Castles
Welcome to our guide to castles where you can learn about England’s history, discover more about our sites and find loads of fun things to watch, read and do! Here's what we've got in store for you:
What's for dinner in a medieval castle?
While many of the poor people who worked on the land and in castles had basic meals of bread, vegetables and a bit of meat, the rich and powerful enjoyed vast feasts.
Read this page find out what was on the menu at Lord Lovell's feast at Old Wardour Castle, plus make your own medieval pie!
Feast your eyes!Can you take the castle?
The fate of Carlisle Castle is in your hands, in this fun game!
Challenge a friend or family member to a race around the board. Can you be the first player to collect all the trebuchet pieces, break through the castle’s gatehouse, reach the keep and win?
Play the game!Things to make and do: get creative with our medieval castle themed activities
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Make Stokesay's South Tower
Find out about the wealthy wool merchant who built Stokesay Castle, then use our template to create your own version of Stokesay Castle’s impressive South Tower!
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Colour a Medieval Castle poster
Colour your own version of our medieval castles history timeline poster! Read through the introduction to medieval castles, then get creative with coloured pencils, pens or paints.
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MAKE A MAGNIFICENT MEDIEVAL PIE
Have your own medieval banquet with our recipe to create a delicious pie with a crust shaped like castle battlements! Don’t forget to ask an adult to help you and you’ll be feasting like a lord or lady in no time!
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Build a CARDBOARD CASTLE
Design and build a medieval castle out of cardboard! Watch our video to get inspired and find out how it’s done, then follow our step-by-step instructions to build your own castle model.
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Design your own coat of arms
Learn about the history of coats of arms including who had them, why they were used and what they looked like, before following our instructions to design your own!
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MAKE A KNIGHT'S HELMET
Dress up as a knight in shining armour with our step-by-step guide to creating your own helmet fit for a courageous castle siege! To get started, click the image and follow the instructions.
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How to make a sword
Follow our easy guide to make a sword using cardboard and foil. Pair it with a shield and knight's helmet to prepare for battle – or take it with you on your next visit to one of our castles!
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How to make a shield
Even the bravest of knights needs a shield for protection. This easy step-by-step guide will show you how to make your own medieval shield so you'll be ready for adventure!
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More things to make and do
Get hands-on and crafty with history. From model historical homes to costumes and coats of arms, there’s plenty to be inspired by. Use our simple instructions to get making!
Quiz time!
Could you run a medieval castle? Take our fun quizzes to find out whether you have what it takes, and whether your ideal job would be a Lord, Lady, Steward, Soldier or Jester. Plus, test your knowledge of castles on our Kings of the Castles page!
A Spotter's Guide to... Castles
Castles come in all shapes and sizes, and there are castle sites across the country for you and your family to explore.
Download and print out our handy spotter's guide to castles, grab your binoculars, clipboard and a pencil, and head out to an English Heritage castle near you, to see if you can find these things and more!
Download the guideRead Kids Rule! magazine online
What was life like in a medieval castle? Read Kids Rule! magazine online to find out. In these issues about castles, discover the stories of real people who lived in them, castle design, battles and sieges, how to attack and defend a castle and much more!
The Kids Rule! magazine series follows the history of England, from prehistory to present. It’s designed to help you discover more about the past, through fun facts, illustrated stories, games, puzzles and competitions.
Castle Poster: Make your Mega Timeline
We've created a series of posters showing how people lived in England through the ages, like this one showing life in England's castles.
Each of the posters follows on from each other, so that when you download them all from the Kids Rule! pages, you can create your own mega timeline of English history!
Download your poster
