Berkhamsted Castle, Norman motte-and-bailey castle ruins in Berkhamsted, England
Berkhamsted Castle is a Norman motte-and-bailey fortress with a prominent earthen mound surrounded by deep ditches and stone walls distributed across multiple defensive sections. The remains reveal how this settlement was laid out with a central strongpoint and extensive outer areas.
The fortress was built after the Norman invasion as a strategic stronghold to control the region and remained important for local governance. It fell to Prince Louis of France in 1216 after a siege, a moment that showed how effective medieval siege weapons had become.
The castle served as a regional seat of power under Richard, Earl of Cornwall, who left his mark through thirteenth-century construction projects. You can sense how this place mattered to local rulers and their control over the surrounding lands.
The site is open to visitors daily without entrance fees and offers interpretative panels throughout the grounds to guide your exploration. Well-maintained paths allow you to walk around and see all the main sections of the castle.
The site gained parliamentary protection in 1833 when railway construction threatened its ruins, making it an early example of heritage conservation law in England. This decision set a precedent for officially protecting historic places from destruction.
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