying people, I wanted motivation. So I thought how interesting it would be if he came back from the past for revenge on the kindred spirits of those who betrayed him so long ago. And I don't just make mention of the past he came from, we are there for a third of the movie. Between the modern day killings, we find out more and more of the history of what happened and who each of the players are now, and what part they played in the betrayal 700 years ago. I could go on, but then I'd be telling you the story.

There's a synopsis on the web site at www.nightofthetemplarthemovie.com

What I can tell you, it’s not a regular horror movie where the victims are random and innocent.What I didn't do was make it a history lesson. Yes, those men (Knights Templar) did exist in that time period and they did do battle in the location mentioned in the story. And the costumes (I did a lot of research with Sandra Dugas) and weapons are probably more accurate than most of the movies you see dealing with that time period. But it is definitely not a history lesson.

My goal wasn't to rip-off the DaVinci Code. If there are Templar Knight Historians out there, tell them to relax. I did close to a year's research on them (and it doesn't end), and I decided in later drafts of the script that there is plenty of literature out there for the reading if someone wants to explore this great moment in history. But it's not my job. Not on this one. I created a story of betrayal (which naturally leads to revenge) based upon a fictitious band of crusaders that occurs in a time and setting that really took place. All historical references that take place in and around it are accurate.

Q: Why do you think the past still holds a fascination for many people today, especially the Medieval Era?

A: I think partially the religious factor, both positive and negative, where Church and State had their strong hold. Also, the valor and code of honor that men had and took into battle. Add in some mystery of secret societies and witchcraft. And a lot has to do with the fact that so much is unclear, and, as always, not knowing always raises interest.

There are many references made to many things that only probably historians or readers of certain books or members of certain groups and societies will catch and understand, but that's okay... it's still going to be a ride at any level... kind of like the "Simpsons". It's fun for all ages and hits all the points on the Bell Curve... and if you don't understand what I am saying, just enjoy the blood and gore and laughs and Hot Chicks.

Q: What did you do beforehand to get into character for Lord Gregoire, the righteous leader of the Holy Order of the Knights Templar?

A: Grew a beard, took a vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience ... and then went into my time machine and set it to 1307 A.D. ... you know, the usual stuff.

Q: Betrayal, vengeance, vows and religion still play a big part in our world today. What are your personal thoughts on defending God and the one "true cross"?

A: Don't want to get into Religion. That's not the purpose of the movie. Yes, there is a religious overtone to the movie. And yes, righteousness does prevail. But I have witnessed in the entertainment field that when an author/artist covers his work with religious and political agendas it can result in the death of the piece, and be a real turn-off. This movie isn’t a religious or political crusade, it’s a horror movie. Yes, again, at times there is the spoken word, but end of the day, it's a horror flick... perhaps more intelligent than you are used to seeing, but blood will flow and heads will roll... literally. So there is something present for all... deep thought, very clever dialogue, pretty horses, humor, blood and gore, Knights, and of course, HOT CHICKS... I mean, c'mon, I do want to sell the movie, too :)

Q: You wrote, produced, directed and acted in NIGHT OF THE TEMPLAR. How difficult was that for you and what would you do differently next time?

A: I did a lot more than that! And as far as "Next Time," I'm only a third of the way through with this one. Granted, I shot the most difficult portion first, and on film (35mm) at night with horses and all, but I have a long way to go. I drew blood, and some of it was even mine...I hate when that happens.

Q: How do you feel seeing your project upon completion on the screen?

A: I don't understand the question. It's not done. Isn't that a question one would ask after the movie is totally shot, edited, scored, et cetera and was actually fully completed (special screening and all)? What are you asking? Are you asking how will I feel when it is complete? I won't know that until it's complete. And if you're asking how do I feel as far as its having a shot of going to the screen (theatres) as opposed to cable and the video shelf? Well, I've seen some great movies go right to the video store (with and without big names) and I have seen some really, really bad movies (with big names and bigger budgets) go to the theatres. That's just marketing. It really is. I've been (as an actor) in both. If they advertise it to the public and they make a great trailer, people will go. It’s like going to the cereal aisle at the supermarket or toy store with a kid, they always want what they saw advertised on television or that which is wrapped in the prettiest package.

As far as it going to the theatres or more so, do I believe it has a shot at going to the theatres? It all depends on the modern day shoot of the movie. If I get a big company to back the remaining shoot and I put a couple of names in it and someone wants to spend some money on advertising, it will go. Let's put it this way, what percentage of horror movies make money if they go to the theatres... mostly all of them. Yep, just about every horror movie that goes to the theatres makes the budget back with ease. And a large percentage of them make that money back in the first couple of weeks. That's the facts, it's just a matter of putting in a name, and with horror or slasher movies and it’s just a great trailer and marketing (advertising).

Everyone who makes a movie has visions of grandeur (that's French I think, yep, I do my research); some are hopeful and most are just delusional. It's a movie, it'll be entertaining and worth the price of admission whether it's a theatre ticket or a rental fee. And as far as production value, yes, more money buys more “Bang.” So, keep in mind it is an independent horror movie. But here's the kicker, no one has ever done an independent horror movie where a good portion of it takes place (period piece) seven hundred years ago. I'm not talking 15-20 seconds of a flashback moment and then someone doing expository (and painfully) dialogue over mood music. Nope, I'm going to take you back 700 years for 30 minutes. You'll see the story, not hear about it from some whacked out toothless drunk villager over a campfire (you know the drill in those movies, old man or gypsy woman tells the story of the curse and after he/she has said their peace and leaves, everyone moans and says he/she's crazy...and then they die). In mine you'll see for yourself... and then they'll die. Oh yes, they will. Mwwwhhhaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you have enjoyed this amazing insight.

I am looking foward to Pam's next article and receiving your comments,

So until then, have a great week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Dundonald Castle

2006-04-03T05:01:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone,

At last I can say things are on the up.

I have finally been able to add a new page to my site.

Dundonald Castle lies just outside Troon on the west coast of Scotland.

I would also like to welcome all the new subscribers to my newsletter and I would like to take this opportunity to thank every one who passed on their best wishes due to the discomfort I have been having with my back. A big Thank You for that.

So until next week

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart

www.guide-to-castle-sof-europe.com

Sorry for the lack of Updates recently

2006-03-27T04:28:00.000+11:00

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to say sorry for the lack of news over the last two weeks.

I have been having a torrid time with my back and I am still waiting to see the surgeon about the possible operation on my back.

Such is life when you have part of your spine wearing out (that's old age for you).

I would also like to take this opportunity to say well done to all those athletes who have just recently taken part in the 18th Commonwealth Games held in my home town of Melbourne.

I will sign off and leave you all in peace.

I hope that by next weeks update I will have been able to get back down to adding more pages to my site.

Thanks and see you then

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

A short biography on some of Europe's most loved and hated Monarchs - Pt 6 Philip II

2006-03-19T00:32:00.000+11:00

During the last thousand years, European Monarchs have ruled Europe and the world with an iron fist and by fear, compassion and hatred. As their wealth grew from the riches of newly conquered continents and lands, they began building some of the worlds greatest castles as a sign of their status and wealth, leaving behind a legacy of beauty and splendor that has lasted well into the 21st century.

These members of royalty have included tyrants, the mentally insane, drunks and the psychotic, who have murdered for pleasure and raped for enjoyment. They have imposed terrible taxes on already poor citizens. They married for financial power and traded in lives. Kinfolk were murdered so a favorable son could rise through the ranks. As their power increased so did the atrocities, bringing with it the hatred of a nation and its people.

Join me as we take a final trip back in time, discovering which Monarchs were tyrants, mentally unstable, drunks and psychotic, as well as those who were loved by their people.
We bring this series of articles to a close by taking a look at the life and times of Philip II of France.

Philip II, born 1165, was the son of King Louis VII and became King of France in 1180 when his father died. In 1190, Philip along with Richard I of England and the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick I Barbarossa, embarked on the Third crusade as comrades in arms but at some point during the journey they quarreled. Philip returned to France a year later whilst the French army remained in Outremer under the command of Hugues III, duke of Burgundy.

Allying himself with the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI and Richard's brother, John, he set about claiming Richard's territories in France as his own. In 1194, after returning from the crusades, Richard set off on a new campaign retaking all the territories that had been seized by Philip during his absence. By the time of Richard's death in 1199, most of his territory had been regained. When John became king of England after his brother’s death, Philip began a campaign to retake all the land that Richard had won back. Between 1201 and 1205, Normandy, Maine, Brittany, Anjou, Touraine, and Poitou fell to Philip.

An alliance of European powers, including that of England, became concerned at the growing power of France and her armies and in 1214 went to war with King Philip II. At the Battle of Bouvines, Philip II’s forces inflicted a heavy defeat upon the coalition forces which included those of Otto IV of Germany. The consequence of the defeat was that Philip became one of the most powerful men in Europe.

Philip immediately set about reorganizing his government, bringing with it financial stability. This allowed the country to grow and prosper. His court officials had the majority of their powers removed and he replaced them with a council made up of middle class citizens, bestowing upon them, some of the powers removed form his nobles. During this time of upheaval and reorganization, towns grew, trade flourished and Paris was established as the capital of France. With Paris firmly established as France’s new capital, Philip II undertook a major rebuilding program, the likes of which had never been seen. He had all the main thoroughfares paved, built Les Halles (a central market) and continued with the construction of Notre-Dame Cathedral which was begun in 1163 by his father Louis VII. Philip II also gave the world the Louver, which at the time was built as a fortress, as well as giving a charter to the University of Paris in 1200.

With the act of relieving his nobles of their powers and the new prosperity he brought to the country, Philip was seen as a peoples King who became very popular amongst his subjects. Philip II died July 14, 1223 at Mantes.

Our journey has come to an end. I hope you have enjoyed these brief insights into the life and times of some of Europe's most loved and hated monarchs.

So until my next article

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart Bazga
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Samlesbury Hall added to my Castle Pictures section

2006-03-13T06:33:00.000+11:00

Hi and welcome,

It has been another busy week even thou I have only added one new page to my site.

I have been busy updating all my pages as well as adding tourist information to each of my individual castle pages,

I was very fortunate enough this week to have meet Ray, who as many of you know, also goes by the name of Henry VIII.

Ray has just sent me a series of pictures of Samlesbury Hall, Lancashire, where he does tours as Henry VIII during the weekend. The above has been added to my Castles Pictures page.

For those who have been following my short series - 'A short biography of some of Europe's most loved and hated monarchs' the final installment - Philip II of France, will be posted later this week.

I hope you have enjoyed reading the six part series and I look forward to your company again next week.

Until then

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

A short biography on some of Europe's most loved and hated Monarchs - Pt 5 Charles II

2006-03-10T17:50:00.000+11:00

Born in 1630, Charles II was the second eldest son of Charles I, who spent most of his teenage years fighting parliaments Roundheads until the execution of his father in 1649, and after he agreed to make Presbyterianism the religion of England and Scotland.

In 1650, Charles returned to his native Scotland and a year later led an unsuccessful campaign against Cromwell’s forces at Worcester. During this defeat, Charles managed to avoided capture, finding safe passage to France where he spent the next eight years roaming the wilderness of Europe.

Upon the collapse of Cromwell’s commonwealth, Charles was invited back to England and shortly after married Catherine of Braganza. His marriage to Catherine was a fruitless one as it bore him no legitimate heir to the throne.

In 1660, at the age of 30, Charles ascended the English throne and immediately set about seeking retribution for his father’s execution. Nine of his father’s conspirators were brought to trial and executed. As well as being very tolerant towards those who had condemned his father to death, he was also a very tolerant person in regards to all religious matters.

The country was in a jubilant mood at having a true monarch again, but his powers had been severely curtailed by Parliament. This curtailment meant that the Royal coppers were not what they should be and Charles had to fund his administrators from customs taxes and a pension that was paid to him by King Louis XIV of France.

Out of the ashes of the civil war, England’s first political parties were formed. The Cavaliers went on to form the first Tory party, whose ideology was in preserving the kings power over Parliament, while Cromwell’s Roundheads went on to form the Whig Party. Oddly enough, the Whig Party was all for expansion of trade abroad and maintaining parliament’s supremacy in the political field. In essence they were forbearers of today’s modern political parties.

Charles first ten years in power was not very memorable or fruitful. He was defeated by the Dutch in a war over foreign trade. In the latter half of the 1660’s Charles had to cope with the Great Plague of 1665 as well as the Fire of London in 1667, which left much of the capital a whole burnt out shell which only added to his trouble.

On top of all this, during the same year as the Great Fire of London, the Dutch brazenly sailed up the Medway River and sank five of his battleships. And to rub salt into already opened wounds, they towed the Royal Charles back to Holland.

