Tour of oldest castle..

I need some help. We took a cruise that left from Amsterdam and then England and Portugal, and Spain. We choose a tour leaving from Southhampton going to the oldest castle. This castle was at the top of a large hill and there was a village in the town below this castle. For the life of me I cant remember the name of the castle or the village. Can anyone help?

We had a tour of Windsor Castle from Southampton. Is it the one?

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Sounds like Corfe Castle in Dorset, I doubt you would describe Windsor as a village and its not on a hill.

You could try going to the cruiseline's website and looking at the excursions they offer from Southampton.

Sounds like Corfe Castle in Dorset, I doubt you would describe Windsor as a village and its not on a hill.

Agreed about Windsor. And I too was wondering about Corfe Castle, but have no idea if it is offered as an excursion from Southampton.

Sounds like Corfe Castle in Dorset, I doubt you would describe Windsor as a village and its not on a hill.

Yes, I'll put money on it being Corfe Castle.

It's one of the oldest in Britain, about 1100 AD, but particularly looks old because it was besieged & damaged beyond repair during the English Civil War, several hundred years after it was built,

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=corfe+castle&dcr=0&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwilpu651aXXAhVOFMAKHfqGD-cQ_AUICygC&biw=1791&bih=686

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corfe_Castle

The village in its shadow has the same name.

It's just over an hour from Southampton.

JB :)

Portchester Castle, Hampshire, is described by Wikipedia as being the oldest castle in England - it has remains of a Roman fort from the third century AD.

Portchester Castle, Hampshire, is described by Wikipedia as being the oldest castle in England - it has remains of a Roman fort from the third century AD.

Isn't Portchester a shore fort? Seems unlikely from the description given by the OP and the emphasis on the hill.

Agree with others that the one that clearly describes to me is Corfe. But many inland castles are on hills, of course...kind of the point [emoji6]

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OP - you don't happen to remember a heritage steam railway running past the castle with a stop in the village - that would almost certainly make it Corfe?

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Isn't Portchester a shore fort? Seems unlikely from the description given by the OP and the emphasis on the hill.

 

Agree with others that the one that clearly describes to me is Corfe. But many inland castles are on hills, of course...kind of the point [emoji6]

 

 

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Yes, Portchester Castle is on the shore of Portsmouth harbour on flat ground about 3 ft above sea-level. ;)

And Portchester isn't exactly a village.

As for the "oldest" castle in England, I don't think any stone castles pre-date the Norman invasion of 1066 but William the Conqueror was a prolific castle-builder so it's difficult to say which was "first", though the oldest are probably in the south-east, where the invasion took place. So Dover & Rochester before Portchester & Corfe.

But long before William there were earthworks castles - places like Maiden Castle near Weymouth/Portland, and Old Sarum just outside Salisbury.

And natural castles like mythical King Arthur's Tintagel Castle in Cornwall

So "oldest" depends on the definition of "castle", the level of proof required, and the budget & imagination of the relevant tourist office. :rolleyes:

JB :)