Colchester Castle

I've taken some annual leave this week, so we popped over to nearby Colchester for a wander and a look around the castle. Of course, it's school half term at the moment so it was pretty busy.

Ightham Mote (outside)

As I mentioned in my Red House post, whilst we were in the area we popped over to Ightham Mote (pronounced 'item'), another National Trust property. It has a totally different feel to Red House, not as much a family home, but instead a proper castle.

It wasn't owned by anyone notable, just courtiers of Henry VII and later new money Americans, but the building is fantastic- a combination of fortified stone castle and Tudor, wooden beamed manor.