Images of Beeston Castle

Click the images to see a large version.


This site is nothing more than a selection of pictures of Beeston Castle.
I put them here for others to enjoy. Beeston is about 10 miles south of Chester in England and I often visit the castle. It is a place I like to be, so I visit it a lot. It is cared for by the English Heritage.

My favourite place of historic interest is over the border from Shropshire to Cheshire, the ruin of Beeston castle.

In 1220 Randle Blunderville, Earl of Chester, built Beeston Castle which can be found about 10 mile south east of Chester, not far from the comparatively modern Peckforton Castle. Unfortunately Beeston is a ruin, and not just by weathering and decay, but some say by a deliberate act of destruction on the orders of Parliament in 1646. It was built on Beeston rock which is a massive red stone rock with sheer drops on two sides. Although a ruin, it is a very impressively sited ruin. I have never been at a better vantage point, and with a little imagination I can see the castle as it might have been in my minds eye. The bridge to the inner castle was built in 1976/7 for easy access. unfortunately it is an incongruous addition. I found that little is certain concerning the history of the castle, as different sources seem to have different stories, dates and events. I am not an historian, far from it. I just like this place and the kind people allow me to take my dog. It cost four pounds sixty for the two of us to get in (No charge for the dog.), but we found ourselves visiting so regularly that we joined the English Heritage figuring we will probably get our money back in saved entrance fees, and we can also visit other English Heritage sites without charge.

Enough text. Click on the pictures and enjoy.

From time to time events are held at Beeston castle click here for some pictures of the plantagenets














Fortunately Beeston Castle is an English Heritage site. Had this site been run by The National Trust, then I probably would not have been allowed to take these pictures because they don't allow you take your own pictures (even without flash) They offer instead to let you buy postcards at the shop. They are careful not to inform you of this restriction until after you have paid admission. My experience when visiting a National Trust site was not enjoyable. Much of the restoration I saw at the site I visited would better be described as modification.


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Links
The English Heritage site. The English Heritage site.
British Archaeology, no 22, March 1997: Features
Camelot International.
The Plantagenets.
The TimeRef.