This book is the first to provide a comprehensive and concise guide to all medieval English castles of which something can still be seen today. English castles are a very diverse group, ranging from the massive keeps which still dominate the landscape to grassy earthworks and Border pele towers: true castles are a medieval phenomenon, spanning the centuries from the Norman Conquest to the accession of the Tudors. Pettifer has included a small number of medieval fortifications which are not strictly castles, such as town walls and Tudor coastal forts, which are too closely related to ignore. English Castlescontains over five hundred main entries, grouped in traditional county order for geographical convenience, each givinga brief history and description of the castle. A short introduction supplies the historical background to the great explosion of castle-building in the middle ages, and there is a glossary covering all aspects of castles in some detail. Full Ordnance Survey map references are given in the index.