The start of a new decade saw a new alliance with France. The French promised to help Charles in his fight against the Dutch with the assurance that Charles would bring back Catholicism to the country. This was in turn used against him by the Whig party. The consequence of this was another bout of religious hatred towards the Catholic Church. This anti-Catholicism paranoia led to the Queen and her favourites being accused of attempting to murder Charles II. In Parliament the Whig party, who held the majority of seats at the time, tried to push through an Exclusion Bill barring Catholics from holding public office and thus keep James Stuart from the throne. Charles II was felled by fever and this illness caused the balance of opinion to tip in his favour.

The king had a self-indulgent character - he had numerous mistresses and illegitimate children, and loved racing and gambling - and this led to him having a considerable influence on Restoration art and literature.

Charles II’s remaining years were occupied with securing his brother's right to the throne and gathering political support from the Tory party. Charles died in February 1685 from complications following a stroke.

Charles II’s life can be best summed up from a quote of the time: "Charles II was always very merry and was therefore not so much a king as a Monarch. During the civil war, he had rendered valuable assistance to his father's side by hiding in all the oak-trees he could find. He was thus very romantic and popular and was able after the death of Cromwell to descend to the throne."

I hope you have enjoyed reading about Charles II.

In my last article will learn about the life of Philip II of France.

Until then,

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart Bazga
http://www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Two new photos added to my Castle Pictures Section

2006-03-05T23:39:00.000+11:00

Hi and Welcome

I hope everyone is well and that you are all coping with the last of his seasons winter weather.

Here in the UK, we have had a sudden cold spell with plenty of snow showers, which have even reached the leafy suburbs of outer London.

As the heading suggests, I have been fortunate enought to have been sent in two great photos by Teresa McEachern which were taken by her husband Carlton. The first is of Armadale Castle and the second is of Duart Castle both in situated in Scotland.

I hope you have been enjoying my series 'A short biography of some of Europe's most loved and hated monarchs'. This week I will be posting Part 5 which is about Charles II of England.

So until then

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

A short biography on some of Europe's most loved and hated Monarchs - Pt 4 Queen Mary I

2006-03-03T17:49:00.000+11:00

Hello and welcome to Pt4 of my series entitled 'A short biography of some of Europe's most loved and hated monarchs'

Queen Mary I of England was born in 1516 to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon and was the first British monarch to rule in her own right. Mary was pronounced queen in 1553 and ruled for five years after the death of Edward VI. Mary was well educated and learned to speak Latin, Spanish, French and Italian. She was also taught Greek, science and music.

1547 saw the death of her father and her half brother Edward VI crowned king. Edward was England's first Protestant monarch; his Parliament's Act of Uniformity prescribed Protestant rites for church services. Mary, wanting to keep her Roman Catholic faith, asked to be allowed to worship in private in her own chapel. Upon being ordered to discontinue this practice, Mary appealed to her cousin, the Emperor Charles V. Charles subsequently threatened to declare war against England if Mary's religious rights were infringed. Mary was never bothered again and was left to worship in private.

Edward died in 1553 whilst Mary was staying at Framlingham Castle in Suffolk. He had no wish for the Crown to go to either Mary or her half sister Elizabeth, so had them both excluded from the line of succession in his will.

One of Mary’s first acts after came to power, was to bring the Catholic faith back to England by initially scrapping the religious proclamations of her half brother, Edward VI. Mary replaced the proclamations with the old English laws. Heresy against the church was now punishable by death. The reintroduction of this act earned Mary the nickname, “Bloody Mary”. During her short, five-year reign, Queen Mary I had more than 300 subjects burnt at the stake for the act of heresy. The most notable of these was the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer.

In 1555, in an effort to produce a male heir, Mary married prince Philip II of Spain. This did not go down well with the people, as many viewed Spain as an enemy of England. Twice during her rule, Mary thought she was pregnant with child, displaying all the symptoms. Alas, this was not so as her symptoms were a sign of a false pregnancy. Mary had convinced herself that she was pregnant and the body reacted accordingly.

Following the advice of her husband, Mary allied herself with Spain during the war against France. The subsequent consequences of her actions were that England lost her only and last remaining foothold in the country – Calais. Sadly, in 1558, Philip II left her and went back to Spain to claim the Spanish throne.

Queen Mary I, childless and without a husband was forced to recognize her sister, Elizabeth, an Anglican Protestant, as the next ruler of England. Although Mary tried to persuade her sister to convert and accept the Roman Catholic faith, Elizabeth refused and went on to become Queen Elizabeth I. England suffered under the leadership of Mary: the economy was in ruin, religious dissent reached its pinnacle and England lost her last foothold in Europe. Jane Austen wrote about Mary: "This woman had the good luck of being advanced to the throne of England, in spite of the superior pretensions, Merit and Beauty of her Cousins Mary Queen of Scotland and Jane Grey. Nor can I pity the Kingdom for the misfortunes they experienced during her reign, since they fully deserved them..."

Mary died at the age of forty-two of influenza, uterine cancer or ovarian cancer at St. James's Palace on 17 November 1558 and is buried in Westminster Abbey beside Elizabeth. The Latin inscription on their tomb translates to "Partners both in Throne and grave, here rest we two sisters, Elizabeth and Mary, in the hope of one resurrection".

I hope you have enjoyed reading about Queen Mary I.

In my next article will learn about the life of Charles II of England.

Until then,

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Jane Seymour/ Hampton Court & Sylvester Bowden.

2006-03-02T17:54:00.000+11:00

Hello again,

As promised on Sunday, here is Pam's latest article about Henry VIII.

I hope you enjoy it .....!

Henry VIII and his third wife, Jane Seymour were betrothed a day after Anne Boleyn‘s execution in 1536. They were quickly married at Whitehall just ten days after. In 1537 Janeretired to Hampton Court to prepare for the birth of their child. Henry was thrilled when she gave birth tohis long awaited son, Prince Edward on October 12th. Henry’s joy was short lived. On October 18th Jane became ill with childbed fever and died on the 24th. Henry went into mourning for several months after.

Hampton Court Palace was built by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey between 1515 and 1530. Cardinal Wolsey later felt compelled togift his home to Henry VIII. Henry made many additions to the palace. In the Tudor parts of the palacehe added many structures from his own apartments,to the kitchens, the Chapel Royal, the Great Hall and tennis courts.

The astronomical clock added in 1540 was madeby Nicholas Oursian. Henry laid out the overall plan forgardens in which the basic structure can be seen todayat Hampton Court.
Today many romance novels feature castles as the back drop for their stories. Castles bring us our dark but tormented heroes with mystery.I have interviewed, Sylvester Bowden, a Mr. Romance winner and cover model to get his take on what he thinks about the fascinating covers he is on.

Why do you think that castles are an interest to many? And what if anything intrigues you about them?

I think that castles are interesting to many because they find castles to be fascinating. Many find castles to be a part of history. What intrigues me is that I find castles have unique features in different ways. For example, castles can be intimidating, romantic, history of a solid foundation, and has a vast internal area for creativity from an architectural stand point.

What do you know about King Henry VIII & His Six Wives?

All I know is that Henry VIII got away with all those wives! ((wink))

Would you ever contemplate Six Wives?

I know they call me Sly, but I would have to let someone else contemplate Six Wives.

What, so far if anything, have you learned about beingthe Dark Castle Lord, by being on a romance cover and working with the industry?

In the romance industry, you have to have the desire to portray a character that supports a Dark Castle Lord, or any other past Century character(s). You can’t just put on a costume and take the name. You have to feel the part. It goes a long way!!

For more information on Sly please visit his web site at Sly Bowden

Look for my next article which will feature Anne of Cleves/Richmond Palace & Peter DeCicco.

Pam

My 100th Subscriber to my newsletter and Manorbier Castle added

2006-02-27T03:00:00.000+11:00

Hello to this weeks update.

I would firstly like to say that here at Guide to Castles of Europe we have reached two great milestones in our short but colorful history.

Firstly I would like to advise that we now have 117 castle related pages for your viewing pleasure and secondly, this week has seen the 100th subscriber to my newsletter.

So....! With the good news out of the way, on with the update.

I have been able to add a new page about Manorbier Castle which is located along the southcoast of Wales to my Welsh Castles Section.

Next week I will be posting the 4th part in my series - 'A short biography on some of Europe's most loved and hated monarchs' and Pamela Seres has sent in her next installment.

So be on the look out for both of those articles.

Until then

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

A short biography on some of Europe's most loved and hated Monarchs - Pt 3 King Ludwig II

2006-02-25T19:17:00.000+11:00

King Ludwig II of Bavaria, named after his grandfather, was born in Nymphenburg Castle outside Munich on August 25, 1845 and was the eldest son of King Maximillian II and Queen Marie. As a boy, Ludwig’s favourite time of the year were the summer holidays spent at the Royal Castle Hohenschwangau which his father restored between 1832 and 1836.

In 1858, at the age of thirteen, Ludwig was introduced to Wagner’s opera - Lohengrin, the story of which centres around the heroic medieval Swan-knight Lohengrin, by his governess. The young Ludwig instantly fell in love with its concept and it was the begining of a life long love with all of Wagner’s works. It was not long before he was acquiring and reading every book written by Wagner. On February 2nd, 1861, Ludwig attended his first Wagner opera - Lohengrin, the Knight of the Swan which left a lasting impression on the young Prince.

In March of 1864, his father died at the age of 53 and Ludwig, at the age of eighteen, became King Ludwig II. With in days of coming to the throne a young and impressionable King ordered his officials to seek out Wagner and bring him back to Munich, taking it upon himself to become Wagner's patron. He settled his debts, and set him up comfortably in an Italianate-style villa.
Munich society began to grow weary of Wagner's arrogance and were also increasingly jealous of his hold over their young King. Eighteen months after his arrival, Wagner left Munich for Switzerland and Ludwig fled to Hohenschwangau. The one person that brought joy into his life had been taken from him.

In 1866 war broke out between Austria and Prussia in what became known as the Seven Weeks War. Because of her strong links with Austria, Bavaria was drawn into the conflict on the Austrian side. In a secret treaty King Ludwig II placed the Bavarian army at the disposal of the Prussian General Staff.

Ludwig was to marry in August of 1867 but he was unhappy with the relationship so changed the date to October 12th, which incidentally was the date that both his grandfather and father married. Ludwig was very unsettled at the prospect of marrying and as such voiced his apprehension to his Court Secretary, confessing that he would rather drown himself than marry. He wrote to Wagner "Oh, if only I could be carried on a magic carpet to you . . . at dear, peaceful Tribschen (Lucerne, Switzerland.) - Even for an hour or two.

In November, King Ludwig II broke of his engagement fleeing to his beloved Alps. He wrote to Wagner from Hohenschwangau on 21 November, 1867; "I write these lines sitting in my cosy gothic bow-window, by the light of my lonely lamp, while outside the blizzard rages. It is so peaceful here; this silence is stimulating, whereas in the clamour of the world I feel absolutely miserable. "Thank God I am alone at last. My mother is far away, as is my former bride, who would have made me unspeakably unhappy. Before me stands a bust of the one, true Friend whom I shall love until death. . . If only I had the opportunity to die for you."

It was at this point that Ludwig began to plan and build his castles. The task of being king was becoming a heavy burden. He had at the age of only 20, sent thousands of his countrymen to fight in the Seven Weeks War. Two years after his failed romance, Ludwig again had to send his countries men into battle. This time it was against the French in what became the Franco-Prussian War. From then on Ludwig withdrew into himself and into a world of make-believe.

The plans for both Neuschwanstein and Linderhof originated from this time in his life (1869).

Ludwig was a changed person. He went from a slender youth to a huge man in just a few years, spending all his time in the mountains at Hohenschwangau and Linderhof as well as his small mock-Gothic castle at Berg, beside Lake Starnberg. He refused any contact with his ministerial staff and sought only the companionship of the mountain people. The only time King Ludwig II ventured out of the mountains and into Munich was at the annual investiture and banquet given in the Residenz for the Knights of the Order of St. George, Bavaria's highest Order of Chivalry which Ludwig was the Grand Master.

Shortly after Prussia's victory in the Franco-Prussian War, Bismark sought Ludwig's approval for Bavaria to enter a unified German Empire with Prussia as leader. After several days, Ludwig succumbed and wrote a letter inviting Wilhelm II to become Emperor of a united Germany. King Ludwig II handed over his beloved Bavaria, becoming a lonely figurehead in a constitutional monarchy. Life had dealt Ludwig blow after blow and it was these events that were the root of his seclusion and alleged “madness”. With his world falling apart around him King Ludwig II withdrew from it into a world of his own making.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about King Ludwing II.

In my next article will learn about the life of Queen Mary I of England or as she was nicknamed "Bloody Mary"

Unitl then,

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart Bazga
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

A Guide to Castles of Europe was born from childhood dreams and aspirations. It is my hope to educate and stimulate you into exploring these castles for yourselves.

Ekenas Castle Added

2006-02-20T04:07:00.000+11:00

G'Day,

Welcome to another but very short update.

My two boys have been on half term here in the UK, so I have spent some time with them, which has meant not much being done to the website.

I have, though, managed to add one new page, Ekenas Castle to my European Castles page.

I hope you will enjoy learning about one of Sweden's most famous castles.

