Power and Protection

Power and Protection

Günter Endres

Graham Hobster

Power & Protection is an ambitious companion project to our Power & Piety books of monastic houses, to visit, describe and photograph many hundreds of castles and fortified manor houses in England and Wales. Following the Norman Conquest in 1066, much of the land not in the hands of the Church or the King was given to those Norman lords who had played a significant role in the conquest. To control and defend their holdings and to intimidate and subdue the population during the turbulent medieval times, numerous formidable castles were erected throughout the land. As comfort gained priority over defensive needs, fortified manor houses appeared as a symbol of status. During the English Civil War (1642-51), most were slighted to render them incapable of being defended, leaving a profusion of ruins dotted across the landscape. Together with many restored castles and manor houses, these provide a lasting reminder of our medieval military history. During our twenty-year collaboration, we have visited virtually all the sites described in these books and have taken thousands of photographs. Others have generously permitted the use of their photographs in places we have been unable to reach. Our selection has been made to illustrate some of the more interesting features that have survived from a defensive standpoint, and also with a focus on the elaborate architectural embellishments that were used to emphasise the high status of their occupants. We sincerely hope that these might encourage a visit when in the vicinity, or persuade some intrepid adventurers that a long journey would be worthwhile. These four volumes cover the whole of England and Wales. Later volumes will cover Scotland, the Isle of Man and Ireland. It is our intention to provide a definitive guide to all medieval castles and fortified manor houses of Britain. As you explore the sample pages provided for each of the four volumes you will see the detailed gazetteer and location maps for each property. A short history is provided to bring them to life in your imagination. The thousands of full colour, fully captioned photographs will guide you to the most interesting features to be found and explored. All four volumes are now available from Amazon and other booksellers. Please buy one or more copies and have your own record of Britain's wonderful castles heritage. Thank you. Günter Endres & Graham Hobster

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