Another disturbed night due to Geoff's cough and cold. We actually missed breakfast as I had tried to not wake him not realising it was so late. We dashed down and the woman packing it up took pity on us and let us partake of the leftovers.
A short drive to the township of Arundel.
Very much an old medieval town dominated by the magnificent Arundel castle. Work started on Arundel Castle in 1067 during the reign of William the Conqueror as a fortification for the mouth of the River Arun and a defensive position for the surrounding land against invasion from France.The original structure was a motte and double bailey castle. Roger de Montgomery was declared the first Earl of Arundel as the King granted him the property as part of a much larger package of hundreds of manors. Roger was a cousin of William's and had stayed in Normandy to keep the peace there whilst William was off in England. He was rewarded for his loyalty with extensive lands in the Welsh Marches and across the country, together with one fifth of Sussex. The castle is one of the longest inhabited country houses in England.
The keep is the really old bit and you can climb right through that. They had quite good displays representing different periods such as the Civil War. The grand, impressive bit at the front is Victorian.
Civil War display
Portcullis mechanism
The keep which is the original part of the castle
Love this as it is the background to the term to 'Sally forth'
Magnificent gardens.
The castle chapel
We had some trouble finding somewhere to stay. Finally booked Strawberry Cottage. A tudor farmhouse and the address is so English - Shamblehurst Manor, Old Shamblehurst Lane, Hedge End!
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