Hundreds of castles were built in the UK during the medieval period, including:
- Dover Castle in Kent which was built by King Henry II to defend the coast and to host royal ceremonies;
- Windsor Castle which occupies a large site alongside the River Thames combining the features of a: fortification, a royal palace and a small town.
- Caernarfon Castle in north Wales which was attached to the walled town of Caernarfon and acted as a major administrative centre for the surrounding area;
- Warwick Castle which was built on a bend on the River Avon and used to symbolise the Earl of Warwick’s power;
- Bodiam Castle in east Sussex which has a clear rectangular shaped curtain wall surrounded by a moat, but no keep in the middle;
- Pembroke Castle in south-west Wales where the future King Henry VII of England was born.
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