Carisbrooke Castle

Carisbrook Castle is a castle on the Isle of Wight. The Norman castle consists of a large Keep, which is surrounded by several walls. The castle belongs to English Heritage.

The keep dates from the late 11th century, and was built on the instructions of Richard de Redvers. The walls around the castle originated from 1262 at the instigation of Isabel de Redvers, 8th Countess of Devon. In the 14th century added a gatehouse with two towers attachment and gave the castle essentially its present form. The only - unsuccessful - Siege of the plant took place in 1337 when a group of Frenchmen tried to take the castle. After the passage of the Spanish Armada in 1588 near the Isle of Wight was followed by a last adjustment of defensive fortifications on the military status of your time. In the years 1647 to 1648 Charles I was imprisoned here.

A tourist attraction are the donkeys of the castle. This pull since the time Elizabeth I water from the 49 meter deep well beneath the castle.

In the castle there is an art - and history museum, which was founded in 1898 by Princess Beatrice. Beatrice used the castle as their summer residence and was there to educate the public to build a museum. Carisbrooke Castle Museum is the only museum of its kind, which was founded by a member of the British royal family. The museum has 27,000 exhibits. Much of it deals with the history and culture of the Isle of Wight. Among the works of art watercolors are particularly significant.

Castle and museum are visited annually by about 120,000 visitors.