4 Cawdor Castle: Over 600 Years of Mystery and Legend...

but the one of which you're thinking? Nope. Didn't happen.

Anyway. When we headed up to Scotland for one last stolen week away in September, Cawdor Castle was the only sight-seeing place I had on my "must" list. We'd missed it the last time we were in Moray, as it had already closed for the winter, when the family resumes residence.
Fun fact: In my googling just now, I've found that there is a long-going legal battle between the current Earl of Cawdor and his step-mother. Turns out the Dowager Countess (the step-mother) isn't interested in vacating her castle, despite this being a breach of tradition! (From what I've read, though, that tradition is becoming more contentious in recent generations. The whole people living longer, wanting to make a house a home thing. Can't say I'd give up Cawdor willingly!!)

Anyway. I was pretty upset that we didn't get to see "Macbeth Castle" last time, so one day we drove out to visit this tower house. It was dreary, rainy, and glum; classic Highland weather, but after we'd parked the blue skies came out!

Approaching Cawdor from the car park. Entry is a steep £9 per person, but of all the castles that are costly to enter, Cawdor does deliver, unlike others (ahem, Eileen Doanan).

  

The current structure was begun in the 14th century, with the unique feature of having been built around a tree. This tree's wizened trunk is still on display, and has been scientifically dated to have died in 1372, which was approximately when it was denied access to sunlight. Oops.

Clan Campbell claimed Cawdor (say that three times fast!) when twelve-year-old Muriel Calder, the daughter of the 7th Thane of Calder (an older spelling of Cawdor), was kidnapped by the 2nd Earl of Argyll and married to his twenty-year-old son, Sir John Campbell. Apparently this marriage proved harmonious, despite its rocky start.

Drawbridge and crest.

Like most castles that are still residences, photography is not permitted indoors.  There is a fairly comprehensive guidebook, which we of course purchased.  You can see a bit of an interior tour here, on the castle's website. The most interesting feature of Cawdor, by far, is how the old castle, with it's thick stone walls and small, oddly-angled rooms, has been turned into a current home. Tapestries still hang on the walls, both for decor and warmth, tartan rugs and furniture abound, centuries-old weapons act as wall decoration, and small, lumpy beds still beckon, untantalizingly. Artfully mixed in are armchairs, classic in design but clearly offering more lumbar support than their predecessors, family nicknacks that don't qualify as heirlooms (yet), and the occasional family photograph on a side table. The walls are still decorated with large, painted portraits of Campbells past and present. 

Lovely benches built into the garden wall during Victorian times.

The maze is quite fun, although the sudden rain made our traipsing turn into more of a hustle!

The river just below the castle (I believe the River Findhorn?) and the avenue of trees that wraps the maze. 

Footbridge leading from the castle to the Big Wood.

If you're ever up in the Highlands, and Moray specifically, be sure to get to Cawdor- it's a fascinating castle with varied enough history to satisfy anyone's taste!

Oh, and really, that should be "when", not "if". The Highlands should DEFINITELY be on your "places to go" list... after all, Moray is top of my "places to live" list!!

4 Carlisle Castle and Cathedral

We've passed Carlisle several times on our drives to Scotland, and we always say that we'll go there someday. With our time here dwindling, we decided to stop on the way up to Oban. 

Carlisle offers a mixture of old town and mid-sized city, and reminded me a bit of Aberdeen.

The weather was far less charming, however. We headed to Carlisle Castle first, and dodged downpours as we darted from building to building.

Carlisle Castle still has some buildings being used by military regiments, although they are slowly leaving the site. The King's Own Border Regiment Museum is still on site, though, and Paul enjoyed looking through it. I'll summarize it for you: medals, medals, uniforms, chocolate tin sent by Queen Victoria to troops in South Africa, and a guy who had two sleeves full of awards... and the last name Chicken. I imagine that was an easy last name in the military!

The site of Carlisle has continuously been occupied since its start in 72 (yep... 0072 A.D.) as a Roman auxiliary fort town, Luguvalium.

It went through a few different phases, even having an abbey on site, until King William II built the first castle in 1092.  The current castle was begun in the 12th century, although some of the military buildings are from the last century.

This was in the Great Hall of the Gatehouse.  Paul was on the main floor, I was on the upper floor.

