Berkhamsted Castle - the Norman Conquest

Battle of Hastings
14th October 1066
The Battle of Hastings was fought on the morning of the 14th October 1066. The English army, led by King Harold was defending the realm from its attacker, William, Duke of Normandy, who also thought he should be king of England. There is a lot written about this event – the why, how and where - and 1066 is probably the best known date in English History.
So where else to go for today’s blip but Berkhamsted Castle? This monument was first built as a timber motte-and-bailey castle in the late 11th century. It was one of the most important early Norman castles, controlling the northern approach to London, 30 miles away and was occupied by key figures of the Middle Ages, such as Thomas Becket, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, and the Black Prince.
It was a significant site for many years but subsequently fell into disrepair with much of its stone plundered for use elsewhere. One terrible event was the destruction of the gatehouse when the railway was built, which in my view ought to be a treasonable offence!


Today, Berkhamsted Castle is a shell of its former glory but still retains its importance in the history of England. A lot of imagination is needed to ‘see’ the site as it once was and I’m sure most visitors today regard it as a pleasant place for the children to run about, climb the walls and eat their picnics.  Without the events of this day and the part played by Berkhamsted Castle in the past, our country would have been a very different place.


My blip image shows the view of the motte - where the original keep would have been - from the inner wall of the bailey. An extra shows the view from the top of the motte towards the town of Berkhamsted. Another extra shows what it would have been like.


Today I celebrate two years of Blips!  Thank you to AnnieAndChris for telling me about this place.  It has consumed more hours than I would like to admit and I have made many friends through it. Blip is a very special place – supportive, encouraging, caring – I have no doubt that my photography has improved through my daily photograph.

So, as I start my third year and onward to 1000 blips, what next? I may not post every day or some blips will be just ‘ordinary, wherever I am’ type of blips (you may think they are anyway!) I am sure, though, that I will continue in one way or another as long as Blipfoto exists!