Lancaster - Castle

Lancaster was originally a Roman foundation, Lun-Castrum, the fort on the River Lune. Later, the Saxons built a wooden tower here, which the Normans replaced with a massive keep in 1102. At the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th century the site was expanded with round towers and a wall. Since the 17/18th century the castle, which rises high above the river, has served as law courts and prison. It has preserved its almost 82ft/25m-high Norman keep, the Lungess Tower with a small light house known as John o' Gaunt's chair, from which in 1588 the approaching Spanish Armada was sighted. Also interesting are the round Hadrian's Tower (1209, later much altered), the porter's lodge and the Shire Hall (as Lancaster was the county town)