Castle Builders by Malcolm Hislop

Castle Builders
by Malcolm Hislop

ISBN-13: 9781526796615
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Pen and Sword Archaeology
Released: April 30th 2021


Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In Castle Builders, Malcolm Hislop looks at the hugely popular subject of castles from the unusual perspective of design and construction. We discover something of the personalities behind their creation - the architects and craftsmen - and, furthermore, the techniques they employed, and how style and technology was disseminated. Castle Builders takes both a thematic and a chronological approach to the design and construction of castles, providing the reader with clear lines of development. Themes include earth, timber and stone construction techniques, the evolution of the great tower, the development of military engineering, the progression of domestic accommodation, and the degree to which aesthetics contributed to castle design.


My Review:
Castle Builders is a detailed look at the archaeological evidence for how castles were built in Great Britian, from manors on raised earthworks to carpentry walls, floors, and roofs, to masonry fortification, buildings, and plumbing issues. The author spent a lot of time providing details, from the exact dimensions of the moats to the name of the engineer that headed the building project to the apparent spread and development of different architectural features based on when different castles were built. Some pictures of the described features were included and were very interesting, illustrating his points. If you want to know the layers of subsoil found mounded next to the moat and the implications for how both were created, you'll find that information in this book. Architectural and castle-related terms were rarely defined in the text, though there's a glossary in the back. However, this is probably too detailed to be of interest if you don't know the basic terms already. While the book provided a great deal of information and analysis, it's probably too technical to interest someone with only a casual interest in castles.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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