Next week I will be adding Pt3 in the series 'A short biography on some of Europe's most loved and hated monarchs'

So until then

Best wishes and have a great couple of days

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

A short biography on some of Europe's most loved and hated Monarchs - Pt 2 (Mad) King George III

2006-02-16T21:28:00.000+11:00

Hello again,

As promised last week, here is the second part in my series 'A short biography on some of Europe's most loved and hated Monarchs'.

King George III who suffered from porphyria, a maddening disease, was born in 1738 to Frederick, Prince of Wales and Augusta. In 1761 George married Charlotte of Mecklinburg-Strelitz and together produced fifteen children: nine sons and six daughters.

King George III came to the throne in 1760 and was determined to recover the power lost to the ministerial council by the first two Georges by systematically weakening the Whig party through bribery, coercion and patronage. Prime Minister, William Pitt the Elder was toppled by Whigs in 1763 after the signing of the Peace of Paris, and men of ordinary aptitude were then hand-picked by George as Cabinet members to become little more than yes-men. Bouts with madness and the handling of the American Revolution eroded his support and the power of the Crown was granted again to the Prime Minister.

In 1763 The Peace of Paris brought an end to the Seven Years' War with France and Great Britain emerged from the conflict as the world's greatest colonial power. England thrived but King George III's ongoing commitment to taxing the American colonies to pay for military protection led to conflict in 1775. The colonists declared their independence from England in 1776, but George stubbornly continued with the war until the final American victory at Yorktown in 1781. The signing of The Peace of Versailles in 1783 ensured British recognition of the United States of America. The stress of these events took their toll on George: his sanity was stretched to the breaking point and his political power decreased when William Pitt the Younger became Prime Minister in 1783. George clawed back some of his powers, driving Pitt from office during the years 1801 to 1804, but his condition worsened and he ceased to rule in 1811.

Ten years after the ending of war with France, England joined a continental coalition against French revolutionary forces who sought total French supremacy throughout Europe. By 1797, most of Europe was under French control, with England going at it alone against the oppressive French Republic. The British Navy again proved its worth by defeating French forces at Camperdown, Cape St. Vincent and the Battle of the Nile in 1797, and finally at Copenhagen in 1801. France sued for peace in 1802.

Napoleon Bonaparte came to power and in 1803 renewed attacks against England, which lasted until 1814. Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, led the army whilst Lord Horatio Nelson, who won the decisive battle off Cape Trafalgar, commanded the British navy. In addition to the war with France, England was also at war again with the United States during the period 1812-14, over the British practice of conscripting American seamen into service in the British Navy.

In 1814, both wars came to an end; Napoleon was defeated and England agreed not to press into service anymore-American sailors.

George's madness ultimately left the fate of the crown in the hands of his eldest son George, Prince Regent. Prince George was put in the unenviable position of attempting to govern according to the increasingly erratic behaviour of his father.

King George III died blind, deaf and mad at Windsor Castle on January 29, 1820.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about King George III.

In my next article will learn about the life of King Ludwig II Unitl then,

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart Bazga

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

A Guide to Castles of Europe was born from childhood dreams and aspirations. It is my hope to educate and stimulate you into exploring these castles for yourselves.

Scotney Castle added to English Castles Section

2006-02-13T01:31:00.000+11:00

Hello and welcome to a very short upate.

It has been a very busy week with me trying to catch up on my study (Training for my CompTIA A+ Exam).

I have added one new page this weekabout the history of Scotney Castle located in thelovely Tunbridge Wells countryside.

You can find the page in the English Castles Section.

I hope you have been enjoying my posted articles and next week we have Pt2 of A Short Biography on some of Europes most loved and hated Monarchs King - (Mad) King George III.

Until then

Have a great week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

A short biography on some of Europe's most loved and hated Monarchs - Pt 1 Vlad Tepes (Dracula)

2006-02-10T07:41:00.000+11:00

Hi and welcome to the first in my 6 part series entitled 'A short biography of some of Europe's most loved and hated monarchs'.

During the last thousand years, European Monarchs have ruled Europe and the world with an iron fist and by fear, compassion and hatred. As their wealth grew from the riches of newly conquered continents and lands, they began building some of the worlds greatest castles as a sign of their status and wealth, leaving behind a legacy of beauty and splendor that has lasted well into the 21st century.

These members of royalty have included tyrants, the mentally insane, drunks and the psychotic, who have murdered for pleasure and raped for enjoyment. They have imposed terrible taxes on already poor citizens. They married for financial power and traded in lives. Kinfolk were murdered so a favorable son could rise through the ranks. As their power increased so did the atrocities, bringing with it the hatred of a nation and its people.

Join me as we take a trip back in time, discovering which Monarchs were tyrants, mentally unstable, drunks and psychotic, as well as those who were loved by their people.

This series of articles will highlight the lives of Vlad Tepes (Dracula), King Ludwig II and King George III to name a few.

Vlad Tepes or Dracula was born in 1431, in the fortress of Sighisoara, Romania. His father was the military governor of Transylvania and a member of the Order of the Dragon. The order was created in 1387 by the Holy Roman Emperor and his second wife, Barbara Cilli.

In the winter of 1436-1437, Vlad(Dracul) became prince of Wallachia and took up residence at the palace of Tirgoviste, the princely capital. In 1442, he and his younger brother Radu were taken hostage by the Turkish Sultan Murad II. Dracul was held in Turkey until 1448, while his brother Radu decided to stay there until 1462.

At 17 years old, Vlad, supported by troops lent to him by pasha Mustafa Hassan, tried to seize the Wallachian throne but was defeated by Vladislav II (who had earlier assassinated his father and oldest brother ) after two months or armed conflict. Vlad had to wait until 1456, when he was able to seek retribution against his father's assassin.

Vlad's first act of vengeance was aimed at the boyars of Tirgoviste for the killing of his father and older brother Mircea. Around Easter of 1459, Vlad had all the boyar families arrested and impaled the elder members on stakes while forcing the others to march from the capital to the town of Poenari. He then ordered them to build him a fortress on the ruins of an older outpost overlooking the Arges River. Many nobles died in the construction of this castle, the ruins of which can still be seen today.

Vlad became known for his brutal punishment techniques; often ordering people to be skinned, decapitated, blinded, roasted, hacked, buried alive, stabbed and blinded to name a few. He also liked to cut off his victim noses, ears and sexual organs. But his favourite form of torture was impalement on stakes, hence the surname "Tepes" which means "The Impaler" in the Romanian language. It was this form of punishment that he used against Transylvanian merchants who ignored his trade laws.

There are many tales about the psyche of Vlad Tepes. He was known throughout the country for his fierce adherence to honesty and order. Almost any crime, from lying and stealing to killing, could be punished by impalement. Being so confident in the efficiency of his law, Dracula placed a golden cup on display in the central square of Tirgoviste. The cup could be used by thirsty travellers, but had to remain on the square. It was never stolen and remained entirely untouched throughout Vlad's reign. He looked upon the poor, vagrants and beggars as thieves. Consequently, he invited all the poor and sick of Wallachia to his court in Tirgoviste for a magnificent feast. After his guests had eaten and drunk their fill, Dracula ordered the hall boarded up and set on fire. There were no survivors.

At the beginning of 1462, Vlad launched a campaign against the Turks along the Danube River which was very successful, managing several victories. In retaliation for these losses, the Sultan decided to launch a full-scale invasion of Wallachia with an army three times larger than Dracula's. Vlad was forced to withdraw towards Tirgoviste, burning villages and poisoning wells along the way.

These acts were designed to hinder the Turkish army in their search for food and water. When the Sultan’s armies finally reached the capital city, exhausted and hungry, they were confronted by a horrific sight: thousands of stakes held the bodies of some 20,000 Turkish captives, which came to be known as "Forest of the Impaled." The scene which was laid out before them had an immediate effect; the Sultan hungry and worn out retreated. The Sultan Mehmed left the next phase of the battle to Vlad's younger brother Radu who pursued his brother and wife to Poenari castle on the Arges River.

Dracula's wife, in order to escape Turkish capture, committed suicide by hurling herself from the upper walls, her body falling down the cliff face into the river below.
Vlad managed to escape the siege and made his way to hungry with the help of local peasants. Upon his arrival the Hungarian king Matthias arrested Dracula and imprisoned him at the Hungarian capital of Visegrad.

In 1475, Vlad Tepes again became prince of Wallachia where he enjoyed a very short third reign. He was assassinated towards the end of 1476.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about Vlad Tepes or as he was better known-Dracula.

In my next article will learn about the life of(Mad)King George III.

Unitl then,

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Two new pages added for your enjoyment

2006-02-06T03:25:00.000+11:00

Hello again,

It seems that I can not keep away from this place.

I have been lucky this week in that my old friend Ray Irving (aka Henry VIII) has sent me some great pictures of Thornbury Castle, taken during some spare time while appearing there as Henry VIII.

I have added one of his photos to my Castle Pictures section and the other page added is about Bodiam Castle, which you will find in my English Castles Section.

On the newsletter front it has been very quiet with only one new subscriber this week.

Next week I will be posting the first in the series of 6 articles titled - A short biography of some of Europe's most loved and hated Monarchs. My first article is on Vlad Tepes or as some of you may know him Dracula.

So until then

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

The Ghosts of Windsor Castle

2006-02-03T17:57:00.000+11:00

Hello and welcome to a slightly latter than expected update.

As promised on Sunday here is the article on The Ghosts of Windsor Castle.

I hope you enjoy the read.

Windsor Castle is one of the many homes of the present Queen of England, several of her royal ancestors, and "non-royal" spirits, one of whom, according to legend was an ancient Saxon hunter named Herne, who was renowned thought out the area for his outstanding hunting abilities.

One story tells of Herne, as one of the Royal keepers for King Richard II (1367-1400), who was hated by the other keepers for his extraordinary skills. One day the King was in danger of being trampled by an incensed stag while hunting and how Herne putting himself between the King and the stag was mortally wounded.

In the last 250 years, hundreds of people have claimed to have seen his spirit, often accompanied by his pack of hounds. In the early 1860's the tree from which he was found hanging, was cut down, and Queen Victoria kept the oak logs for her fire "To help kill the ghost". Her plan didn't work however.

Other legends tell of witchcraft and suicide, and a demonic horned being upon whose appearance brings illness and misfortune to all who see him, especially the Royal family. He can be seen in Windsor castle's gardens with "his trademark stag's head." King Henry VIII has been seen walking the hallways of Windsor Castle. His footsteps, along with agonizing moans, have been heard by many guests of the castle.

One of his wives, Anne Boleyn, has been seen standing at the window in the Dean's Cloister, as well as, Queen Elizabeth I. Queen Elizabeth I has also been seen in the Royal Library. She has been seen walking from one room to another. She is always dressed in a black gown with a black lace shawl draped over her shoulders.

King Charles I has been seen many times in the library and the Canon's house, and although he was beheaded during the English Revolution, his ghost is seen as a whole. It is said he looks exactly like his portraits.

King George III had many bouts with mental deterioration. During these times he was kept out of the publics eye. He can be seen looking out the windows located below the Royal Library where he was confined during the recurrence of his illness.

The first Duke of Buckingham, Sir George Villiers, is said to haunt one of the bedrooms of Windsor castle. And many spirits haunt the Long Walk, one of whom is a young soldier who shot himself after, while on his guard watch, saw marble statues moving "of their own accord." His ghost has seen by other soldiers on guard duty afterwards.

I hope you have enjoyed this article and I look forward to your company again in the not to distant future.

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Ghosts of Dragsholm Castle

2006-01-30T02:08:00.000+11:00

Hi and welcome to another update.

What a productive week I have had.

Pamela's article was posted during the week without any of the fireworks associated with his last article. Looks like Catherine of Aragon and Ludlow Castle don't hold the same mystic.

I have added a new page to my Haunted Castles section on The Ghosts of Dragsholm Castle, which is one of Denmark's most haunted castles.

Also I would like to say a big HELLO to all my new subscribers to The Castle Times newsletter, which as you may or may not know, can subscribe to by clicking on the link highlighted in red on the left of this page.

Finally, look out for my next article being posted during the week on the Ghosts of Windsor Castle.

So until then

Take care and have a great week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Catherine of Aragon, Ludlow Castle, and Andrei Claude by Pam Seres

2006-01-26T06:14:00.000+11:00

Hi all and once again welcome.

As promised on Sunday, here is Pam's latest article.

I am happy for anyone to post comments about Pam's article but all I would ask is if you disagree with any of the comments posted or wish to add or elaborate on them , please keep your reply civil.

So with the preliminaries out of the way here we go:

Who knew from my last article that saying Anne was beheaded for failing to produce Henry VIII a male heir would bring such controversy?

I am very happy about it! I love talking about what has taken place in history and learning about new castle’s. History is subjective and always open to interpretation of the facts. I encourage you to use Stuart’s blog! We can all learn from each other and find new sources of information from the comments you post.

