A journey through England is a journey through history – from the ancient megaliths of Stonehenge to the space-age domes of the Eden Project in Cornwall. It’s also a trip to the 21st-century: London is gearing up for the 2012 Olympics while cities like Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle revel in their heritage and confidently face the future, with industrial buildings revitalised as waterfront galleries or trendy apartments, flanked by tempting bars, shops, restaurants and some of the finest music venues in the world.
Castle presenter and historian Marc Morris introduces us to 10 of the best-preserved examples across the United Kingdom. Castles were both a fortress and a home. Built to withstand armed assault they also housed elegant ladies, poets, priests, children and animals - as well as brutish warriors. The series begins with an exploration into the birth of the castle in the British Isles, and proceeds to cover the evolution of the castles there.
