Week 2

Castle Acre

 

Then we swung on by Castle Acre. It was starting to get dark but it was neat.

Will mostly loved the climbing, running, jumping, throwing rocks in wells, and the MUD!  He was covered!  Old Castles were made for little boys.

Castle Acre came into the possession of William I de Warenne, a close associate of William the Conqueror, in the 1070s. Within three generations the Warennes had created the castle, surrounded the town with massive ramparts and established its famous Cluniac priory. Remarkably, all three survive in recognizable form, and together give an unrivalled impression of the physical, social and religious impact of the Norman Conquest. The castle itself is particularly important for the form and development of its defenses and of the stone building in the inner bailey.

 

Castle Rising Castle

We took a fun Sunday afternoon drive to Castle Rising Castle.

One of the largest, best preserved and most lavishly decorated keeps in England, surrounded by 20 acres of mighty earthworks.

Begun in 1138 by William d'Albini for his new wife, the widow of Henry I, in the 14th century it became the luxurious exile-place of Queen Isabella, widow (and alleged murderess) of Edward II.

The basement…

Run Madeline Run!

It really was that green!

The Entry…

There is the remains of a small church on the grounds. You can just about see where the cross was in the stone work. The church predated the castle. It is extra old.

Can you imagine living there?