On to the new feature of Henry VIII’s first wife Catherine of Aragon, Ludlow Castle, and Andrei Claude.

Catherine was the youngest daughter of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile, the rulers of Spain. She came to England in 1501 to marry Prince Arthur. Her marriage to Arthur lasted less than six months and was supposedly never consummated.
Catherine and Arthur lived in Ludlow Castle, isolated on the Welsh borders, during the winter of 1501/1502.

Castle Ludlow is perched on a cliff above the picturesque River Teme. The site of Ludlow was in a corner of the important manor of Stanton, held since 1066 by the de Lacy family.
The Castle Fortress that the de Lacy's built, occupies a finely judged defensive position. Ludlow Castle stands prominently on high ground, able to resist attack from would be invaders from over the Welsh border.

Ludlow Castle is now the property of the Earl of Powis and the Trustees of the Powis Castle Estate.

After Prince Arthur’s death Catherine remained in England for seven uncertain years until her marriage to Henry VIII in 1509. But their marriage produced just one living child, a daughter, Mary. Henry wanted a male heir and fell in love with Anne Boleyn. He asked Catherine for an annulment which Catherine fought against. Henry would not be denied and when the Catholic church would not grant the annulment, he declared himself head of a new English church. Catharine was banished from court and died on 7 January 1536, broken-hearted but still defiant.

Many romance cover models grace the wildly popular historical castle covers, I think it’s an interesting new way to add spice to the castle’s allure. I am glad you enjoyed Bill Freda’s interview. For this article I have interviewed Andrei Claude, Mr. Romance 2005.

Q : Why do you think that castles are an interest to many? And what if anything intrigues you about them?

A : I believe the reason many are interested in castles is because they are very mysterious in a way. No one really knows what goes on in there, and when something is mysterious people tend to use a lot of imagination and crave for knowledge. That sense of isolation really fascinates me.

Q : What do you know about King Henry VIII & His Six Wives?

A : Not much actually... Just that he was King of England between 1509 and 1547. The names of his wives were Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr.

Q : Would you ever contemplate Six Wives?

A : Absolutely not ! I think that's crazy... Marriage should be significant, and six times to me sounds like five times to many.

Q : What, so far if anything, have you learned about being the Dark Castle Lord, by being on a romance cover and working with the industry?

A : I've only just started out in this industry, and I can't really say I've learnt that much yet. It's awesome to be on the cover of a romance novel though... that I know.

Look for my next article which will feature, Henry VIII’s third wife, Jane Seymour, Hampton Court, and cover model, Sylvester Bowden.

Take Care,

Pamela
http://www.pamelaseres.com/

English Castles - New page added

2006-01-23T00:17:00.000+11:00

Hello and Welcome,

I hope you have enjoyed reading my two part article on the History of Lancaster Castle over the last few weeks.

Next week I will be posting another article by Pam Seres about
Catherine of Aragon/Ludlow Castle & Andrei Claud.

So look out for some fireworks with this one, if Pams last article is anything to go by.

Now down to business. As the headline sugests, I have added a new page to my English Castles section - Lincoln Castle.

As always I look forward to any coments or suggestions you have for the blog and wait with bated breath for the comments that will surely be posted about Pams article.

All that I ask is please keep them civil.

so until next week

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

The History of Lancaster Castle Pt2

2006-01-20T07:01:00.000+11:00

Hi again and welcome to part two of The History of Lancaster Castle.

In this final instalment we cover the Pendle Witch Trials, Take a brief glimpse into life at debtor’s prison, and discover what would happen to you as a child if you got caught committing an offence .

One of the most famous events at Lancaster castle was the Pendle Witch trials of 1612. During the reign of King James I, he passed laws which forbid any act of “making a covenant with an evil spirit, hurting life or limb, injuring live stock by means of charms or procuring love”. All of these acts were subject to the death penalty.

The trial was centred on two families in which five of their members were accused (Elizabeth Southern, Anne Whittle, Ann Redfern, Elizabeth Device and Alison and James Device). Another five from the same locality (Jane Bulcock and her son John, Alice Grey, Alice Nutter and Katherine Hewitt) also stood accused. While awaiting trial, 80 year old Elizabeth Southern passed away in her cell.

The trial began in August of the same year and was presided over by Judge Bromley and Judge Altham. Lord Gerard and Sir Richard Hoghton were in assistance.

The prisoners were deprived of any counsel and could not call witnesses. On top of the original ten another ten defendants, also accused of witchcraft (The Samlesbury witches, also from Pendle along with Isobel Robey from Windle, near St Helens and Margaret Pearson, the Padiham Witch) were to stand trial.

In total, 20 people stood accused and their ages ranged from 9 years old to 80 years. The evidence produced stemmed from idle gossip, false accusations and rumours.

At the conclusion of the three day event, Anne Whittle, Anne Redfern, Elizabeth Device, Alice Nutter, Alison and James Device, Katherine Hewitt, Jane and John Bulcock, as well as Isobel Robey were all found guilty and sentenced to be hanged on the moor above the Town. Margaret Pearson was sentenced to be pilloried on four successive market days at Padiham, Clitheroe, Whalley and Lancaster. Once this was carried out, Margaret was to spend a further year in prison as part of her punishment. The Samlesbury witches and Alice Grey were not found guilty and set free.

Public executions took place at Lancaster Castle right up until the 1800’s at a place called Gallows Hill. The prisoners would be taken from their cells in a cart and pass along Moor lane and Moor gate. They would pause briefly at a local public house where they could take their last drink with family and friends before proceeding to the gallows. People from all around the north west of England would congregate out in Lancaster’s streets to watch these public hangings. After 1800 the hangings were shifted from the moor to a place within the castles confines. It was to become known as "The Hanging Corner".

Of all the executions carried out, a total of 265 in all, 43 were for murder and other crimes which included burglary, forgery, robbery and cattle stealing. 131 of these hangings were carried out by the one person – Old Ned Barlow. The last person to be publicly hanged was Stephen Burke in 1865.

Between 1788 and 1868, if you found yourself lucky enough to escape the hangman’s noose, you may have found yourself being transported to a new penal colony called Australia. In total 200, 000 people found themselves ship bound to face the uncertainties of a hostile environment in NSW and Tasmania.

As a convict awaiting transportation you were entitled to the “Kings Allowance” of 2s and 6d a week. The government were charged anything from £8 to £12 per prisoner and the escorting jailers received a set fee per mile for each prisoner.

If you could not pay your debts and were found guilty you would have found yourself serving time in the castles debtors’ prison. The castle housed between 3 to 400 debtors at any one time who would be required to work within the prison.

Life as debtors was quite comfortable compared to the other inmates and you would receive in payment for your work 3 ozs of bread, 4ozs of oatmeal daily and 1oz of salt and 10 lbs of potatoes on a weekly basis.

If you were one of the lucky ones who had access to money from friends or family then your stay in prison was even more luxurious. You could choose your own type of accommodation from the 22 rooms set aside for just such people. The price ranged from 5s to 30s and included a fire, candles, cutlery and a servant who did the cooking and cleaning. The lifestyle did not stop there. You were able to buy beer and wine, purchase tobacco and newspapers, buy meat, groceries, fruit and vegetables from the debtor’s market which was held in the castle yard. You could carry on with your profession and have visitors from morning until night.

And you thought life was a hardship in prison!

Until 1902 when the Borstal system was introduced, if you were caught as a child committing an offence you could be expected to be fined or sentenced to five days hard labour. The resulting fine of 7s and 6d meant that for most families their children went to prison and completed five days of hard labour.

Lancaster has not been short of royal visitors during her 800 years. The first visitor of note was King John who held court and received the French Ambassadors and King Alexander of Scotland in 1206. From that point in time there was a steady stream of visitors.

In the 1400’s Henry IV held his court in the castle and it was also patronized by Edward IV. Both James I and Charles II visited during the 17th century. By the 1800’s, Lancaster was a very popular place to visit with nine Royal visits.

The first was in 1803 with Prince William Fredrick of Gloucester. Queen Adelaide visited in 1840 and Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and the Royal children spent time there in 1852.

The most recent royal visitor was Queen Elizabeth in 1999.

Today Lancaster Castle is a thriving tourist attraction, working prison and court room.

I hope you have enjoyed this two part series on the History of Lancaster Castle and when you find yourself in the area, pay her a visit.

Best Wishes

Stuart Bazga

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

A Guide to Castles of Europe was born from childhood dreams and aspirations. It is my hope to educate and stimulate you into exploring these castles for yourselves.

Yarmouth Castle

2006-01-16T01:57:00.000+11:00

G'Day to everyone,

I have been busy this week with a new page added to my website as well as giving it an overhaul. You may not notice it that much, but I have made each page uniform in appearance, I hope.

If you see anything out of the normal, then please let me know. A fresh pair of eyes would be appreciated.

As the title suggests, Yarmouth Castle has been added to my English Castles section for your reading pleasure.

Next week I will be posting the second and final part of The History of Lancaster Castle. So look out for that.

Finally, I would like to say hello to the new subscribers to my newsletter The Castle Times and hope you are enjoying the read.

Well that is about it until next weeks update.

Bes wishes and have a great week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

The History of Lancaster Castle Pt1

2006-01-12T07:01:00.000+11:00

Hi and welcome to another installment.

As promised in last weeks update, I am going to start posting some of my published articles.

These will include: The Ghosts of Windsor Castle and my six part series - A Short Biography on some of Europes most loved and hated monarchs. You will have the pleasure of meeting Vlad Tepes (Dracula), King George III and Ludwig II to name a few.

So with the introduction out of the way, sit back, put your feet up and enjoy the read:

Welcome to Lancaster Castle or as it is commonly known John O'Gaunt's Castle. In part 1, we will take a trip back in time discovering the origins of the castle from the early Roman period to the present day.

Lancaster Castle stemmed from an original fort built by the Romans overlooking the town of Lancaster and the River Lune to help combat the invading forces of the Picts and Scots. Following the demise of the Roman Empire in Britain during the 5th century, Lancaster fell into decline and it was not until the Norman Conquest that the present castle took on a more solid structure with the building of the Norman Keep by Roger of Poitou.

The castle led a very turbulent ancolorfulul life having a succession of owners. A total of 265 executions took place within her walls, as well as the infamous Pendle witch trials of 1612. A total of ten people were tried and convicted of witchcraft. If you were unlucky enough to be imprisoned within her cells during the later half of the 18th century onwards, you could have found yourself transported to the new found colony of Australia.

In 1399 Richard II seized the castle from the 2nd Duke of Lancaster, John of Gaunt after his death and claimed the castle in the name of the monarchy. When Henry IV ousted Richard in the same year, the castle became part of the Duchy of Lancaster where it has remained ever since.

Henry undertook a massive rebuilding program which saw the addition of a twin-towered gatehouse. The gatehouse consisted of two 2meterre high towers consisting of several floors with the top two being dived into a number of rooms. A Well Tower (which became know as the Witch's Tower) was built during the 14th century and consisted of two deep wells and several underground dungeons. These dungeons went on to house people accused of witchcraft prior to their trial at Lancaster Castle during the reign of King James I in the 16th century.

In 1585, Elizabeth I rebuilt the upper storey of the 12th century Keep.

Extensive modifications were undertaken during the 18th century, converting the castle into a prison. The use of which, has lasted for over 3 centuries. Separate complexes were built for female and male prisoners as well as a Wardens house. This wide-ranging refurbishment program began in 1788 with the warden's house and cumulated in the prison for male inmates in 1796.

The rooms of the gatehouse were converted in to prison cells which were used to house debtors. These rooms were quite comfortable and reserved for those debtors who were able to lay their hands on a little money, enabling them to live a comfortable life compared to others in the same predicament. Prior to that they were probably used and maintained by the Castles Constable. This was not the first time the castle was used to house prisoners. A Reference to prisoners being held at the castle dates back to 1196.

The last major build program undertaken at Lancaster Castle was in 1821 when a new female prison was built to the design of Joseph Gandy who had been trained by James Wyatt and had worked for John Nash.

In Pt2 you will find out about the infamous witch trials of 1612 and how you could have been transported to Australia during the later half of the 18th Century. You will learn about her Royal visitors and debtors prison.

I hope you have enjoyed this read and I look forward to your visit in Part 2.

Best Wishes

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Weekly Update

2006-01-09T04:03:00.000+11:00

Hi and a Happy New Year to all my readers.

I am afraid that it has been very quiet during the festive season and nothing much to report with the website.

Everything should start to return t normal over the next week or two as I brush of the christmas cobwebs and the winter blues.

I have been sent an article or two to post by some readers to the blog, as well as some more articles that I have had published in various ezines. So..! look out for them in the coming weeks.

Lastly I would like to say a big HELLO to all my new subscriber to The Castle Times and hope you enjoy the read.

Well until next week

Best Wishes

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

The Death of Queen Ann Boleyn By Henry Tudor alias Ray Irving.

2005-12-20T05:44:00.000+11:00

Hi again everyone,

It seems that Pamela's article has raised more questions than answers about why Anne was beheaded. I myself have done some further research on the matter and have come across articles which seem to back up the male heir theory as well as several other theories.

