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Recommendations for Castles in or near London?

We will be spending a week in London and want to see some castles, can you recommend any special ones or sites where we can get information?

Tower of London Windsor Castle Leeds Castle (www.leeds-castle.com)

Hampton Court Palace.

Warwick Castle is a bit farther out from Lonodn, but well worth a day trip.

agree with all the above. You can also visit Kensington Palace (I think). And to see a neat small palace, really more a house, go to Kew Gardens and visit the little house there that was a favorite place to stay by Queen ? (help me here - was it Mary? )

that would be Queen Charlotte's Cottage at Kew Gardens. Her favorite summer house, it was given to her as a gift upon her marriage to George III.

Here is the full story: Queen Charlotte's Cottage This cottage began as a small single-storey building within the grounds of Richmond Lodge, which Queen Charlotte received as a wedding gift when she married George III in 1761. It was used as a summer house. During Queen Victoria's reign the Gardens at Kew were extended to their present size, but the Queen retained the cottage and 37 acres of surrounding woodland until she gave them to the public to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee of 1897. The nearby Conservation Area contains one of the finest bluebell woods in the London area. The woods here are managed as a nature reserve and native plants and animals are encouraged, using traditional methods and management techniques such as coppicing. Bluebells flourish in the spring and among the birds that can be seen are tawny owls, blue and great tits, sparrowhawks and green woodpeckers. The area also supports many insects, including rare hoverflies. The cottage has been restored to a good semblance of its original condition by Historic Royal Palaces and is administrated separately by them. Whilst normally closed to the public, Queen Charlotte's Cottage is open each May-Day Bank Holiday in conjunction with our Spring Bluebells event.

there is also this at Kew Gardens: Kew Palace, used by the royal family between 1729 and 1818, is the last survivor of several important royal residences at Kew. While the Palace is closed for renovation the grounds and cottage can still be visited.

HERE IS ONE THAT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT AT ALL. The Banqueting House is all that remains of Whitehall Palace, the sovereign's principal residence from 1530 until 1698 when it was destroyed by fire. Renowned for its architecture and painting, the building is also famous for being the scene of Charles I's execution. Address The Banqueting House Whitehall London SW1A 2ER England Information line: +44 (0)870 751 5178

Hey you forgot one of the best ones to visit and that is the Tower of London. Founded by William the Conqueror in 1066-7 and enlarged and modified by successive sovereigns, today the Tower of London is one of the world's most famous and spectacular fortresses. Discover its 900-year history as a royal palace and fortress, prison and place of execution, mint, arsenal, menagerie and jewel house. Address HM Tower of London London EC3N 4AB England Information line: +44 (0)870 756 6060

Actually, the Tower of London was the very first castle mentioned in this thread!

Castle of ASdventure 0022 737 99292 haunted too