Back to England - 30th June

Guess what we are going to visit this morning?
Yes it's another castle, this one is a big one.


Caerphilly castle was built in 1268 by the Normans.
In 1270 it was destroyed by a Welsh prince who didn't particularly like the Normans.
1271 it was rebuilt bigger and stronger and became Wales biggest castle.

1326 the castle was a hideout for the doomed English King, Edward II, before he met a nasty end by a red hot poker on the order of Queen Isabella of France, who was Edwards wife, however Edward had run off with another man. His lover was also captured and hung, drawn and quartered.

17th century the famous leaning tower starts to lean, must have been the same engineer that saved all that cash on the foundations of the tower in Pisa.


 













We watched the impressive archery display.
Then we explored the castle, much has been restored but it is easy to tell between the old and the new. It is good to see parts of a castle that we have seen as ruins on previous ones as a whole part, particularly the great hall.

Steven did his usual frantic running up and down towers and along corridors.
Then we watched the battle equipment display with swords, axes and spears, also very good.

 

 









There was a display of full sized castle seige machines that were terrific. Steven wasn't allowed to play with them.


After the castle we headed back to England on the highways. Once again we had trouble finding a caravan park and ended up in a field with portable toilets and nothing else, what would you expect for only $30 per night?