So I decided to ask a very good friend of mine, Ray Irving who has portrayed Henry VIII for nearly two years, for his insight on the subject. Ray has had the privilege of being asked to do part of a series with Rolf Harris during his Rolf on art programmes for the BBC, as well as constructing several ekits for use by primary school children, which have been authorized by the British Education department. You can visit Ray's site at www.henrytudor.co.uk

I hope by posting Ray's reply that we will be able to draw a line under the issue of Anne and move forward form here:

The Queen Ann Boleyn question has been answered by many people over the years from just one perspective, the Male heir problem. But, there was much more to it than just that, so here's my view which had been formulated by reading all books about Henry, visiting all the Castles and Palaces frequented by Henry, talking to HRP themselves and seeing behind the ropes at Hampton Court and finally being Henry for the past 18 months.

It goes back to the days when Ann Boleyn (Bollin) was a young girl with childlike looks, the sister of Mary who was King Henry's favorite mistress whilst still married to Catherine. His Queen Catherine after many confinements and still-births had grown fat and tired, whilst Henry still had some of the vigor of strength from his sporting life. Henry had proved to the world that he could Father a son because he named his illegitimate son by his mistress Bessie Blount, Henry Fiztroy. Fitzroy means Son-of-Royal who was purposely put into the public arena to prove Henry's manhood. Mary Boleyn a now married woman, to William Carey, had a son called Henry Carey who went on to be very prominent in Royal Courts, that also makes one wonder about who was the father! Getting back to Ann, she knew that Henry fancied her, she played him for 6 years before giving herself to him as a lover. Getting pregnant before marriage, Henry thought that a Boy was going to be born from a woman who rekindled the desires in his now aging body.

The annulment of Catherine's marriage became a national scandal, disapproved by the people who adored Catherine and making Ann the focus of hate. Henry was disappointed by the birth of the child another girl, Elizabeth. However Ann promised a Boy next time. Ann became more and more tired of Henry's advances, his eagerness to produce a boy by legitimate bond and his disappointment with Ann herself who was now not a secret, a desire to him. When the next child, a boy, died in childbirth it was the last straw for Henry, he had taken another mistress, Jane Seymour to rekindle the lost desire and he was looking for a way out of the marriage to Ann. His advisor, Cromwell was a devious character and thought up the framing of Ann to be a witch in the eyes of the people. Remember the people already hated Ann, so her fate was set.

The show trial, the fake evidence, even the myths about the six fingers were all thrown at Ann who didn't stand a chance.

At her execution Ann, spoke her mind and told the world of her belief that Henry had framed her, she was an innocent being murdered by the state so that Henry could have another go for a son with another woman. Losing her head was the noble death of a traitor, hanging-drawing-quartering would have been the other for non-nobles. Henry had a brief moment of compassion and gave Ann the sword executioner from France instead of the rough axe. Even this had some errors in it, the French swordsman was hired because Henry wanted the French to kill his Queen, after-all they had changed her name from Bollin to Boleyn, they had indoctrinated her mind with French court ways and he wanted to fight France.

Poor old Ann, the hapless victim of a ruthless, tyrannical, zealous man who held the power of life and death. She didn't stand a chance. Remember just what happened before the execution, Henry annulled the marriage on the grounds of Bewitchment, thus making his own daughter illegitimate just like his other one. Only a cold hearted, psychopath could do such a thing.

I hope this gives an insight to the mind of Henry VIII and would like to thank Ray for his time and effort in writing this piece for my blog.

I would also like to thank everyone who has posted a reply to Pamela's article and hope you will continue coming back to this site as well as my main website, A Guide to Castles of Europe in the future.

I would like to take this final opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas

Best wish

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Boy...! What a week this has turned out to be

2005-12-19T03:35:00.000+11:00

Hi everyone to this weeks update.

What a week. I have not been able to keep up with all the replies and posts to Pamela's article.

I am glad that everyone has taken an interest in the subject but would just like to reiterate that this blog is mainly a means to keep everyone who is a regular visitor to my website www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com updated on what has been happening during the week.

I am happy, also, to post articles and stories sent in by my readers on anything related to castles either it being your photos, stories, travel tales etc. I find this the best way to share with the whole internet community the romance and mystery of some of Europe's most renowned and not so popular castles

With that out the way I hope you will continue coming back to my blog and also keep on visiting my website.

I am also thinking of adding a forum to the website so people can discuss any of the stories, articles, photos or pages that have been submitted and added to my site.

What do you think? Please let me know and if the response is favorable, then I will add a new section to the site.

So! To this weeks update.

I have added one new page to my castle pictures section and it is a photo of Hampton Court Palace which was sent in by Pamela after her trip to the UK in 2005.

Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to wish every one a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and would like to thank you all for your continual patronage.

Merry Christmas

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Covers and Romance Models - Authors response to comments listed

2005-12-16T00:00:00.000+11:00

Hi All,

It seems Pamela's article and interview has created a talking point about why Henry VIII's wife Anne Boleyn was executed.

Below is pamelas reply:

First of all I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my article. The Henry VIII time period continues to fascinate me. In my opinion and through my studies, Anne could have been beheaded for many reasons. What leads me to believe she was beheaded for failing to produce a son was that Henry divorced his first wife, Catherine, after trying many years for a male heir.

This is one place I based my research of the article I wrote:

http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/bios/b2henry8.htm

I hope you have enjoyed reading Pamelas article and I am sure you will enjoy her next installment.

so until next time

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

The Ghosts of The Tower of London - Pt2

2005-12-14T06:38:00.000+11:00

Hi All,

As promised in my last update, Part 2 of the Ghosts of the Tower of london is now ready for your reading enjoyment.

In this final instalment of The Ghosts of the Tower of London, you will learn about the fate of Catherine Howard and discover the treachery behind the death of Lady Jane Grey who was Queen of England for only nine days.

The most grisly execution and thus haunting is that of the 70 year old Countess of Salisbury, the last of the Plantagenets. King Henry VIII had her executed for political reasons. The feisty Countess refused to put her head on the block like a common traitor. When her executioner came after her she ran, but was pursued by him, with his axe in hand hacking at her until he had hewn the Countess to death.

Her ghost has been seen reliving this truly gruesome act. Also the shadow of a great axe has been seen falling across the scene of her murder.

At one time the Tower of London was home to the Royal Menagerie. Lions, leopards, bears, birds, monkeys and an elephant, that was a gift from the King of France, were kept on exhibit. On the stroke of midnight in January of 1815 a sentry saw a bear from this menagerie emerge from a doorway. He lunged at it with his bayonet, it passed right through the apparition. The Sentry was later found unconscious, it is said he died of fright within two months of this encounter.

Something unseen and very frightening is in the Salt Tower. This is one of the most haunted areas of the Tower of London complex. This is a very old section, dogs will not enter this ancient building, and ever since one of the Yeoman Warders was nearly throttled by a force unseen, they will not go in the area after nightfall.

In 1864, a soldier whose post was to guard the Queen’s House at the Tower of London, saw a apparition so real, that after ignoring the soldiers three challenges, he charged with all his might at the intruder with his bayonet, only to go straight through the figure.

He was found unconscious at his post and was court-martialled for neglecting his duty. Luckily there were two witnesses who corroborated his story. The soldier was eventually acquitted.
Lady Jane Grey is another tragic story of a young life cut short at the Tower, due to the actions of others the most despicable of who was her own father.

She was the granddaughter of Mary (Henry VIII younger sister) and Louis XII of France. The Duke of Northumberland would lose everything if Henry VIII’s son was to die and Mary, who was Catholic, would become queen.
He and her father arranged her marriage to his son and persuaded her cousin Edward VI to name her his successor in case of his death instead of his two half-sisters. When Edward VI died she was crowned Queen of England, but the supporters of Mary overthrew her.

Her own father got scared and in hopes to save his own skin, left the Tower of London and went to Tower Hill to proclaim Mary I, as the Queen of England, Lady Jane never left the tower; she and her husband were immediately imprisoned and sentenced to death. Queen Mary carried out the execution of Lady Jane’s father-in-law but set both Jane and her husband free.

Her father was involved in a rebellion against Mary I, Lady Jane and her husband were again placed in the tower. Lady Jane watched as her husband was taken to Tower Hill where he was beheaded. She saw his body being carried back to the chapel, after which she was taken to Tower Green where she was beheaded. She was only 17 years old.

Lady Jane Grey’s ghost was last seen by two Guardsmen on February 12, 1957, the 403rd anniversary of her execution. She was described as a "white shape forming itself on the battlements". Her husband, Guildford Dudley, has been seen in Beauchamp Tower weeping.

Catherine Howard escaped from her room in the Tower of London. "She ran down the hallway screaming for help and mercy. She was caught and returned to her room." The next day she was beheaded. Her ghost has been seen sill running down the hallway screaming for help.

Other strange sightings at the Tower of London have been "Phantom funeral carriages" and “A lovely veiled lady that, upon closer look proves to have a black void where her face should be."

This concludes the brief insight to the Ghosts of The Tower of London. I hope this has fired your imagination enough so that you want to learn more about the Towers most GRUESOME PAST.

If you want to read about more haunting tales then visit my Haunted Castles page, where you can find out about the strange happenings at Windsor Castle or read about the Heroic tale of the two Pomeroy Brothers.

Best Wishes and Have a Great Day

Stuart Bazga
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

A Guide to Castles of Europe was born from childhood dreams and aspirations. It is my hope to educate and stimulate you into exploring these castles for youselves.
You may copy or redistribute this article in its entirety including all links.

© 2005 http://www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com - All rights reserved.

A Readers Photo of Hever Castle added to our Castle Pictures Section

2005-12-12T07:02:00.000+11:00

Hi Everyone and welcome to this weeks round up.

The attached photo of Hever Castle was kindly submitted for inclusion into our Castle Pictures section by Pamela Seres a subscriber and contributor to my newsletter.

The photo was taken by Pamela during her trip to the UK this summer.

So....! All you out there who are thinking will he really put my picture on show? Well the answer is yes.

So if you have any pictures of a castle/s in Europe then why not send it in.

As always I would like to say a big HELLO to all my new subscribers to The Castle Times.

Be on the look out during the next few days for Part 2 of The Ghosts of the Tower of London.

That's it until next weeks round up.

So until then
Best wishes

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Castles & Romance Cover Models by Pamela Seres

2005-12-08T06:32:00.000+11:00

As promised during my last update, I am proud to publish an article written especially for Guide to Castles of Europe's blog and newsletter by American author and screen writer Pamela Seres.

So...! Without any further ado, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, sit back and enjoy the fist of many special articles just for you.

Castles have always been an interest of intrigue and mystery. In the Medieval times castles were homes to Kings, Queens and nobility. My first features will cover Henry VIII and His Six Wives and the castles that they once visited. I will also interview the historical romance cover model heroes who now grace the wildly popular castle covers to see what they know about castles and the nobility that once occupied them.

King Henry's second wife was probably his most popular wife in from a historical stand point as their union brought forth England's most beloved monarch, Queen Elizabeth I.

Hever Castle, the family seat in Kent, is where Anne probably spent her early childhood. Where she was born remains the debate as two places claim her; besides Hever Castle, Blickling Hall in Norfolk claim Anne was born there. Both properties belonged to her father, Sir Thomas Boleyn so either is possible.

Hever Castle is where it is said that Henry first saw Anne and first fell inlove with her despite having previously had her sister, Mary, as mistress who gave birth to one of King Henry's illegitimate children.

Anne had taken refuge at Hever Castle many times during her courtship with the King that led to her eventual marriage to Henry. We all know how that marriage turned out as she was beheaded for failing to produce a male heir. Hever Castle was later given to Anne of Cleves, Henry's fourth wife, who spent many of her last years of her life there.

Today many romance novels feature castles as the back drop for their stories. Castles brings us our dark but tormented heroes with mystery.

I have interviewed, Bill Freda, a Mr. Romance winner and cover model to get his take on what he knows about the fascinating castle covers he is on.

Why do you think that castles are an interest to many? And what if anything intrigues you about them?

I think castles are of interest because they hold many memories. Castles are not of our present era, thus they are filled with history, riches, and sometimes the supernatural. Castles have housed some of our greatest heroes, and even some villains. Royalty, power, and wealth, all things that are sought after by many. All of these things intrigue me about castles, but most of all...... the ability to go explore and get lost in such a structure. When I visited castles in Germany and England, I was more interested in the rooms that were not on the tour, than the ones that were!

What do you know about King Henry VIII & His Six Wives?

I know that if he knew the sex of a baby was determined by the man's chromosomes, there might have been a different type of head being cut off!!!

Would you ever contemplate Six Wives?

Only if I could keep them in different corners of the country and split my time equally at two months each! Having them all together in one place like Hugh Heffner is just asking for trouble!!!

What, so far if anything, have you learned about being the Dark Castle Lord, by being on a romance cover and working with the industry?

