A Time to Cast Away Stones Trivia Quiz

Answer: Battle

Urquhart Castle, by the shores of Loch Ness in Scotland, was first constructed at some point in the thirteenth century, and it was assaulted and sieged during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Robert the Bruce finally captured it in 1306, and it was owned by various Scottish kings until it was given to the Grant family in 1509.

During the next century the castle was damaged in various clan wars, but it was rebuilt towards the end of the sixteenth century. However, the castle next suffered a siege between 1688 and 1690, against supporters of the recently deposed James VII. At the end of this period the castle's gate house was blown up, and the rest of the castle fell into disrepair shortly after.

The castle is currently owned by Historic Scotland, and its picturesque setting means that it is very popular among visitors.

Answer: Battle

Corfe Castle is located in Dorset, and was one of many castles built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century. It was owned by the crown until Elizabeth I sold it in 1572, and by the time of the English Civil War it was owned by a royalist, Sir John Bankes, although most of Dorset supported Parliament.

Parliamentarian troops first laid siege to the castle in 1643, during Sir John's absence, and it lasted for around six weeks, until the inhabitants were relived by Royalist troops. However, it was besieged again in 1645, towards the end of the war, and this time the castle was demolished.

Today the castle is owned by the National Trust, and visitors can climb up to some of the high battlements, which give a good view of the town of Corfe and the surrounding countryside.

Answer: Battle

Kenilworth Castle is located in Warwickshire, and was built in the early 1120s, although it was expanded and renovated during the next four centuries.

At the start of the English Civil War it was another castle that was held by the Royalists in the midst of Parliamentarian towns. However, after the Battle of Edgehill in 1642 the Royalist army left and their places were taken by Parliamentarians, who held the castle until the end of the war. They destroyed part of the tower and the battlements when they moved out in 1649, and some of the ruined buildings began to be used as a farm.

The castle is now owned by English Heritage, and visitors can wander around the still impressive-looking towers, and explore the restored Elizabethan gardens.

Answer: Decay

St Andrews castle is located by the sea in St Andrews, Scotland. It was originally built in the late 12th century, when it was lived in by bishops. However, it was demolished and then rebuilt on a number of occasions during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the late 13th and early 14th centuries - the final version was completed around 1400.

The castle is perhaps most famous for its role in the Scottish Reformation. In 1546 a group of local Protestants hid in the castle, and a party of Catholics, led by the Earl of Arran, tried to dig a mine through the rock. The Protestants, not to be outdone, dug a countermine to meet the attackers - these two tunnels can still be visited today.

The castle was successfully bombarded in 1547, and the defenders were mostly imprisoned. However, it was then rebuilt, and for the next 100 years it was again lived in by constables and bishops. However, when William of Orange came to power in 1688 he abolished the office of bishops in Scotland, and so the castle was left unoccupied, and it fell into ruin. It is now owned by Historic Scotland, and visitors come especially to explore underground through the mine and countermine.

Answer: Decay

Tintagel Castle is situated on the coast in north Cornwall. A castle was first built on the small rocky island in the 13th century by the 1st Earl of Cornwall. However, his descendants were not particularly interested in living in the castle, and so it was left empty. It therefore fell into ruin rather more quickly than the other castles in this quiz.

However, the castle is best known, perhaps, for its role in the legends of King Arthur. Since the 19th century tourists have rushed to see the ruins and to learn more about the King. A bridge has also been constructed across to the island, as the earlier visitors had to wait until it was low tide. The castle is now owned by English Heritage, who are responsible for making sure that the castle and island don't suffer from any further erosion.

Answer: Battle

Harlech Castle is located in north Wales, and it was built by Edward I in the late 13th century, as one of seven castles built by the English king to repress the Welsh. As a result , perhaps, of its original purpose, the castle was involved in several uprisings by the Welsh against the English inhabitants, with the best known taking place in 1294, led by Madog ap Llywelyn, and in 1400, led by Owain Glyndwr.

The castle was also involved in the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century, where it was held by Lancastrian supporters, and it was besieged for a month before the defenders surrendered. During this siege the castle was seriously damaged, and this hadn't been repaired by the time of the English Civil War two hundred years later. However, this did not stop the Royalist held castle from being besieged again, between 1646 and 1647. This time, the Parliamentarian army destroyed the castle.

Today, the castle is owned by Cadw, and visitors are still able to climb most of the towers, and walk around a part of the battlements, which give a good view over the sea.

Answer: Decay

Fotheringhay Castle, which is situated in Northamptonshire, was built around 1100. It has long been associated with various members of both the English and Scottish Royal Families. It was owned by David I of Scotland and his descendants until King John of England seized it in the early 13th century.

The castle was well used by members of the York dynasty, and it is perhaps best known as the place of execution of Mary Queen of Scots in 1587; however, despite its importance in earlier years it was not well looked after, and it was finally demolished in the 1630s.

Today there is very little left apart from a few segments of its walls, but members of the public are welcome to visit them and enjoy the view across the countryside.

Answer: Battle

Rochester Castle, which is located in Kent, was built in the 11th century, although the construction of its large keep wasn't started until around 1127.

The Castle was besieged in the two Barons' Wars of the 13th century, suffering substantial damage each time. However, both Henry II after the first war, and Edward III after the second, spent thousands of pounds on the castle's repair.

The castle was besieged for a final time in 1381, during the Peasants' Revolt. By this time the castle had fallen out of importance militarily, and although the castle was lived in by tenants that included Catherine of Valois, Henry V's widow, they mostly lived in the keep, while the rest of the castle fell into even more decay.

Today the castle is owned by English Heritage, and visitors can explore the extensive castle grounds, as well as climb up the impressive, and still-standing, keep.

Answer: Decay

Ludlow Castle, located in Shropshire, was constructed during the Norman conquest, and it was owned by various people, starting with members of the de Lacy family, until it was taken by the crown in 1461. It was used as the seat of the Council of Wales and the Marches, and therefore profited from its location close to the Welsh border.

It was besieged by the Parliamentarian army in 1646, during the English Civil War, but after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 it was repaired. However, its repaired state did not last for long, as after the Council was abolished in 1689 the castle was not needed, and so it soon fell into a state of disrepair.

Today it is owned by the Earl of Powis and it is open to members of the public. Some of the castle's buildings have been converted into flats and offices.

Answer: Decay

Kinloch Castle is unlike any of the other castles in this quiz, as it is comparatively modern. It is located on the Isle of Rum, in the Inner Hebrides, and it was built between 1897 and 1900 by Sir George Bullough, a Lancastrian industrialist, whose father had bought the island as his private game reserve.

Sir George died in 1939, and the castle was owned briefly by a series of trustees, until it was bought by Nature Conservancy, a conservation group, in 1957, and then passed on to Scottish Natural Heritage. Despite the fact that these groups have carried out repair works, it has quickly fallen into a state of disrepair.

It used to be possible to tour the castle during gaps between ferries, so visitors could arrive on the island for a day trip. However, these tours have been stopped as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. A part of castle also used to be used as a hostel, but it closed down once a new purpose-built hostel was built on the island.