Thursday, November 30, 2006
Reigate Castle
Yesterday we explored Reigate Castle.
It is not more than 10 miles from home and yet we had never walked there before.
It was a delightful morning.
In truth, there are no remains of the original castle at all. It had been first built in about 1088 and no doubt was extended and adapted considerably over the next few hundred years. We know that by the 1500s it was in a poor state of repair, but a hundred years later was still in use as a garrison for Royalist troops in the Civil War.
The original castle was mounted on the top of a huge mound or hill, situated to the north of what is now Reigate High Street. A large ditch or dyke was dug out to add to its defensive nature - a motte and bailey castle.
After the Civil War the land was abandoned until a wealthy land owner took it over. He built a castle gate from local stone, reputed to be from the ruins of the old castle.
This gate house was built in 1777.
This picture shows the large dyke round the hill very well. I took it from a web site.
The hill has been planted with many attractive trees and I admired this tall Californian redwood (I think!)
We liked this huge beech tree growing on the side of the hill. The ground below was covered with beech nuts and fallen golden leaves. There were many squirrels gathering nuts and playing in the branches.
Pine trees are always a favourite of mine. This one is growing on the steep side of the castle mound.
This is the site of the original castle, on top of the mound. I am not sure what the pyramid covers, but we do know that there is a maze of tunnels and caves within the hill, under the castle and probably it links down to this system. I hope we can explore the caves when there is an open day next year.
There were rose beds round the outside of this grassy area.
This delicate bloom is covered with water droplets from the melting frost of the cold night before.
The day was wonderful with sun and blue skies, but the roses would not survive
another cold night.
This shows the clock tower on top of the old market hall in the High Street. Reigate nestles between the chalk North Downs and the sand stone ridge to the south which you can see in the hazy distance.
It is not more than 10 miles from home and yet we had never walked there before.
It was a delightful morning.
In truth, there are no remains of the original castle at all. It had been first built in about 1088 and no doubt was extended and adapted considerably over the next few hundred years. We know that by the 1500s it was in a poor state of repair, but a hundred years later was still in use as a garrison for Royalist troops in the Civil War.
The original castle was mounted on the top of a huge mound or hill, situated to the north of what is now Reigate High Street. A large ditch or dyke was dug out to add to its defensive nature - a motte and bailey castle.
After the Civil War the land was abandoned until a wealthy land owner took it over. He built a castle gate from local stone, reputed to be from the ruins of the old castle.
This gate house was built in 1777.
This picture shows the large dyke round the hill very well. I took it from a web site.
The hill has been planted with many attractive trees and I admired this tall Californian redwood (I think!)
We liked this huge beech tree growing on the side of the hill. The ground below was covered with beech nuts and fallen golden leaves. There were many squirrels gathering nuts and playing in the branches.
Pine trees are always a favourite of mine. This one is growing on the steep side of the castle mound.
This is the site of the original castle, on top of the mound. I am not sure what the pyramid covers, but we do know that there is a maze of tunnels and caves within the hill, under the castle and probably it links down to this system. I hope we can explore the caves when there is an open day next year.
There were rose beds round the outside of this grassy area.This delicate bloom is covered with water droplets from the melting frost of the cold night before.
The day was wonderful with sun and blue skies, but the roses would not survive
another cold night.
This shows the clock tower on top of the old market hall in the High Street. Reigate nestles between the chalk North Downs and the sand stone ridge to the south which you can see in the hazy distance.