I've learned that chain male is not light and very cold. Also, it's time to stop using castle backdrops, and start using real castles!

I hope you have enjoyed the above ariticle and if you have any comments or suggestion for Pamela or Bill, then please let me know and I will pass them on for you.

For more information on Bill and his work, visit his web site at: http://www.billfreda.com/ as well as Pamela's site at: http://www.pamelaseres.com/.

So until my next update

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

One new page added

2005-12-05T04:00:00.000+11:00

I hope you will have enjoyed reading the first installment of The Ghosts of the Tower of London.

As mentioned in my previous posts, Ray Irving (aka Henry VIII) has sent me some more pictures of him dressed in all his royal splendor. This is the second of three and is Ray, sorry Henry with his pet Boo.

Also during the coming week I will be adding a short article which was written for inclusion of my newsletter by Pamela Seres, who as you know is a contributing author to our newsletter.

So..! Keep an eye out for it during the week.

That is it for this time around and as always I look forward to your company again next week.

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

The Ghosts of the Tower of London - Pt1

2005-12-05T03:55:00.000+11:00

Hi Everyone,

As promissed last week here is the first part of the Ghosts of the tower of London. I hope you enjoy the read.

Over the coming week, I hope to lead you on a journey of discovery and adventure. Briefly taking a glimpse into a past so horrid. Of haunting tales and ghastly ends that awaited so many of her most famous occupants. Firing your imagination, so that you will delve deeper into her history for yourselves.

During her long and illustrious 900 years, The Tower of London has developed into one of the most haunted places in Britain. She has been home to beheadings and murders, torture and hangings, as well as being a prison to Queens and Nobles alike.

Thomas A. Becket is "the first reported sighting of a ghost at the Tower of London."

During the construction on the Inner Curtain Wall in the 13th century, Thomas appeared apparently unhappy about the construction, and it is said he reduced the wall to rubble with a strike of his cross. Henry III’s grandfather was responsible for the death of Thomas Becket, so Henry III wasted no time building a chapel in the Tower of London, naming it for the archbishop.

This must have pleased Thomas’ ghost because there were no further interruptions during the construction of the wall.

The Bloody Tower was the scene of the infamous disappearance of the two princes; Edward V (12) and Richard Duke of York (10), who are thought to have been murdered in 1483 on the probable command of the Duke of Gloucestershire, who was to be crowned Richard the III.
According to one story, guards in the late 15th century, who were passing the Bloody Tower, spotted the shadows of two small figures gliding down the stairs still wearing the white night shirts they had on the night they disappeared. They stood silently, hand in hand, before fading back into the stones of the Bloody Tower.

These figures were identified as the ghosts of the two princes. In 1674 workmen found a chest that contained the skeletons of two young children, they were thought to be the remains of the princess, and were given a royal burial not long afterwards. The story of the little princes is still to this day a heartbreaking story. They are "among the most poignant ghosts" in the Tower of London.

The most persistent ghost in The Tower of London is the ghost of Queen Anne Boleyn.

The King, Henry VIII, after learning the baby she carried for nine months was a boy and still born, accused by her of infidelity and treason.

She was taken to TOWER GREEN and was beheaded on May 19, 1536. Queen Anne appears near the Queen’s House, close to the site where her execution was carried out. She can be seen leading a ghostly procession of Lords and Ladies down the aisle of the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula.

She floats down the aisle to her final resting place. Queen Anne is buried under the Chapel’s altar. Her headless body has also been seen walking the corridors of the Tower.

Sir Walter Raleigh lived quite comfortable compared to others who were imprisoned within the walls of the Bloody Tower. His "rooms" are still furnished as they were in the 16th century, and can be seen when visiting the Tower today. He was executed by James I, and has been seen looking exactly as he does in his portrait hanging in the Bloody Tower.

I hope you have enjoyed Pt1 to The Ghosts of The Tower of London. In Pt2 we discover what happend to Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey as well as the Horrific end to the Countess of Salisbury.

If these tales have brought your imagination back to life and you want to discover more ghostly and gruesome stories of times past. Then pay a visit to my Haunted Castles page where you can find out about the grisly goings on at Windsor Castle or read about the Heroic tale of the Two Brothers of Berry Pomeroy Castle in Devon.

Best wishes and have a great day!

Stuart Bazga
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

© 2005 by guide-to-castles-of-europe.com - All rights reserved.
You may copy or redistribute this article in its entirety including all links.

Two new pages added this week

2005-11-28T02:48:00.000+11:00

Hello and welcome to this weeks update.

At last I have been able to do some work on the website and I am glad to say there are two new pages for you to look at.

The first page has been added to my European Castles page and is about the Moorish Castle in Gibraltar. I was lucky enough to have spent two years there just recently on posting with the RAF.

The second page has been added to my castle pictures page and is a photo of Henry VIII (aka Ray Irving) and Rolf Harris, which was taken earlier this year when they were filming Rolf on Art in Trafalgar Square.

Well that is it for the week.

Next week look out for the first installment of an article I had published several months ago entitled - The ghosts of the Tower of London Pt1.

Also, I have been lucky enough to have been given permission to publish some more of Ray's photos as Henry VIII. The will be downloaded to the site shortly.

So until next week,

Best Wishes

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Not much has happened this week except it being VERY cold....!

2005-11-21T06:21:00.000+11:00

Hi Everyone.

Once again the week has come and gone and I don't know what has happened to it.

It has been a very cold week here in the UK, especially when you need to get up at the crack of sparrows to go to work and scrape the ice of the car.

As the title says, I have not been able to do much this week due to work commitments. It has been a busy shift.

As usual I would like to say a big hello to all the new subscribers to the newsletter. If you aren't sure what the fuss is all about then why not pay a visit to my site and have a read of past issues?

Also I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who have had time to red my submissions and left a comment or two.

Well that's it for another week.

Hopefully next week I will have added a new page or two for your enjoyment.

So until next time

Have a great week

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

European Castles - New Castle Added

2005-11-14T05:28:00.000+11:00

Hello and Welcome to this weeks update.

As the title suggest, I have added a new castle to my European Castles page - Chateau de Blois, which is located in the Liore Valley and was home to several French Kings.

Also I would like to say a big HELLO to all the 17 new subscribers to The Castle Times , our monthly newsletter.

Well that is about it for this week.

So until next week,

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

NEWS FLASH - Pamela Seres - Author and Screenwriter is going to be contributing articles and stories to our newsletter

2005-11-09T05:35:00.000+11:00

Hi Everyone,

What great news. I can announce today that The Castle Times has been able to secure the services of Pamela Seres - Romance Author and screenwriter.

Pamela hails from a big military family and has travelled the world which has given her the insperations and ideas she needs to writer her books and screenplays. Pamela is the author of 'The Dark Duke' as well as being co-writer on 'Joe Tequilla'.

We are looking foward to Pamela's contributions and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome her onboard.

You can visit Pamela's website at www.pamelaseres.com

Well thats it for another week and I look foward to your company again next week.

Best wishes and have a great week.

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Diosgyor Castle in Hungry has been added to my European Castles page

2005-10-31T07:29:00.000+11:00

Hello and welcome to this weeks update.

As the title suggestes, I have added Diosgyor Castle which is located in Hungry to my European Castles Page.

The current castle, which stands today, is a result of an order by King Bela IV who, after the Mongols withdrew from the country, ordered that every hill top had to have a castle constructed upon it.

lastly I would like to welcome on board the four new subscribers to my newsletter. Hope you have enjoyed reading the previous issues...!

Well thats it for another week.

summer has finally been left behind and winter is soon upon us. As my two boys have just reminded me... DAAAAD! know it is getting darker is christmas nearly here...!

Where has the year gone? Answers on a postcard please

Unitl next week

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

At LAST... ! A New Page Added

2005-10-24T00:44:00.000+10:00

Hi Everyone to a slightly later than normal update.

It has been two weeks since my last entry and I am glad to say that at last I have been able to spend some quality time on my website.

There has been one addition to the site - A page dedicate to Edward the Confessor who ruled England from 1042 until his death in 1066. You can read all about him in my British Monarchs section.

Also I would like to say a big WELCOME to all new subscribers to my newsletter. 1 today and 3 last week. Our numbers are slowly growing. So if you know anyone who could be interested in reading about Life in Medieval times or trying out Medieval recipes then point them in my direction.

Well that's it for this week.

I am slowly gaining a full head of steam again and it want be long before I am constructing one or two pages of content on a regular basis again.

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart

www-guide-to-castles-of-europe

Normal Service is just around the corner

2005-10-10T03:42:00.000+10:00

Hello and welcome to this weeks update.

I would just like to thank everyone for their patience over the last two weeks whilst i have been relocating the family and home.

We have all settled in to our new surroundings and at last I have been able to get down and start adding some pages to the site.

I am afraid it is only a single page but at least it is a step in the right direction.

this weeks additon is Harlech Castle in Wales. You can visit the page directly or via my Welsh castles page.

Also I would like to give a warm welcome to this weeks nw subscribers to my news letter.

If you want to find out what all the fuss is about, just clikc on the link to the left of this page and you will instantly be transported to the newsletter page.

well thats about it for now. Short and sweet.

As always

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

A new house, new location and a cold...!

2005-10-02T22:43:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone,

As the title suggests, I have finally moved all the family and our worthily affects down to London.

The move went well without to much trouble, except that the house the military have given us to live in is a lot smaller than what we left behind in Stafford.

The only thing I wish I could have left back in our old place was a cold I picked up just before we moved. Not sure if it was caused by the stress of moving, finding out that we might have to perform magic tricks to make our furniture seem smaller than it is or a combination of everything or none at all.

Boy....! I am now a convert to what they say about moving house is the most stressful thing to happen to you.

The good thing to come out of it tho, is that my two boys made new friends within half a day of being here and were so tired from helping with the move that they went to bed early most nights of last week without being told to. Miracles do happen.

Well that is about it for this weeks happenings. Sorry there isn't much to report but hopefully next weeks round up will have something more interesting for you to read about.

So until then

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Carlisle Castle

2005-09-25T23:15:00.000+10:00

Hello Again,

Welcome to this weeks update.

This will be my last for a week or two due to the fact that tomorrow I am moving the family down to London on posting. It is going to take a bit of time to get our new house in order and the computer up and running again.

Please be patient and things will be back to normal before you know it.

Well...! Onto this weeks update. I have had four new subscribers to my newsletter, which is great. The more the merrier.

Last but not least, as the title suggests, Carlisle Castle has been added to my English Castles section.

Well that is it until after the move.

As always, I look forward to your company again soon.

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

My Scottish Castles Section has one new addition - Bothwell Castle

2005-09-19T01:02:00.000+10:00

Hello and welcome to this weeks update.

As promised, I have added my first ever article I had published online as part of my effort to spread the word about the Castles of Europe - The Evolution of the British Castle - A short history

I hope you enjoy reading it and I would love to hear your comments or views on it.

So....! On to the businesss of the day. I have been furiously adding the remainder of my articles for publication online with a few more publishers that I stumbled across or were recommended to me. That took some doing as there were 18 articles in total to submit.

As the heading suggests, I have added one new castle this week - Bothwell Castle which is located in Scotland and is now a ruin.

I would also like to take this opportunity in welcoming all my new subscribers who have signed up for my newsletter this week. Welcome and I hope you enjoy the read.

I would just like to let every one know that there may not be an update next week due to my family and I moving house back down to London. That's Military life for you. Just as soon as you get settled they post you.

Finally, I would like thank every one for their continuing support and comments about my blogg. I am glad you like it ...!

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

The Evolution of the British Castle – A short history

2005-09-19T00:55:00.000+10:00

Since Greek and Roman times, man has strived to establish some type of a fortification for protection and shelter. Over the pursuing centuries these evolved into a form of military and residential places known as castles.

When William the Conqueror, conquered England in 1066, his armies quickly erected wooden palisades (a fence of stakes or iron railings forming an enclosure or defence) establishing a presence in the former Saxon kingdoms. Many of these fortresses were constructed on sites that had previously been fortified in pre-Roman times, then by the Romans themselves and lastly by the Saxons who established the first kingdoms there.

As times became less turbulent and settled, the Normans became integrated into every day life and were eventually accepted by the local populace. These wooden palisades slowly began to disappear, to be replaced with stone. Any new fortifications built from that time onward were constructed entirely from stone.

In Europe , this manifested into a design consisting of a single tower and outer buildings.

In the mountains there was no shortage of rocky hilltops on which to build these new bastions. In the lower lying areas, however, islands and peninsulas were much sought after for their ease of defence.

In the British Isles the Normans began to dig ditches to create a small hill or mound when one couldn’t be found to build on. These mounds became the first "motte and bailey" castles, some of which were built on top of old Iron Age hill forts.

A "motte" was the conical hill of dirt that was built as the main defence for the "keep", which was were the Lord and his family resided and sought refuge whilst trying to govern their surrounding territory. The keep was basically a tower with one room per floor and usually contained 3 to 4 floors.