Sorry there's no full shot of the room!

The rain, and the half-moon battery. We weren't able to see this room due to flooding, but it was used as a location for cannons and soldiers defending the castle.

Some recreated examples of wall hangings.

Carlisle, from the Keep.

This was definitely my favorite part.  These carvings date from around 1480, and are believed to have been etched by a prisoner or guard. They are on the second floor of the keep, though, an unusual place to hold prisoners.  Scholars have identified two distinct artists, one more detailed and intricate than the other.  Overall, I am just glad these carvings weren't vandalized or damaged in the years before the castle came under English Heritage control!  

The top right is the White Rose of York! 

We walked over to the cathedral next.

Once again, this site has been used for centuries. Christian graves dating from as far back as 700 lead historians to believe an early church once stood on this site, but the current cathedral wasn't begun until 1122, during King Henry I's reign.  Like most historic buildings, this one has gone through many different extensions, renovations, and restorations, not to mention a major fire in 1292.

The ceiling of the walkway into the choir. 

View through the choir and presbytery.

Gorgeous ceiling- reminds me a lot of Sveta Troitsa in Bansko!

I told Paul he's welcome to paint our bedroom ceiling like this- it's so peaceful. 

Two things I love about cathedrals: stained glass...

and pillars and arches!

The organ pipes were beautiful in their simplistic design. 

This is part of the Abbey, also known as the refectory. I just thought "fratry" was funny!

After we left Carlisle we drove straight on to Oban!

4 Helmsley Castle

 We visited Helmsley Castle after Mount Grace Priory on Monday.  The castle's stone structure was begun in the mid-12th century and altered and added to over the centuries by its various owners.

 The mid-13th century East Tower still stands proudly. 

Built at the same time as the East Tower, the West Tower and Old Hall was re-fitted as a Tudor mansion two hundred years later.  Today it houses a small exhibit on the history of the site.

 Inside the West Tower.

 Enormous fireplace.

 Fancy set of keys!

 Some of the Tudor decorative pieces remain.

 The ruined walls have some beautiful flowers growing all over them!

 Not to be outdone, the grass is littered with these small flowers.

A nice site to see, but I'm glad we didn't set our day around it.  The town of Helmsley seems quite charming, but unfortunately most of the shops were closed when we were there, either because of the time (it was around 5:00 PM) or some had a "holiday notice" in the window.

Too bad, I would have liked exploring a bit more!

0 London Break: London Tower

We hadn't been to the Tower of London yet, and it was on my "must-see London" list, so it became a priority of this short break.  I found a great deal for a very nice hotel on Tower Hill, but we actually went to the National Gallery first to try to get tickets to the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit.  When that didn't pan out, we headed back to the Tower. 

There was an ice skating rink set up in the moat for the season.

Artist Kendra Haste has created these metal sculpted animals scattered around the castle grounds to represent the famous royal menagerie once housed at the Tower.

The Middle Tower, originally built in the 1200s. 

Our Yeoman Warder guide.  He was an excellent orator, and had jokes corny enough for crowds but clever enough to elicit sincere laughs.  One thing he told us that I didn't know is that the Yeomen actually live at the Tower- they have flats in certain areas, some even on the Tower Green.  I am so jealous of that address!! 

Waterloo Barracks, now home to the crown jewels.

The White Tower, first begun in 1075, with Tower Bridge visible in the background.

Some armor that appears to leave little (cough, cough) to the imagination.

A horse armor headplate.

I was trying to show just how long this jousting spear is- I am standing as near to the handle as possible.  This spear is believed to have been a show-spear, as it is very lightweight and wouldn't have survived an actual joust, belonging to Charles Brandon, one of Henry VIII's closest frienemies. 

Believed to be the world's tallest armor standing next to armor made for a young boy.  

Dragon!

The Tower Bridge, as seen from the castle grounds.

Traitor's Gate!  If you'd like the view from outside, it's shown in my April 2010 post.

Yeah, I'm a tourist!

Byward Tower, as seen from Water Lane.  The Tower of London is definitely worth the tour- we didn't get to go into the Chapel, as a service was going on, but we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Tower!

The Tower of London at night.

Tower Bridge at night.