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Castle Preservation:
Castle Shams

Castell Deudraeth The definition of a castle... a properly fortified military residence.
For some reason, this definition has been open to different interpretation over the years, and a lot of things have been called a castle. Buildings that look like castles, large residences, burial mounds, rock formations, or something that someone wanted to name a castle. Almost all real castles in Great Britain were built between 1050-1600, with some later castles being built in Scotland.

On this page you will find castle shams, follies and unreal castles. We briefly explain why they are not authentic castles.

Wales

  • Bryn Bras Castle: Location: St. Hilary. A comparatively modern mansion. Built in 1830 and not fortified.
  • Bryn-y-Castell: Location: Llanrug. A name given to this tumulus. There is no record of any castle occupying the site.
  • Bryn-y-Castell: Location: Mold. A natural mound of moraine gravel, the debris left by a melting glacier.
  • Castell Allt-goch: Location:Lampeter. A name given to this tumulus and descibed by the historian Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald of Wales).
  • Castell Cawr: Location:Abergele. A tree covered hill on which a Roman fort stood.
  • Castell Collen: Location:Llanyre. The site of an old Roman fort.
  • Castell Fflemish: Location:Tregaron. Recent examinations have determined that this is an Iron Age site.
  • Castell-y-Gaer: Location:Llanegryn. An ancient hillfort.
  • Castell Goetre: Location:Llanfair-Clydogau. A Roman silver and lead mine.
  • Castell Gwynionydd: Location:Llandyssul. A large mound. which has no known history.
  • Castellmarch: Location:Abersoch. A 17th Century unfortified mansion.
  • Castell Mawr: Location:Blaen-waun. Recent investigations have determined that this site is from prehistoric times.
  • Castell Nantperchellan: Location:Cardigan. An ancient camp.
  • Cefyn-y-Castell: Location:Middletown. An ancient hillfort.
  • Craig-y-Nos Castle: Location:Craig-y-Nos. A copy of a Scottish baronial manor.
  • Cyfarthfa Castle: Location:Merthyr Tydfil. Built in 1825, and not fortified.
  • Dunraven Castle: Location:Southerndown. A 19th Century unfortified mansion.
  • Gwyrch Castle: Location:Abergele. A non-military sham castle built in 1815.
  • Gwydir Castle: Location:Llanrwst. A Tudor mansion.
  • Maesllwch Castle: Location:Glasbury. A Mansion built in 1829.

England

  • Banwell Castle: Location:Somerset. Built in the 1840's and is not fortified.
  • Bolsover Castle: Location:Derbyshire. A 17th century unfortified mansion. The existing structure was built over the original castle, and ruins are still visible.
  • Cholmondeley Castle: Location:Cheshire. Built in 1801.
  • Compton Castle: Location:Somerset. Designed in 1821 by J. Finden. Incorporates a medieval or Tudor structure.
  • Eastnor Castle: Location:Ledbury. Looks of a fairytale medieval fortress, but is in fact a Victorian home built in 1820.
  • Highclere Castle: Location:Hampshire. A mansion built in 1830.
  • Knowle Tower: Location:Somerset. Built in 1870 for Benjamin Greenhill.
  • Mow Cop Castle: Location:Cheshire. A tower, used as a summer house, built in 1754.
  • Peckforton Castle: Location:Cheshire. Built in 1840.
  • Willett Tower: Location:Somerset. Completed in 1782.

Scotland

  • Ayton Castle: Location:Berwickshire. Built in 1846.
  • Balloch Castle: Location:Strathclyde. Built in 1808.
  • Craigston Castle: Location:Aberdeenshire. An unfortified castle built in the 17th Century.
  • Drummuir Castle: Location:Banffshire. Castellated Victorian Gothic built in 1848.
  • Floors Castle: Location:Roxburgh. A remodelled Georgian mansion, in 1718, to look like a castle.
  • Torosay Castle: Location:Isle of Mull. A victorian house built in in the 1800's.

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