Later, a walled area known as a “bailey” began to appear around the keep with another at the base of the motte. Its function was to help protect the keep's support functions which grew up around the original tower: grain storage, wood and metal workshops, military barracks, wells, chapels and sometimes a garden or a great hall where formal functions and meetings were held.

Over the intervening years, the design and style of British Castles would appear in various forms throughout the castle building era.

Eventually, the motte itself began to be replaced with stone and a new style of British castle began to appear. These castles were built without the motte altogether. The tower keep, however, remained.

The ditch that had separated the “motte” from the bailey became a moat (a deep, wide defensive ditch surrounding a castle or town), either dry or stone-lined, or filled with water from a nearby river or lake. These Moats became a significant part of the castles design.

In the 12th century, the Crusaders began their travels to the Middle East in the name of god, encountered a differing style of castle to that which they had become accustomed to. One of the most popular style of castles encountered had curtain walls with mural towers: palisades but with towers along its length from which to fire on attackers. This developed into concentric walls, giving the besieging army multiple obstacles to overcome just to get into the castle. The tower keep sometimes became part of the wall in this type of fortification.

The advent of gunpowder and the development in weaponry, i.e. muskets and cannon from the 13th to 15th century, saw the rapid decline in the importance of building castles for defence, and yet again, another change in design. Castles had to be built with thicker and thicker walls. Eventually, evolution caught up. Not being able to keep abreast of technological advancements in fire power of the era, the defensive capability of these great castles was severely diminished, causing them to become obsolete.

In the 18th and 19th century British castles were built for very different reasons. The Aristocracy, who were nostalgic for the past, had the most wonderful and splendid castles built for their pleasure. The most passionate of these builders was (Mad King) Ludwig of Bavaria in the 19th century and his fairytale castle - Neuschwanstein.

I hope you enjoyed The Evolution of the British Castle – A short history

If you want to find out about more of the histories that lie behind some of Europe’s most picturesque, mysterious and notorious castles? Unravelling the legends and myths behind some of their most celebrated and not so renowned castles in a voyage of discovery and adventure…!

Then pay a visit to my website at Guide to Castles of Europe.

There you will discover the history and myths of some of Europe’s most famous castles: Windsor Castle, TheTower of London, Dracula’s Castle and Blarney Castle (the home of the Blarney stone) to name a few.

I look forward to sharing in your experiences and discoveries that you have made from your journeys around Europe, visiting her many picturesque and unique Castles. Send me a message with your tales and I will post them on my website, so that the world can discover these hidden treasures too.

Best wishes and have a great day!

Stuart

You may copy or redistribute this article in its entirety including all links

Two new Castles - Colditz Castle and Silves Castle in Portugal added

2005-09-11T20:49:00.000+10:00

Hello again,

This week I have been lucky enough to add two new pages to my site. The fist page was on Colditz Castle in Germany, which needs no introduction. Colditz has had many movies mad about it and was a prisoner of war camp during WWII.

The other castle is Silves Castle which was nearly destroyed by two earthquakes during the 1700's. Silves, resides in the Algarve region of Portugal and is Moorish in design.

I have also been busy submitting several of my articles I have written to some newly found online publishers.

Next week I will be adding my first ever published article to the blogg - The evolution of the British castle - A short history. So ..! Watch out for it.

I hope you are enjoying my updates and browsing around my website.

So until next week

Have a great week

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

One New European Castle Added

2005-09-04T23:08:00.000+10:00

Yes! It is that time of the week again.

Firstly I would like to say hello to all the new subscribers to my newsletter - The Castle Times. I hope you have enjoyed the editions so far.

It has been a funny old week this week. I have only added one new page but I have also submitted several articles that I have written to some newly found online publishers.

So..! I guess you are wondering what is the new castle? The photo is of Almourol Castle in Portugal, which was once owned by the Templar Knights. It was given to them in the 1100's and once they modified it, it became their home and headquarters for the defense of the then Portuguese capital of Coimbra

Well thats about it for know.

The next few weeks will be a bit muddled as I am about to start an IT course which encompasses CompTIA A+, MSCA and MSCE certificates. On top of that, beinging in the military, I have just been psoted back down to London in three weeks time.

So Please bear with me over the coming weeks as things go haywire in this place.

See you all agin next week

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

One New Image added

2005-08-29T04:23:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone and welcome to this weeks update.

Sorry there isn't much to write about this week, as being in the military I was sent away for most of last week on a course. I was able to add the above picture of The Tower of London, to my castle pictures section and would also like to thank Paul Hillman who kindly sent in the photo.

If any of you have any castle related photos you want to share with our readers or visitors to the website like Paul has done, then why not email with with the deatils and I will send you the email address to submit them to.

Well...! I am affraid thas's it for this time around, normal service shuld resume next week and look out for a new section which is going to be added shortly..!

so until next week,

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Two New Castles Added for your Enjoyment

2005-08-21T22:35:00.000+10:00

Its another end to a week and the weather here in my part of the UK has been lovely. My summer leave is comming to an end and today I am off on a course which will take up most of my week. So apologise to everyone for the lack of content in my update next week. Thats military life for you....!

As a continuation of last weeks addition, i managed to reserch the history of Criccieth Castle and have now added it to the Welsh Castles Section.

The other castle I have added is situated in Germany and goes by the name of Wartburg Castle.

I would also like to say a big hello to all those new subscribers to my newsletter. I hope yo are enjoying the articles and the history of our castle of the month.

So until next week

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

It was a nice week away but it is back to the grindstone

2005-08-15T00:35:00.000+10:00

Boy...! That week went quick. I am still in holiday mode, so apologies to one and all for the lack of content in this weeks update.

I have been able to add two new pages to the site with the first being about Alcazar Castle in Toledo, Spain, which you can find in my European Castles Section and the second page, a photo of Criccieth Castle which is situated in North West Wales (taken by yours truly whilst on holiday) has been added to my Castle Pictures Section.

Well...Monday is just around the corner and it is back to full production next week. I hope to have som more great content for you all to read about.

So until then

Best wishes and have a great week

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Two new Castles - Richmond and Kronborg added as well as a new European Monarch

2005-08-06T04:39:00.000+10:00

Hello and welcome to a slightly early than usual update.

I am going away on Saturday for a weeks holiday with my family so am in a hurray to get this out.

This week, has in relation to my previous two weeks, been fairly quiet. I have added two new castles for your perusal with the first being Richmond Castle located in England. The other castle is Kronborg Castle which is located on the extreme tip of Zealand in Denmark.

Also I have added a new face to my European Monarchs page - you can read all about Sancho I of Portugal.

I would also like to welcome all the new subscribers to my newsletter called the Castle Times. I hope you are enjoying the articles and recipes. if you haven't yet seen it why not check it out.

Well that's it for another week.

I look forward to your company again when I get back of my holidays

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Two Great new pages added and some nice Photos to look at

2005-08-01T04:26:00.000+10:00

Hello and welcome to this weeks update.

Boy...! What a week. Two new pages have been added for you to enjoy, the first being Kenilworth Castle and the second being Queen Mary I or as some of you may know her by "Bloody Mary". You can visit them in my English Castles and British Monarchs sections respectively.

As well as the above two pages, I have written and article for publication and a very good acquaintance of mine, Ray Irving who portrays Henry VIII, has sent me two great photos to add to my site. You can view these at my Castle Pictures page. Please visit his site at www.henrytudor.co.uk you won’t be disappointed...!

Well that wraps up these weeks round up.

As always I look forward to your company again next week.

So until then

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart

www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Two New Castles and Monarchs added

2005-07-20T05:32:00.000+10:00

Hi and Welcome to this weeks update. A few days late but we made it.

It has been a busy week again with a lot of things happening. On the castle front, Ludlow Castle and Borthwick Castle have been added for your perusal. they can be found hidding amongst the other castles in my English Castles section and Scottish Castles section respectaviely.

In our newly established European Monarchs section, you can learn about the life of Frederick I of Germany( I am affraid not many good photos of poor old Frederick about , Sorry...!) as well as Henry IV who has been added to the British Monarchs section.

Well thats it for this week.

As usual, I look forward to your company again next week.

Stuart

A New British Monarch for you to read about

2005-07-09T02:00:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone and welcome to this weeks update.

It has been a slow week this week but I have managed to create three new pages for you to peruse.

The first page is about Charles II who ruled England from 1660 until 1685.

The other two pages are concerned with my castle store. You can now buy a print or poster of your favorite castle or purchase a book on the European Monarchy.

Well thats all for this week. I look forward to your company again at my next update.

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

New Section, castles and photo added

2005-07-02T05:47:00.000+10:00

Hi and welcome again to this weeks update.

As a continuation from last weeks new section - European Monarchs,I have know added British Monarchs to the list.

It has been a quiet week compared to recent weeks andI have only added two new castles for your perusal. The first is Rochester Castle ( click on the picture below for a larger view and Calshot Castle both situated in England.

As well as the above , I have also written about Philip II of France and you can find him hidden in amongst the other European Monarchs.

Rochester Castle

Four Great new Pages added to European Monarchs

2005-06-25T18:30:00.000+10:00

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to this weeks update.

Another busy week again with four great new pages added to my European Monarchs Section.

You can read about Empress Matilda who ruled in Britain in 1141. As well as her I have also added one of Britains favourite monarchs - King Henry VIII who ruled from 1509 until 1547.

Also added is King Ludwig II of Germny who had a fasination with Wagner and his operas and ruled Bavaria from 1864 to 1886. Finally you can learn about the Romanian Prince Vlad Tepes who to many of you is known as Dracula.

Just click on the photos below and you can read all about their lives and deeds.

I appologise for not having a picture of empress Matilda.

Until next week, all the best

Stuart

Prince Vlad Tepes

2005-06-25T18:27:00.000+10:00

Vlad Tepes (Dracula)

King Henry VIII

2005-06-25T18:25:00.001+10:00

King Henry VIII

King Ludwig II

2005-06-25T18:25:00.000+10:00

King Ludwig II

Castle Mheer - Holland

2005-06-18T21:25:00.000+10:00

Just click on the link below to be taken to a larger picture

Castle Mheer

St Ulrich Castle - France

2005-06-18T21:24:00.000+10:00

Just click on the link below to view a larger picture

St Ulrich Castle

New Section - Castle Store has been added as well as Two new Pictures

2005-06-18T05:00:00.000+10:00

Hi Everyone

Welcome to this weeks round up.

Again, like last week it has been a busy week here at www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com. I have added a new section entitled Castle Store. Here you can buy travel guides to your favorite European destinations at our Travel Guides to Europe page , get books on your favorite European or British castle at our Book Store, as well as by your much need castle related film for your collection - Exclibur, Camelot or A knights Tale etc in our Films Section.

Future additions will be poster and prints of European castles.

In addition to the above, I have also added with kind permission of www.castles.nl, two new photos for your viewing - Mheer Castle in Holland and St. Ulrich Castle in France.

The photos are posted above for your perusal.

Well that's all for know.

Happy Viewing

Stuart

A lot has happened this week

2005-06-11T05:31:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone,

Phew...! What a week I have had this week.

I have been able to add 3 new castles to my site as well as produce the next two editions of my castle newsletter, which you can join by clicking on the link to the left of the page.

On top of all this, an associate of mine (Corey Rudl) was killed in a car accident during the weekend just gone.

Lastly I will be adding, with my fingers crossed, photos to accompany each new entry.

So on with the details about the new castles.

We have a mixed bag with the first two being from Wales- Caerphilly Castle and Powis Castle. The other is Muiden Castle, which hales from the Netherlands.

All the best

Stuart

Death of Corey Rudl

2005-06-04T22:30:00.000+10:00

It is with a saddened heart that I learnt today ONE of the Greats in the Internet Marketing World was killed in a car crash.

I did not know Corey personally but have brought many of his products and found them to be of great value.

He will be sorely missed.

We at Guide to Castles of Europe send our condolences to his family and members of his staff.

Our prays and thoughts are with you.

Stuart

Two more great New Castles have been Added

2005-06-04T02:46:00.000+10:00

Hi and welcome again to this weeks update.

After successfully updating and revamping my site to make it load and run faster, I am now able to get down and concentrate on adding more great content to the site.

this week I have added two new castle pages to www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

The first is an Italian castle called Castello Sforzesco and the second is Grimsthorpe Castle in England.

Please pop along and pay them visit.

As always I look forward to your views and comments.

Stuart

St Mawes Castle

2005-05-28T17:41:00.000+10:00

Hi and welcome to my regular update.

I have been busy these last two weeks revamping the website.

It now loads and runs faster and should make your viewing experience more pleasurable.

I was also able to continue with adding more content to the site and you can now learn about St Mawes Castle in England.

St Mawes was the sister castle built along with Pendennis Castle by Henry VIII between 1539 and 1545.

I hope you are enjoying the site and I look forward to your comments.

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart

Two new castles added for your perusal

2005-05-22T03:12:00.000+10:00

Hi and welcome once again.

I have been busy these last two weeks revamping the site to make it load quicker and searching out more great content for my site.

Everything is getting back to normal after the family bereavement.

So as they say onwards and upwards.

The two new castles added are Hohensalzburg Castle which is located in Austria, has become one of the largest, fully-preserved fortresses in central Europe and Herstmonceux Castle located in England was constructed at a time when castles built as military fortifications were coming to an end. Instead it was designed along the lines of a grand mansion using a newly developed, highly fashionable product of the day – ‘Bricks’.

I hope you find these two castles an interesting read and I look forward to your company again soon.

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart

European Castles - New Castle Added

2005-05-09T01:04:00.000+10:00

Hi to one and all,

Not much to report this week due to a family bereavement in Portugal.

I was able to create just one new page due to having to look after my two boys aged 9 and 5.

Anyway the new castle is Fort la Latte, which is located along the picturesque coast of North Brittany, France, on top of 70 metre high cliffs.

It is now just over three months since the site was launched and started to receive a significant amount of traffic to push it up the Alexa ranks.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has come along and visited my site. With out your support the site would not be able to continually grow and move up the rankings towards the number one spot in its field.

Thank You

Stuart

3 Great new Castles for you to look at and discover

2005-04-29T19:49:00.000+10:00

Hi Again,

I have added another 3 GREAT Castles for you to discover and read about.

We first travel to Germany and Schwerin Castle which was built in 1160 and nearly destroyed by fire in 1913. Then it is back across the sea to England and King Henry VIII castle of Pendennis in Falmouth which was built between 1540 and 1545 against a threat of Spanish invasion.

Finally we travel up the road to Lancaster and Lancaster Castle which stemmed from a Roman fort built to help combat the invading forces of the Picts and Scots.

A new Milestone at Guide to Castles of Europe

2005-04-20T18:24:00.000+10:00

It’s Official! As of TODAY 20 April 2005, Guide to Castles of Europe has moved into the TOP 1% of all the 53 MILLION plus websites out there according to the latest Alexa ranking.

I would just like to thank everyone who has visited the site.

Haunted Castles - 3 GREAT new castles added

2005-04-15T21:06:00.000+10:00

Hello again to all you castle enthusiast,

Once agin it has been a busy week and I have added three new stories to our Haunted Castles Section.

You can read about Malahide castle which is the olderst inhabited castle in Ireland and comes complete with not one but FIVE ghosts.

Our other two castles are Edingburgh Castle and Tutbury castle which is owned by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Enjoy your read

Italian Castles - A new Section

2005-04-09T05:08:00.000+10:00

Hi Everyone,

I have added a new section to the website - Italian Castles

There you can discover the hidden delights of Laquila Castle, one of the most impressive Italian Castles of the Renaissance period, situated in the Abruzzo region of Italy or read about
Castello di ostia, which Pope Marino ordered built in the 1400's as a “excelsa turris et rotunda.”

The third castle added to the collection is Lari Castle which became the property of the Archbishops of Pisa during the 12th century and by 1230 the Upezzinghi family who originated from Pisa used Lari as their home.

Enjoy

The Ghosts of The Tower of London Pt2

2005-04-06T02:24:00.000+10:00

In this final instalment of The Ghosts of the Tower of London, you will learn about fate of Catherine Howard and discover the treachery behind the death of Lady Jane Grey who was Queen of England for only nine days.

The most grisly execution thus haunting is that of the 70 year old Countess of Salisbury, the last of the Plantagenets. King Henry VIII had her executed for political reasons. The feisty Countess refused to put her head on the block like a common traitor. When her executioner came after her she ran, but was pursued by him, with his axe in hand hacking at her until he had hewn the Countess to death.

Her ghost has been seen reliving this truly gruesome act. Also the shadow of a great axe has been seen falling across the scene of her murder.

At one time the Tower of London was home to the Royal Menagerie. Lions, leopards, bears, birds, monkeys and an elephant, that was a gift from the King of France, were kept on exhibit. On the stroke of midnight in January of 1815 a sentry saw a bear from this menagerie emerge from a doorway. He lunged at it with his bayonet, it passed right through the apparition. The Sentry was later found unconscious, it is said he died of fright within two months of this encounter.

Something unseen and very frightening is in the Salt Tower. This is one of the most haunted areas of the Tower of London complex. This is a very old section, dogs will not enter this ancient building, and ever since one of the Yeoman Warders was nearly throttled by a force unseen, they will not go in the area after nightfall.

In 1864, a soldier whose post was to guard the Queen’s House at the Tower of London, saw a apparition so real, that after ignoring the soldiers three challenges, he charged with all his might at the intruder with his bayonet, only to go straight through the figure.
He was found unconscious at his post and was court-martialled for neglecting his duty. Luckily there were two witnesses who corroborated his story. The soldier was eventually acquitted.

Lady Jane Grey is another tragic story of a young life cut short at the Tower, due to the actions of others the most despicable of who was her own father.

She was the granddaughter of Mary (Henry VIII younger sister) and Louis XII of France. The Duke of Northumberland would lose everything if Henry VIII’s son was to die and Mary, who was Catholic, would become queen.

He and her father arranged her marriage to his son and persuaded her cousin Edward VI to name her his successor in case of his death instead of his two half-sisters. When Edward VI died she was crowned Queen of England, but the supporters of Mary overthrew her.
Her own father got scared and in hopes to save his own skin, left the Tower of London and went to Tower Hill to proclaim Mary I, as the Queen of England, Lady Jane never left the tower; she and her husband were immediately imprisoned and sentenced to death. Queen Mary carried out the execution of Lady Jane’s father-in-law but set both Jane and her husband free.

Her father was involved in a rebellion against Mary I, Lady Jane and her husband were again placed in the tower. Lady Jane watched as her husband was taken to Tower Hill where he was beheaded. She saw his body being carried back to the chapel, after which she was taken to Tower Green where she was beheaded. She was only 17 years old.

Lady Jane Grey’s ghost was last seen by two Guardsmen on February 12, 1957, the 403rd anniversary of her execution. She was described as a "white shape forming itself on the battlements". Her husband, Guildford Dudley, has been seen in Beauchamp Tower weeping.
Catherine Howard escaped from her room in the Tower of London. "She ran down the hallway screaming for help and mercy. She was caught and returned to her room." The next day she was beheaded. Her ghost has been seen sill running down the hallway screaming for help.

Other strange sightings at the Tower of London have been "Phantom funeral carriages" and “A lovely veiled lady that, upon closer look proves to have a black void where her face should be."

This concludes the brief insight to the Ghosts of The Tower of London. I hope this has fired your imagination enough so that you want to learn more about the Towers most GRUESOME PAST.

If you want to read about more haunting tales then visit my Haunted Castles page, where you can find out about the strange happenings at Windsor Castle and read about the Heroic tale of the two Pomeroy Brothers.

Best Wishes and Have a Great Day

Stuart Bazga
www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

3 New pages of Great Content have been added

2005-04-02T05:26:00.000+10:00

G'Day to all you Castle enthusiasts!

I have been busy this week adding more GREAT content to the website.

You can now read about the Heroic tale of the two brothers of Berry Pomery Castle, who with their horses leapt to their deaths.

Chepstow Castle has been added to the Welsh Castles section as well as Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland.

Best Wishes and Have a Great Day

The Ghosts of The Tower of London Pt1

2005-03-31T03:01:00.000+10:00

Over the coming week, I hope to lead you on a journey of discovery and adventure. Briefly taking a glimpse into a past so horrid. Of haunting tales and ghastly ends that awaited many of her most famous occupants.

Firing your imagination, so that you can delve deeper into her history for yourselves and read about the stories and tales that make the Tower of London what she is today.

During her long and illustrious 900 years, The Tower of London has developed into one of the most haunted places in Britain. She has been home to beheadings, murders, torture and hangings, as well as being a prison to Queens and Nobles alike.

Thomas A. Becket is "the first reported sighting of a ghost at the Tower of London."

During the construction on the Inner Curtain Wall in the 13th century, Thomas appeared apparently unhappy about the construction, and it is said he reduced the wall to rubble with a strike of his cross. Henry III’s grandfather was responsible for the death of Thomas Becket, so Henry III wasted no time building a chapel in the Tower of London, naming it for the archbishop.

This must have pleased Thomas’ ghost because there were no further interruptions during the construction of the wall.

The Bloody Tower was the scene of the infamous disappearance of the two princes; Edward V (12) and Richard Duke of York (10), who are thought to have been murdered in 1483 on the probable command of the Duke of Gloucestershire, who was to be crowned Richard the III.

According to one story, guards in the late 15th century, who were passing the Bloody Tower, spotted the shadows of two small figures gliding down the stairs still wearing the white night shirts they had on the night they disappeared.

They stood silently, hand in hand, before fading back into the stones of the Bloody Tower.

These figures were identified as the ghosts of the two princes. In 1674 workmen found a chest that contained the skeletons of two young children, they were thought to be the remains of the princess, and were given a royal burial not long afterwards.

The story of the little princes is still to this day a heartbreaking story. They are "among the most poignant ghosts" in the Tower of London.

The most persistent ghost in The Tower of London is the ghost of Queen Anne Boleyn.

The King, Henry VIII, after learning the baby she carried for nine months was a boy and still born, accused by her of infidelity.

She was taken to TOWER GREEN and was beheaded on May 19, 1536.

Queen Anne appears near the Queen’s House, close to the site where her execution was carried out. She can be seen leading a ghostly procession of Lords and Ladies down the aisle of the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula.

She floats down the aisle to her final resting place. Queen Anne is buried under the Chapel’s altar. Her headless body has also been seen walking the corridors of the Tower.

Sir Walter Raleigh lived quite comfortable compared to others who were imprisoned within the walls of the Bloody Tower.

His "rooms" are still furnished as they were in the 16th century, and can be seen when visiting the Tower today.

He was executed by James I, and has been seen looking exactly as he does in his portrait hanging in the Bloody Tower.

I hope you have enjoyed Pt1 to The Ghosts of The Tower of London. In Pt2 we discover what happend to Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey as well as the Horrific end to the Countess of Salisbury.

If these tales have brought your imagination back to life and you want to discover more ghostly and gruesome stories of times past. Then pay a visit to my Haunted Castles page where you can find out about the grisly goings on at Windsor Castle or read about the Heroic tale of the Two Brothers of Berry Pomeroy Castle in Devon.

Best wishes and have a great day!

New Section and Castles added

2005-03-26T18:42:00.000+11:00

Hi to everyone and Hope you are all having a lovely Easter.

It has been a busy week here at Guide to Castles of Europe.

I have added a new section called Welsh Castles and you can read about the histories of Cardiff Castle and Gwydir Castle.

Our European Castles section has a new addition as well. Kyrenia Castle, which is located in Northern Cyprus.

I hope you enjoy reading about our new inclusions and if you have any comments or want your favorite castle to be listed, then please feel free to contact us by filling out this form and sending it to us.

Enjoy!!

The Evolution of the British Castle – A Short History

2005-03-18T08:08:00.000+11:00

I have just had my first article published and below is a brief summary of what it is about.

Since Greek and Roman times, man has strived to establish some type of a fortification for protection and shelter. Over the pursuing centuries these evolved into a form of military and residential places known as castles. The evolution of the British castle went from wooden palisades used by William the Conquer, to the great stone structures created during the 13th to 15th century. Their demise was brought about by the advent of gunpowder and the technological advancements of the canons and weaponry in use during that era. The defensive capabilities of these great castles were severely diminished, causing them to become obsolete.

You can read the full article at http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Evolution-of-the-British-Castle---A-Short-History&id=20671

Enjoy your read

It's Offical! Guide to Castles of Europe has moved into the TOP 2% of all the websites out there.

2005-03-18T07:28:00.000+11:00

As of today Guide to Castles of Europe has moved into the TOP 2% of all websites.

This could not happen without your visits and interest in my site. I must be doing something right!

So! Why not add my blog to your desktop and hear about the news and events as they happen.

Together we can watch Guide to Castles of Europe become one of the top sites in its field.

Guide to Castles of Europe - Our First Entry

2005-03-17T00:36:00.000+11:00

Hi and welcome to all you castle enthusiasts..

This is my first entry of what I hope will become a regular update on what is happening on my website.

A little bit about my site .....

Guide to Castles of Europe was born from a childhood fascination of King Arthur and the knights of Camelot and from boyhood dreams of being the knight in shining amour and it is my hope to educate and stimulate you into exploring these castles for yourselves.

You will discover and read about some of Europe's most picturesque, mysterious and notorious castles.

You will be able to unravel the history, legends, and myths behind some of their celebrated and not so renowned castles in a voyage Adventure and Discovery!

We have a monthly newsletter that features:

Our Castle of the month - A short HistoryMedieval recipe's to Try if you Dare..! Readers Questions and AnswersTravel Tips
and much more

So I Invite You to come along and have a browse at Guide to Castles of Europe and join in on our Voyage of Adventure and Discovery.

Thanks for dropping by and I look forward to seeing you again soon!